Reviving Faith: Embracing Spirit Over Dead Orthodoxy

 

Summary

In our gathering today, we explored the profound difference between a living, vibrant faith and what can be termed as "dead orthodoxy." This dead orthodoxy is characterized by a smug contentment with correct beliefs, devoid of the life and power that true worship in spirit and truth brings. We must ask ourselves: do we come to church merely to fulfill a routine, or do we come to encounter the living God, to feel the touch of His power, and to worship Him in spirit and truth?

A significant aspect of this discussion was the danger of quenching the Spirit due to a dislike of enthusiasm. Historically, those at the heart of revivals have often been accused of enthusiasm, a charge that reflects a fear of the Spirit's vibrant work. The Apostle Paul addressed similar issues in the early church, particularly in Corinth, where the problem was not deadness but an excess of exuberance that needed regulation. Today, however, we face the opposite problem: a lack of spiritual vitality and spontaneity.

We examined two biblical principles: "Let everything be done decently and in order" and "Quench not the Spirit." The challenge lies in balancing these principles, avoiding both confusion and the stifling of the Spirit. The New Testament church was marked by spontaneity and life, but as we drift from the Spirit's influence, we become more formal and ritualistic. This formality can quench the Spirit, leading to a lack of genuine emotion and fervor in our worship.

We must be cautious not to let our fear of emotionalism lead to an absence of true, God-given emotion. The absence of emotion in the church today is troubling, as it reflects a pseudo-intellectualism and a false sense of respectability that hinders revival. We need to rediscover the passion and emotion that characterized the early church and great revivals throughout history.

In conclusion, let us hold fast to the biblical injunctions to do everything decently and in order while ensuring we do not quench the Spirit. Let us come to God's house with an expectation of His power, ready to be moved and transformed by His presence.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Danger of Dead Orthodoxy: True worship requires more than correct beliefs; it demands a living encounter with God. We must guard against complacency and seek a vibrant, Spirit-filled faith that transforms our worship and lives. [18:17]

2. Balancing Order and Spirit: The New Testament calls us to maintain order in worship while not quenching the Spirit. This balance is crucial to avoid both confusion and spiritual dryness, allowing for genuine expressions of faith. [24:49]

3. The Role of Enthusiasm in Revival: Enthusiasm has often been misunderstood and criticized, yet it is a hallmark of revival. We must be open to the Spirit's work, even if it challenges our comfort zones and traditional practices. [21:20]

4. Avoiding Emotionalism Without Losing Emotion: While emotionalism can be problematic, the absence of true emotion in worship is equally concerning. We need to embrace God-given emotions that lead to genuine expressions of faith and repentance. [41:20]

5. The Need for Spiritual Spontaneity: Revival brings a return to the simplicity and spontaneity of the early church. We must be willing to let go of rigid structures and allow the Spirit to lead, fostering an environment where God can move freely. [35:06]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [17:45] - Presence of the Living God
- [18:32] - Dead Orthodoxy and Contentment
- [19:25] - Enthusiasm and Quenching the Spirit
- [21:06] - Opposition to Enthusiasm
- [22:08] - Lessons from the Early Church
- [24:16] - Balancing Order and Spirit
- [25:21] - Confusion in Worship
- [27:43] - Controlling Spiritual Expressions
- [30:11] - Emotionalism vs. True Emotion
- [32:38] - Quenching the Spirit
- [34:09] - Formality and Spiritual Dryness
- [36:00] - Programs and the Spirit's Freedom
- [39:22] - Fear of False Joy
- [41:20] - The Absence of Emotion in Worship
- [44:18] - Intellectualism and Revival

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 14:40 - "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 - "Do not quench the Spirit."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the sermon describe as the main characteristics of "dead orthodoxy"? How does this differ from a vibrant, living faith? [18:17]

2. According to the sermon, what historical examples were given to illustrate the charge of enthusiasm during revivals? [19:25]

3. How does the sermon explain the balance between doing things "decently and in order" and not quenching the Spirit? [24:49]

4. What are some of the dangers mentioned in the sermon that can arise from a fear of emotionalism in worship? [41:20]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the Apostle Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 14:40 be applied to modern church services to ensure both order and the freedom of the Spirit? [24:49]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that enthusiasm is a hallmark of revival, and how can this be reconciled with the need for order in worship? [21:20]

3. What does the sermon imply about the role of emotion in worship, and how can genuine emotion be distinguished from emotionalism? [41:20]

4. How does the sermon suggest that a fear of false joy can lead to quenching the Spirit, and what might be the consequences of this in a church setting? [39:22]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your personal worship experience. Do you find yourself more focused on routine and order, or are you open to the spontaneity of the Spirit? How can you create a balance? [18:17]

2. Have you ever felt uncomfortable with enthusiasm in a church setting? What steps can you take to be more open to the Spirit's work, even if it challenges your comfort zone? [21:20]

3. Consider a time when you may have quenched the Spirit due to a fear of emotionalism. How can you embrace genuine emotion in your worship without falling into emotionalism? [41:20]

