“…we teach men not to die with Christ but to live in the strength of their dying manhood. We boast not in our weakness but in our strength. Values which Christ has declared to be false are brought back into evangelical favor and promoted as the very life and substance of the Christian way. How eagerly do we seek the approval of this or that man of worldly reputation. How shamefully do we exploit the converted celebrity. Anyone will do to take away the reproach of obscurity from our publicity-hungry leaders: famous athletes, congressmen, world travelers, rich industrialists; before such we bow with obsequious smiles and honor them in our public meetings and in the religious press. Thus we glorify men to enhance the standing of the Church of God, and the glory of the Prince of Life is made to hang upon the transient fame of a man who shall die.”
- A.W. Tozer, “God’s Pursuit of Man: The Divine Conquest of the Human Heart“

Consider how tempting it is to seek credibility in this confused and decaying world. Whose approval are we ultimately trying to gain? Does it scare us that a watching world might in fact see us as weak, if we do not have the talents, the image, the academic credentials, the high status equal to the world’s greatest? Personal pride, my Christian friends. This, our downfall.

Tozer, gathering his knowledge from the Scripture, exposes us for boasting “not in our weakness but in our strength,” because a Christian no longer has need of Jesus to save when there is no underlying current of inherent weakness. To hold up an image of personal human strength and triumph, even with God as your business partner, is a distortion of biblical Christianity. The ugly truth of our need is spelled out in the book of Romans:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Romans 3:4-10, ESV)

And again:

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5, ESV)

Consider how alluring it may be to fly the banners over football pro Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos, musician Brian “Head” Welch formerly of Korn, politician Rick Perry, and all of latest news-headline-grabbing individuals. Some of these people are solid examples of genuine Christian leaders; many are far from authentic, yet that is not the point here. Tozer is getting at how we rally around earthly fame and respect, spotlighting our strength, falsely claiming ”Look here! Come join the Christian side! You can still hold on to your good reputation among your friends!” when the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:9, ”…you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake,” speak just the opposite.

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s advice, where the focus is rightly put on Christ instead:

“…far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 6:14, ESV)

Finally, I was reminded of the lyrics in a Stuart Townend song, “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us”

“I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.”

.

Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Don’t you care, don’t you care
Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job’s done

“Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord”
You know it’s all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in
Oh, can’t you see it’s such a sin?

Cause He brings people to you door
And you turn them away
As you smile and say
“God bless you, be at peace”
And all heaven just weeps
Cause Jesus came to your door
You’ve left him out on the streets

Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay

God’s calling and you’re the one
But like Jonah you run
He’s told you to speak
But you keep holding it in
Oh can’t you see it’s such a sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can’t fight
Cause it’s asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you’ve been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can’t even get out of bed

Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job’s done

Don’t close your eyes
Don’t pretend the job’s done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love