This is a guest post by Matt Manry. Matt is the Director of Students at Life Bible Church in Canton, Georgia and a student at Reformed Theological Seminary. He blogs regularly at Gospel Glory. You can follow him on Twitter. If you are interested in writing a post for us, visit our Guest Post page. You can also view other guest posts by clicking here.
A Gospel awakening needs to occur in the life of Christians and in the Christian Church. There is no doubt that the problem of narcissistic spirituality is thriving throughout the evangelical community.
Why you may ask?
Because the reality is that we are consumed with ourselves. We are consumed with our own good works and our own clean lives. We are absorbed with how to become better leaders and how to build bigger movements. Our focus is always on our own achievements and our own merits. The more that we do, the more accepted and worthy we feel. This is the way many Christians and churches operate and how they measure success. This is narcissistic spirituality. This is the disease that is infecting many Christians and churches.
So what is the cure?
How do we solve this problem?
What needs to happen?
There is absolutely no doubt that there is a need for the recovery of the King Jesus Gospel in today’s evangelical world. No matter how you look at it, the Gospel must be recovered as the center point of the Christian church. All too often, the church is focused on other things besides the sufficiency and supremacy of a Savior. The main reason for this is narcissistic spirituality. For that reason alone we need to lift up the Gospel message. It must be at the center of our community gatherings. It must be the focal point of our church services. It must be the prime focus of every Christian. We cannot get away from the Gospel, but must go deeper into this glorious message. If even angels desire to explore the amazing treasures found in the Gospel message (1 Peter 1:12) then why do Christians and churches often seem to want to get away from the news that proclaims the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8)? It just does not make much sense until we realize that spiritual narcissism is the natural fallen condition of all humanity. Spiritual narcissism is the default mode for all of us.
Martin Luther once said, “Religion is the default mode of the human heart”. Spiritual narcissism is easy for us and easy for the Church; the Gospel is radical and hard for us to believe. That is why a Gospel manifesto is what is needed; a Gospel creed for Christians and for the church.
So let us get back to the news that really does change everything. Let us proclaim the message that states that we’re not orphans anymore (Rom. 8:15). Let us recognize how our union with Christ internally redeems us and externally liberates us (Eph. 3:6). We are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Rom. 5:1). We are sanctified by a Father who has promised to finish the good work that He started within us (Phil 1:6). There is now no condemnation (Rom. 8:1). We are righteous before God because our sin has been exchanged for the righteousness of Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21). We are clean (1 Cor. 6:11). We are healed (1 Peter 2:24). We are loved (Rom. 1:7). We are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom (Col. 1:13). We are alive (Eph. 2:5). We have been given rest (Matt. 11:28). We are at peace with God (Rom. 5:1).
A Gospel manifesto is what will awaken our hearts and minds.
Let this glorious news saturate your soul.
It is what will cure spiritual narcissism and make the church and believers come alive.
