Pretense

Jeremiah 3:10 ESV

“Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.”

This section of scripture begins in verse six with “The LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah”. The rebuke of God does not happen during what would be called a “back sliding” period in Jewish history. Rather it occurs during one of the greatest revivals, under the leading of one of the nation’s greatest kings! As the Passover is being reinstituted, high places are finally being torn down, and missions are going into the war-ravaged north, Jeremiah records this rebuke by God “but in pretense”.

The God of heaven looked at the heart of the people and saw it was “but a pretense” dependent on his continued earthly blessing to maintain. He already knew what would be recorded later in Jeremiah 44, that this peoples God was their stomach (Philippians 3:19), and they had never really left their idols, that they still looked with longing and nostalgia on the former times of sin. Much like men and women who have not repented of sin but rather have simple grown too old to enjoy it anymore.  So also, is the nation that glosses over their sin with laws rather than attacking the hearts of the people.

Christ crucified is the life breath of the Church. Not a social program, a street ministry, a slick new worship leader, a nice web page or app. The Church of Jesus Christ lives and breathes based on his death burial and resurrection. So much so that the story is told over and over and over again and it never gets old or boring to those that love it. The truth that we are heirs with Christ propels us to do many of the things listed above, to tell the story. Not to gain social standing, converts, or bigger congregations, but simply because we love to tell the story in any and every way possible.

In the life and times of Josiah you see that reality played out. The king is overwhelmed by God and leads all those endeavors, but when he dies the people quickly and easily slipped away from God because they were living on another’s passion. As churches, we have to live on our own passion for the spread of the Gospel, not the passion of the Pastor or any other person. This propels the Gospel through the generations as each generation has heard the story told passionately over and over. The most dangerous place to be, in your spiritual life, is when the Gospel is no longer exciting and convicting. When you need more programs or better music for church to be enough on Sunday. When the Gospel preached and the fellowship of other Christians is no longer enough to sustain you.

Do you still find the “ordinary” means of grace (the word preached/read, sacraments, and prayer) to be enough to sustain your faith or perhaps you like me have been prone to wander into thinking more is needed? Into making the adornments (good music, good programs, and comfortable chairs) central to my worship experience rather than peripheral?

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO