Narcissicistic Christianity

I admire people who write well, and say things I try to say. When I write them it’s just not very fluid.

This post on “Jesus and me broke up” is outstanding. It encapsulates my thoughts on what is going wrong in American Christianity. We have a Christianity that isn’t about Jesus. It’s about “me.” There is a power that is about living in Christ. His resurrection. His death. We need to remember it is NOT about us! It IS about him! HIS glory! HIS kingdom.

This paragraph stands out:

“The same Jesus who gave himself again to his disciple after they had contributed to the process by which he was killed, this same Jesus was concerned (prior to his death) that he be remembered precisely for and in his death. This is my body broken for you. This is my blood shed for you. Do this to remember me! The Jesus of Christian faith is not an invisible psychological aid. The experience of resurrection is this: living he confronts us with his death. He wants us to know him as a man who poured himself out for the world and also as a man who was broken by the world. This death is the culmination of the person and it is this that determines whatever kind of ‘relationship’ we might have with him.”

We don’t need a “relationship” like WE know that word! It’s not just a “romance.” I need to be confronted by a holy God and WORSHIP him. It is like the story of Peter the day the Lord told him to cast his nets on the other side of the boat. When the huge haul came in, Peter’s response was, “Get away from me! I’m not worthy!” He had encountered the holy. It like Isaiah in Isaiah 6. We are confronted and we cry, “I am unclean!”

YES, we are then given access. But we should then keep a holy response. We live in the power of the Kingdom… YES! We are called to cast out demons… YES! Heal the sick… YES! But let’s not turn that into a sloppy relationship where we just take advantage of a still holy God.

It is not about narcissicistic romance. It’s not this relationship where we cry to God, “What have you done for me lately?”

It is about being confronted with our offense, then touched by forgiveness. It’s not about romance. It’s about discipleship.

4 responses to “Narcissicistic Christianity”

  1. I like this. and it’s so true that American Christianity is into Me-isms forgetting the cross. And I agree it’s about being confronted with our offenses . What happened?

    I am reminded of the Israelites in the wilderness, when they said to Moses “Speak thou with us and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Ex 20:19). Thank the LORD that Peter and Isaiah heard the voice of God so much to turn and realize who they are in the light of Him. The Cross of Christ must remind us and we must remember this. It should disturb us, along with the Word of the LORD – it should hurt the things inside ourselves that aren’t in right standing with God.

  2. But the entire Christian Tradition, every last bit of it, was invented by people who never ever met Jesus in the flesh. Or up close and personal so that they could receive his comprehensive instruction and guidance in how to live an authentic Spiritual Way of life.

    Put in another way, Jesus taught a self-transcending spirit-breathing Spiritual Way.

    By contrast the entire Christian Tradition is a self-serving religion invented by others, beginning with Paul, ABOUT Jesus.

    Re discipleship.

    In Truth and Reality you can only be a disciple of a living-breathing-feeling Spiritual Master. One who is thus qualified to give you comprehensive guidance and instructions in how to live an authentic Spiritual Way of life.

    And who is thus present to really kick your inherently narcissistic butt.

    Everything else, with NO exceptions is narcissistic self involvement.

    1. John, that is historically inaccurate. While forms of worship are indeed human, because, we are INDEED … um, HUMAN, it is inaccurate to make false accusations about Christian forms being “invented” by Paul and those who followed.

      What is needed in all forms is the life of the Spirit and the presence of Christ who will turn us back to HIM and get the attention off of ourselves.

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