THE TRUE CHRISTAIN FOCUS
By: Father Larry Winslow
Forward by The Right Reverend Malcolm Harding
Link To “Christian Focus” (the Full Version)
In his apologetic entitled "The True Christian Focus in Living Real Life", Father Larry Winslow reminds modern day orthodox Christian pilgrims that the cost of biblically based Christian discipleship can be very demanding. Indeed, as he points out, "Spiritual Warfare" in various forms is an ever-present reality to all who are striving to be faithful disciples of Jesus in true biblical fashion. At the same time we are reminded how C.S. Lewis set a wonderful balance in dealing with Satanic attack just in case we might end up seeing the devil around every conceivable corner.
For the "True Christian" it is indeed disconcerting to see heretical strains not pleasing to God creeping even into high places in the church. That is why, as Father Winslow encourages us, we need to remain solidly focused on Jesus and His victorious death and resurrection. Therein lies our true hope for authentic discipleship and daily witnessing to orthodox Christianity.
Indeed, in the power of God's Spirit we do need to love those whose viewpoints differ from "The True Christian Focus" but all the time upholding the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In these difficult days Father Winslow's words of hope for orthodox minded Christians are worthy of prayerful consideration and I recommend for your reading --- "The True Christian Focus in Living Real Life".
The Rt. Rev. Malcolm Harding
Brandon, Manitoba
This undertaking is designed to provide the True Christian with understanding of the current situation and its place in the whole scheme of Salivation. While the “modernist” world around is trying to intimate that it is presenting something new and devastating to traditional Christianity, it is clear from Holy Scripture that there is no new content in what is being proposed. Rather, it is a revisiting of the same old sinfulness that has permeated the world since the fall of Adam and Eve. This particular work will provide a summary of the current circumstances and provide the True Christian with an insight on how to stand firm in apposition to these evil onslaughts while retaining the joy and excitement of the privilege of serving Almighty God right where He has placed each and every individual.
A True Christian who is faced with these circumstances and wishes to explore a more full presentation with an emphasis upon the Biblical Theology surrounding these conditions is invited to visit the longer work entitled “Christian Focus” by this same author.
A True Christian, one who is totally committed to the Jesus Christ of the Holy Scriptures and holds fast to the Holy Bible as “being” the Word of God, the Traditional Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, Athanasian) as representing the Apostolic understanding of God and the Church, and totally rejects all attempts to refute any of these by today’s modernist revisionist liberals, is faced with living in a world that will do everything and anything in its power to totally reject True Christianity. Such True Christians hold firm to the Holy Scriptures, the Apostolic Witness, and Christian Reason no matter what attempts are made to drag or drive them away from their position.
Sometimes this “struggle” can become discouraging. It is very easy for the True Christian to despair and be tempted to “throw in the towel.” It would be enticing to either quit Christianity or try to find a “Christian environment” where the battle is not raging. And yet, it is necessary to understand that True Christians are where they are because that is where God wants them. It is also necessary to understand that God always has a company of Truly Committed Christians who can, in the spirit of Hebrews 10:24ff, build up and support one another in the joyful and certain undertaking of that to which God has called and placed them.
In trying to live this True Christian Life the Christian person will find that there are many forms of diversionary tactic that will come into play in his/her life. And, in order to overcome these through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is necessary to recognise (discern) the distractions and their sources.
It is a human characteristic to always try to place the blame for things happening in one’s own life upon some other individual or force. Such is characteristic of the old Flip Wilson character Geraldine of the 50’s and 60’s who always used the cliché, “The Devil made me do it!” But, to be truly realistic, the True Christian has to realise both his/her own propensity to sin and the fact that any external force without his/her expressed consent to the act cannot force him to sin.
It is important for the True Christian person to realise that God never allows anyone to be tempted in a manner that is stronger than he/she is able to bear. 1 Corinthians 10:13 makes this very clear. It is truly comforting to know this. But, this same assurance can also be very disconcerting because it means that when one gives into any temptation, whether it comes from within the human person or from without, the responsibility for the commission of such sin lies firmly upon that individual. The human person never enters into any form of sinfulness to which he/she has not personally consented.
Next the True Christian has to understand that there are external actions that can lead/drive him/her to be tempted to sin. The prime factor here is the very presence of Satan and his demons. Satan is the fallen Archangel Lucifer who decided to rebel against God. This resulted in him and his following angels being tossed out of heaven. There are many places beginning with the Garden of Eden and proceeding throughout Holy Scripture where the presence of Satan is acknowledged. Jesus was led into the wilderness and tempted by the Devil following His Baptism. The Revelation to St. John the Divine talks of Satan and his attacks on humankind leading to his eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire.
