“Quaint moralism” and the ‘Church’

Where this quote talks about “southerners” (southerners refers to the USA) you can insert my nationality………..maybe yours………

“Our churches are full of good-looking, upright, moral people. The tragic irony is that our goodness is our poision. A great many Southerners claim Christianity as their religion, mimicking righteousness on the surface while their hearts remain unchanged by the gospel of Jesus. I understand the gravity of that statement and do not make it hastily. Here in the South, the gospel has either been ignored or foolishly assumed. We have satiated our desire for God through quaint morality, allowing people to ignore their need for Jesus. The outcome is disastrous; we are witnessing an exodus out of the local church and away from faith in Jesus. The words of Jesus to the church of Laodicea haunt me, “I know your works: you are neither hot nor cold…for you say, I am rich, I have prospered and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked” (Rev. 3:15–17).

[source]

But, before some of you freak out and think I am tarring everyone with the same brush……….

I want to (like the article – linked above) end with encouragement and a challenge………..and, I truly believe this closing thought is shared by many here in Northern Ireland……..

“Will you join us? Will you pray? Will you risk everything—influence, money, importance, tradition, denominational allegiance, and especially moralism—for the sake of the Gospel?”

It’s all very brave of me writing this in a blog post (not) but will I take up this challenge?