4. How can you personally contribute to a church environment that allows for both order and the freedom of the Spirit? What practical steps can you take to encourage this balance? [24:49]

5. Think about a recent church service you attended. Was there room for the Spirit to move freely, or was it tightly controlled by a program? How can you advocate for more spiritual spontaneity in your church? [36:00]

6. Identify one area in your life where you might be resisting the Spirit's leading due to a desire for control or order. What can you do this week to surrender that area to God? [33:08]

7. How can you encourage others in your church to embrace both the order and the spontaneity of the Spirit in their worship and daily lives? What conversations or actions might help foster this environment? [35:06]

Devotional

Day 1: Living Faith vs. Dead Orthodoxy
True worship requires more than correct beliefs; it demands a living encounter with God. Dead orthodoxy is characterized by a complacency that rests in having the right doctrines but lacks the transformative power of a vibrant faith. This kind of faith is not just about attending church or fulfilling religious duties; it is about encountering the living God and being changed by His presence. A living faith is marked by a deep, personal relationship with God, where His Spirit is actively at work in our lives, leading us to worship Him in spirit and truth. We must guard against the temptation to settle for a faith that is merely intellectual and instead seek a dynamic, Spirit-filled relationship with God that transforms our worship and our lives. [18:17]

"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed your faith to become routine or complacent? How can you seek a more vibrant, living encounter with God this week?


Day 2: Balancing Order and Spirit
The New Testament calls us to maintain order in worship while not quenching the Spirit. This balance is crucial to avoid both confusion and spiritual dryness, allowing for genuine expressions of faith. The early church was marked by a spontaneity and life that came from the Spirit's active presence. However, as time passed, there was a tendency to become more formal and ritualistic, which can stifle the Spirit's work. It is important to create an environment where the Spirit can move freely, while also ensuring that worship is conducted decently and in order. This balance allows for a worship experience that is both orderly and Spirit-filled, where believers can express their faith genuinely and passionately. [24:49]

"But all things should be done decently and in order." (1 Corinthians 14:40, ESV)

Reflection: How can you personally contribute to creating a balance of order and Spirit in your church's worship services? What steps can you take to ensure you are open to the Spirit's leading?


Day 3: The Role of Enthusiasm in Revival
Enthusiasm has often been misunderstood and criticized, yet it is a hallmark of revival. Throughout history, those at the heart of revivals have been accused of being overly enthusiastic, reflecting a fear of the Spirit's vibrant work. However, enthusiasm is a natural response to the Spirit's presence and work in our lives. It is important to be open to the Spirit's work, even if it challenges our comfort zones and traditional practices. Revival brings a renewed passion and fervor for God, and enthusiasm is a key component of this renewal. We must be willing to embrace the Spirit's work, allowing it to transform our lives and our communities. [21:20]

"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:31, ESV)

Reflection: What areas of your life or church practice might be resistant to the Spirit's enthusiasm? How can you open yourself to the Spirit's work, even if it challenges your comfort zones?


Day 4: Avoiding Emotionalism Without Losing Emotion
While emotionalism can be problematic, the absence of true emotion in worship is equally concerning. True worship involves the whole person, including our emotions, and God-given emotions can lead to genuine expressions of faith and repentance. The early church and great revivals throughout history were characterized by a passionate and emotional response to God's presence. It is important to embrace these emotions, allowing them to lead us into deeper worship and a more authentic relationship with God. We must be cautious not to let our fear of emotionalism lead to an absence of true, God-given emotion in our worship. [41:20]

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand." (Philippians 4:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your own worship experience. Are you allowing God-given emotions to lead you into deeper worship, or are you holding back out of fear of emotionalism? How can you embrace genuine emotion in your worship?


Day 5: The Need for Spiritual Spontaneity
Revival brings a return to the simplicity and spontaneity of the early church. The early church was marked by a vibrant, Spirit-led spontaneity that allowed God to move freely among His people. As we drift from the Spirit's influence, we can become more formal and rigid in our worship practices, which can stifle the Spirit's work. It is important to be willing to let go of rigid structures and allow the Spirit to lead, fostering an environment where God can move freely. This openness to the Spirit's leading can lead to a renewed passion and vitality in our worship and our lives. [35:06]

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed rigid structures to stifle the Spirit's work in your life or church? How can you create space for spiritual spontaneity and allow the Spirit to lead?

