Their Voids are the Reality

A friend told me one night that he had doubts about the reality of the spiritual realm.  Like most people I know, his preference was to think of himself as a realist.  He said something like, “That which I can see, feel, touch and taste is reality for me and if I can’t do that, then I think it should be very questionable.”  So I mentioned electricity, suggesting to him, “You can’t do any of those things with that.”  He thought for a moment, shuffled in his seat a little and smiling, he replied, “Yes, but I can see the results.”  The real reason behind his shuffling and smile was that he discovered his own words had caught him out, based on other words he’d spoken to me just moments earlier in the conversation.

His “other words” had to do with changes he had observed in me since the last time we’d been together, which had been about year earlier.  He saw me as no longer restless, foul-mouthed or semi-intoxicated as we played together in a nightclub one night, so he asked me what had happened.  I told him I had met the Lord Jesus Christ and that He’d set me free from those things, as well as free from my emptiness, loneliness, guilt and fear of death.  That’s when he spoke of being a realist and that the spiritual realm was questionable.  But he did have an interest for the spiritual – and it had been there for a while because he went on to ask more questions about Jesus Christ and the Bible.

People who show no interest in God do not ask the questions that my friend did.  In fact, so interested was he, that some time later he came to my home with his wife and one of his young adult sons to hear the gospel.  “Tell us what this is all about,” he said, with his dear wife and son in agreeance.  Rather than “tell” people, it is my preference to answer their questions, so I said to them, “ask away.”  And that they did.  With the things of God I also like to ask people questions, because it gives me insight into where they are at during each present moment.  It is always God’s desire to meet people’s spiritual needs and I find with such questioning that perhaps I’m more effective in meeting God’s “needs” (will) at the same time.

I believe one of the great faults of Christendom lies with the “telling” or being “told.”  Many men and women of the church appear to love standing up in their pulpits using the “telling” or lecture approach, but as one who has done a lot of work with so-called unbelievers, it does not really endear them because it fails to satisfactorily answer the many questions they have.  Christians and church-goers can sit quite happily, some never asking questions, but it’s a turn-off for the others.  And the more I sit in their churches and observe these people doing this, the more I’m becoming turned off too, especially when they preach questionable doctrines and give no opportunity to have them challenged on the spot.

My friend and his family were impressed with what they heard and read in the gospels of Jesus’ approach and manner with sinning people who knew little or nothing about God.  One of them asked, “If Jesus was really like that, then why do we get such a different picture altogether when we look at ministers and priests and many people who go to church?”  I can’t recall my answer back then, but here’s the answer I give enquiring people today – reality.  I encourage people to always look for what is real, and turn away from what appears to be phony, false or religious.  One does not have to be born again to discern those things, all one has to do is be totally honest with him or herself.

Unbelievers can pick up on such unrealities in others because that’s what they are themselves.  And those who are looking for something other than what they already know themselves to be will quickly confirm the truth of this.  “You’re no different than me,” they’ll say.  “I see very clearly the mechanisms you’re using to hide yourself with and they’re just like mine.  If that’s Christianity, then no thank you.  I already have it!  But, mine doesn’t work, therefore, neither does yours.”  Many inside the church are quick to make judgments on those outside, but equally, those outside can be just as quick to judge who’s a religious practitioner versus a reality practitioner.

The fact that my friends saw Jesus as a reality practitioner made them all the more attracted to Him.  Once again, that’s the difference between the Jesus of the gospels and the Jesus of man’s religion.  One can reject the revealed Jesus but one cannot run and hide from Him.  But with the religious Jesus, one can do both, playing all sorts of religious games that give the appearance of being the real thing.  And that is why there is always going to be a greater attraction for the religious Jesus.  Unreality and man’s religion are one, every bit as much as reality and Jesus are One.  Like attracts like, end of story.   

Ever since I’ve been a Christian I have noted how church leaders love to talk about church growth.  They study books from the gurus of church growth, they attend their seminars and webinars, buy their DVD’s and download all sorts of information from them, but when all is said and done, no change eventuates regardless of whether it’s a church of ten or ten thousand people.  Nevertheless, the leaders love their busyness and will continue to “flog this dead horse” because there’s no better way to keep them from having to look at themselves in the light of the real.  The same applies to the spiritual cowards in the pulpit who are of the “seeker-friendly” mentality – that is – those always on the lookout for “study” material that waters down the true gospel.

I have met numerous so-called unbelievers just like my friends and although they did not (at the time) receive the Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts, they did receive His message into their ears and minds.  They received the gospel as the Holy Spirit spoke through me and the Holy Spirit never waters down that message.  Another thing I’ve noticed.  Church people can very often be more offended by the truth of the Bible than those outside the church.  I don’t know where they’re at spiritually, but this offence shows up in lots of them when one stands up and speaks up for truth.  That’s biblical of course, Jesus’ greatest battles were with the same kind.

Over the years there’s been a few so-called unbelievers who have asked for my opinion on what Jesus’ thoughts would be if we could hear Him speak on much of today’s church as we see it around the world.  They are some-what surprised to learn that it’s no surprise to the Lord at all and that the Bible tells us we can expect it to be the way it is in these last days.  Where possible I’ve tried to show them the truth of this from the Scriptures, such as Luke 18:8; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:2.  Yet something else I’ve noticed.  Unbelievers seem more willing than many Christians to accept the entire Bible as the word of God.  Never once did I hear anyone say something like, “Who said that, Jesus or Paul?”

One might say so-called unbelievers would not know the difference.  But if one did say such a thing they would be very much underestimating the knowledge of many of these people.  Whilst they may well be turned off towards what they see or perceive as the church, they are not turned off from seeking truth even though they may never openly admit that fact.  Within each person lies the realities of emptiness, loneliness, guilt and fear – all voids within that each one is seeking to have filled.  The problem being though, when those in the church won’t acknowledge their voids and allow the Lord to deal with the root causes, the so-called unbelievers will avoid those places like the plague.

The Spirit of God was upon each member of that family the night they visited and when we parted company they thanked me sincerely for sharing God’s truth with them.  It would be lovely to say each one later gave their hearts to God and today they are strong in the faith.  But not long after that they left Australia, returning home to the land of their birth and we’ve lost touch.  Countless times God has brought people into my life such as these, but it’s always only been (in Christian-speak) for a season.  Then they go out of my life.  Knowing this to be the case, I endeavor always to make it my business to share nothing with people but the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified 1 Corinthians 2:2.  

In other words, I firstly share with them Who the biblical Lord Jesus Christ is, then secondly I share with them what He has done for me by being crucified on that cross.  Like the apostle Paul I am not interested in sophisticated speech and philosophy deliberately keeping the message plain and simple.  Therein lies the key, in my opinion. We think people are sophisticated and philosophical, but that’s just a smokescreen that they hide behind.  Their voids are the reality, not that stuff.  If only more church people woke up to this and ceased trying to play them at the same game how different their churches would be.

Besides, if plain and simple speech was good enough for Jesus and the apostles, who do we think we are by not using the same?  The Holy Spirit has not changed.  Since the beginnings of His revelation He has never taken leave to study elocution and philosophy, although the Scriptures show us He can match it with the best of them if He should need to.  But He is the true REALIST and He is extremely skilled at breaking down that which is unreal – within us all. “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.