While the Holy Scriptures are replete with references to Satan and his demons, the modern world wants to ignore the very existence of such beings. Jesus recognised their presence but modern man, especially those known as revisionist liberals, wants to deny their existence. C.S. Lewis in the preface to his “Screwtape Letters” says that humanity can make two major errors concerning Stan and the demons. The first error is to deny their existence and ignore them. The second is to become too concerned with them and to spend too much time and interest in them.
The True Christian, while knowing that one who is possessed by the Holy Spirit of God cannot be possessed by an evil spirit, must be able to recognise the reality and presence of Satan and his demons and to be able to discern the temptations that are placed before him/her by these master perpetrators of evil. Satan and his demons cannot force a Born Again Holy Spirit possessed True Christian into sin. But they can certainly make sin seem to be appealing, logical, and the proper way to go in their actions designed to deceive and draw the True Christian away from the Salvation of Almighty God in Jesus Christ!
Again, the True Christian must know that no force can compel a True Christian to sin. Only the consenting human will actually fall for the temptation. But such external influence can be strongly placed in a very convincing manner upon the True Christian.
The third force leading to diversion from the Christian walk is the world around and its “requirements” of its citizens. As is evident from the political, judicial, entertainment, and sporting worlds there is very little room for True Christianity in the civil process of the day. The governmental and judicial levels are doing their best to make even holding to Holy Scripture over and against their evil decrees a crime. The sporting and social world is doing all in its power to make it difficult for True Christians to participate in secular activities due to seeming intentional scheduling of events during designated and required times of Christian worship and activity. And the entertainment world is working upon anaesthetising everyone, especially True Christians, to the evil ways of the world today.
Again, such should not, but seemingly does, have an effect upon even the True Practising Christians. The more the world chastises, makes fun of, or marginalises all who do not “toe their line” in their crass lifestyles. One only has to recall the treatment of Lot and his family in Sodom and Gomorrah to see the precursor to today’s efforts by a similarly corrupt society. But, the Christian is given all that is needed to withstand these efforts if he/she is only willing to listen to God rather than to mammon.
The fourth and most disconcerting form of diversion is that that is encountered within the Hierarchy of the organised Church. And, it is at this upper level that much of the corruption in today’s Christianity is found. Archbishops, Bishops, Convention Presidents, Moderators, seminary educated clergy, etc. are found to be espousing heresies that totally oppose the Holy Word of God. These people are found to be falling into the Sin of Eve in that they are striving to establish new moralities that refute God’s Word and, in doing so, are striving to set themselves up as equal to or surpassing Almighty God Himself.
These persons attempt to use their position and so-called “authority” to attempt to enforce their concepts upon the Church as a whole. And this is particularly disconcerting as their so-called “theologies” are flying in the face of the vows they took in their ordinations, the Apostolic Tradition, the Creeds, and the Holy Scriptures. Persons of integrity who come to positions opposing that to which they were initially committed would normally walk away from that position that they hold within what they can no longer support. However, realising that their opinions would hold no weight whatsoever outside of the positions they are fraudulently holding onto, these people do not take the propitious route but rather strive to make heresy the norm and orthodoxy the crime. The Holy Scriptures speak clearly to such persons. And it is the work of the True Christians in the Church to hold firm to the orthodox conservative vision of the Truth of the Holy Word of God.
However, such is not easy to do and requires sincerity and integrity of purpose in order to succeed. It is by the power of God’s Gift of the Holy Spirit that a True Christian is given the ability to take such a stand. And, as Jesus warned His followers in St. John 15:18ff, the world, including the worldly within the organisational Church, will react vehemently and violently against all who do not follow the generally accepted heresies. Yet, the True Christian can find strength in the joy that comes in being found worthy of the same persecution as the Lord Jesus, through Whom comes the Gift of the Strengthening Power of the Holy Spirit.
Despite the seemingly depressive nature of all this pressure upon the True Christian and the True Gospel of the Living Jesus Christ, True Christians should not be discouraged. Jesus has clearly shown that He is With His Church and, through the Holy Spirit, actively participating in the work of the True Christian in the True Church of Jesus Christ. St. Peter and St. Paul both took great pains to warn of the corruption that would enter into secular society and even the Church through fallen humanity yielding to the original Temptation of Eve and trying to become equal to or superior to God. The pressure can become so great that the True Christian will often feel he/she is standing alone with no real support.