Quotes


"do we come to God's house just to listen to a sermon and to sing our hymns and to meet with one another how often does this vital idea enter into our minds that we're in the presence of the Living God that the holy spirit is in the church that we may feel the touch of his power how much do we think in terms of coming together to meet with God and to worship ship him and to stand before him and to listen to him isn't there this appalling danger that we are just content because we have correct beliefs and we've lost the life the V the vital thing the power the thing that rarely makes worship worship which is in spirit and in truth" [00:17:32]

"the second characteristic of this dead Orthodoxy is and it follows of course directly from the first a dislike of enthusiasm now this is a most important subject a dislike of enthusiasm if you like it in more ibal terms I could put it like this it is to be guilty of quenching the spirit because that is exactly the same thing dislike of enthusiasm is to quench the spirit now those who are familiar with the history of the church and in particular with the history of revivals will know that this is the charge of all charges that has always been brought against people who have been most AC in a period of Revival" [00:18:40]

"the Apostle had to write along those lines to the church at Corinth why was that necessary or if I may put my question in a different way did you feel that that 14th chapter of First Corinthians had much to say to to us does that seem to be a very relevant message to the Church of today even the Evangelical Church at her best and I think you'll agree at once that the subject seemed very remote from us and didn't seem to have much to do with us but isn't that true with so much of the New Testament and why is that the answer is quite simple the New Testament Church was a church that was alive she was filled with the spirit" [00:22:08]

"there are two great principles laid down in the New Testament for our help and guidance in this very matter now I say the line is rather difficult to draw but it's here there are two positions that we can lay down here is the first let everything be done decently and in order there's one position but there's another position quench not the spirit now the the last the second quotation is from the first epistle to the Thessalonians 5 and verse 19 quench not the spirit all right here there they are let everything be done decently and in order 1 Corinthians 14 last verse verse 40 quench not the spirit" [00:24:16]

"confusion there was a great deal of confusion in the Church of Corinth and it arose from the fact that sometimes they were all speaking together they' got excited about this question of speaking with tongues they were not looking at it in a in a scriptural Manner and they were all speaking at the same time and then they were prophesying two or three talking at the same time and the Apostle says look here this is quite wrong God is not the order the author of confusion but of Peace he said if a stranger would come in and suddenly see you all like this he'd only come to one conclusion you remember how he puts it he would say that you are mad" [00:25:21]

"emotionalism you notice I'm not saying emotion I'm saying emotionalism and there is all the difference in the world between those two things emotionalism is a state and a condition in which the emotions have run Riot the emotions are in control they're in a a kind of ecstasy and if emotionalism is bad how much worse is a deliberate attempt to produce it so any effort which deliberately tries to work up the emotions whether by singing or incantation or anything else or as you get it in primitive people so often in various dances and things like that all this of course is just condemned by the New Testament" [00:29:23]

"you will always observe that when forms of service become popular the spirit is less in evidence and you move further away from the New Testament the very characteristic of the New Testament Church was this spontaneity this life this living quality this vivacity but as you fall away from the spirit and his influence everything becomes formal so you have forms of service you will find that the church in every period of declension becomes much more formal in her service she adopts forms of service she tends to turn to liturgy and to Ritual and they like having processions all this is a part of formal religion" [00:34:09]

"when the church is not in Revival you get an emphasis upon choirs and not merely choirs but paid choirs and paid quartets and Sol in the choir and the congregation just sits or stands and listens and the choir even does the singing for them but the moment you get a Revival the people people want to sing themselves now you see this is the exact opposite isn't it this is quenching the spirit there's no need to say it to such people let everything be done decently in in and in order that's their one concern and haven't you noticed this appalling tendency in the church and the life of the church today programs have been coming in everything is mapped out" [00:36:00]

"are we giving the holy Spirit an opportunity are we so tied by our programs that he's excluded why this formality why this tying down of everything what if the spirit should suddenly come I do commend this matter to you very seriously for what it's worth if it's of any interest to anybody this is my main reason for not preaching on the wireless I put it once to one of these religious directors I asked him this question I said what would happen to you our programs if the Holy Spirit suddenly came in and he was man enough and honest enough to admit that rarely that subject that question had never entered their minds" [00:37:43]

"there are churches that are Orthodox but absolutely dead because they're so afraid of the false excitement and the excesses of certain spiritual movements that they Quench and hinder the spirit and deny the true and my last point is this that in our fear of emotionalism there is a grave danger of our banishing emotion all together I am troubled the absence of emotion in the Christian church today oh there's plenty of sentiment but I'm not talking about sentiment sentiment is weak and flabby sentiment is that which a hard man puts on to persuade himself that he's still got some feeling within him no no we don't want sentiment sickly modling sentiment we want emotion that god-given quality" [00:41:20]

"we are so afraid of emotion our whole training and upbringing the whole attitude to life is one that curbs the emotion we feel it is gentlemanly we feel it isn't quite respectable it isn't nice we are stealing the emotions curbing this god-given thing it's true of all branches of Life today it's the blight that is upon the H of life that's why you've no longer got great preaching you haven't got great Statesmen you haven't got great speakers I'm told that in the House of Commons they all read their speeches you've no longer got your men who can move the congregation move the people and lead to some vital decisions" [00:44:18]

"let us consider these two great propositions of the New Testament let everything be done decently and in order certainly but in the name of God quench not the spirit despise not prophesyings and let us come to God's house in Freedom ever expecting the power to descend upon us and to have experiences of God and of Christ that will melt us and move us and break us and make us forget ourselves and approximate a little more closely to the church as she is described and depicted in the pages of the New Testament quench not the spirit despise not prophesies but at the same time prove all things and hold fast to that which is good" [00:45:56]

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Transcript
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