But, all one has to do is read the witness of God’s Word to know that He is really in control. Elijah totally despaired following the great victory God had given him over the prophets of Baal. Yet God informed him that there were seven thousand other faithful servants still fighting for Him. Throughout the Scriptures continuous assurances are given that the War has been won in the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ even if individual battles are continuing until Jesus comes again as Judge of the world. So Christians today can rest assured of God’s presence and active participation in the conflict through His Holy Spirit.
Further, True Christians are called to serve Almighty God with true “joy” in their heart. No matter how dismal things may seem. The Victory belongs to those who are Truly Faithful to Almighty God. That cannot be taken away. The joy of True Christians is living in the Creative Purpose of God and being restored to the position of being able to walk and talk with Him as the first humans did in the Garden of Eden.
True Christians need to Focus Upon the Cross of Jesus! They need to see the Victory and know that it is theirs. In this way, the True Christian is able to maintain the Focus upon the reality of God’s purpose for them in this world. The True Christian faces this world in the light of God’s Eternal and Faithful Love and Care for the whole of humanity and His Gift of Forgiveness and Eternal Life to those who come to Him in Christ.
The preceding has discussed the manner in which True Christians can be distracted from these purposes of God. But every situation that is faced in the self, in Satan and his demons, in the world, even in the organisational Church is clearly defined in God’s Word complete with the guarantee of His being able to overcome through those who are faithful to Him and dedicate themselves to His purposes in this world. These diversionary tactics follow the prophet of Isaiah’s discourse concerning the calling of evil good and good evil, darkness light and light darkness, sweet bitter and bitter sweet. There is nothing new in the corruptions of humanity. The ploy of the so-called “modern thinkers” is to factor in a concept of “human experience” and attempt to make it equivalent in authority, in some cases even superior, to Holy Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and Godly Reason. And again, God has spoken of these situations in His Holy Word – and summarily condemned them as being anathema in His Divine Sight.
However, the True Christian should not see the individuals purporting to these evil points of view as being insincere or ignorant. For many of today’s leaders it is the manner in which they have been falsely educated. It is the wisdom of Satan that has permeated secular and religious society. And, they are totally convinced of their rightness despite the clear teachings of Almighty God in His Holy Word, the Apostolic Tradition, and Godly Reason. In fact, they try to make these factors their own in the corrupt form in which they have envisioned them in their own revised forms. They are totally sincere in what they are saying and attempting to do despite the obvious heresy to those who see the world in the light and eyes of Jesus Christ. The problem the revisionist liberals face is that they have been taught to ignore God and His Divinely Inspired Holy Scripture and see their views and thoughts as being equivalent, or even superior, to those clearly established by Almighty God. They sincerely believe that they can take to themselves the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and be like God – the original sin of Eve!
Again, the True Christian is called upon to Focus upon the Jesus of the Holy Word of God – not upon the concept of a Jesus Who is affected by either the false wisdom of revisionist liberal theological theories or misguided denominational emphasis. The Jesus of the Scriptures stands firm in the righteousness of God. But, He does so while exuding the Divine Love of God! The goal of the True Christian is not to condemn a person to Hell but to point that individual to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. The goal is to so prepare the field that the Holy Spirit can reap the wheat for the Kingdom of God.
It all comes down to True Christian Focus! The revisionist liberal is not to be detested as an individual. Rather, what he/she stands for must be rejected and refuted while the individual must be loved just as Jesus would continue to love and call him/her to “repent and believe the Gospel.” This can only be achieved in focusing upon the victory of the empty Cross and the free offer of Salvation in the One True Gospel of Jesus Christ! The work of the True Christian is to maintain the presence of Jesus before the eyes of all sinners, including himself/herself. Judgment belongs to Almighty God in Jesus Christ. The work of the True Christian is to constantly lay out the Gospel of Jesus and leave the convicting of sinners to the Holy Spirit of God.
The revisionist liberal will focus upon modern humanistic experience and the authority of man made rules and regulations – even attempting to rewrite Scripture in his/her sense of “modern intelligence” that he will say God did not understand when His Divinely Inspired Scripture was first produced. The True Christian focuses upon the unchanging God Who has given His Divine Word once and for all. The True Christian focuses upon the Truth of God and constantly keeps it visible before those who wish to refute it in the hope that “one more sinner might repent and believe the Word of God!” Such an unswerving Focus is the weapon of a Spirit Guided True Christian in the world today. Using the Holy Scripture (The Sword of the Spirit), knowledge of Apostolic Tradition, and Godly Reason, the True Christian, in line with the teachings of God’s Word, holds the example of Jesus before all sinners and gives them opportunity to accept the True Salvation of God in the True Jesus of the Gospels. Against such a fixed focus there can be no defence and no victory for the world, the flesh, and Devil!
AMEN!!!!