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08/29/2015 Article for ABG Newsletter by FG Holland
Why did the Great Awakening have such a strong effect upon the colonists?
Why did it have such a far- reaching impact upon the morals of the newly forming nation?
How is it relevant today?
We learned in elementary school that the Puritans came to the New World to establish a society where men were free to worship without interference or oppression by the national government. The Puritans brought with them principles of devotion, and obedience to the will of God that permeated every aspect of their lives. From 1620, with the landing of the mayflower to 1730 the colonies grew in number and diversity. Not all of the colonists were as devoted and zealous for obedience to the will of God. Not all of the colonists were devoted Congregationalist or Puritans, or Separatists. By the 1730s colonial America had seen the Anglican Church established in Maryland (1702), the first Jewish synagogue in New York (1728), the Catholic Church in Philadelphia (1732). Add to the mix, a large portion of colonial society had no religious affiliation at all. After a while the church itself became less vital to the growth of society.
If you stumbled upon this article but do not know Jesus , keep on reading you may find the Lord who loves you speaking to your heart. He loves you and wants to have the same relationship with you that this article speaks of.
Read an excerpt of Benjamin Franklin on Rev. George Whitefield -
In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our churches; but the clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refus’d him their pulpits, and he was oblig’d to preach in the fields. The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers, and how much they admir'd and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them by assuring them that they were naturally half beasts and half devils. It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seem’d as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk thro’ the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street.
_____ Autobiography
Whitfield like Rev. Tennant were driven by a desire to see the reigniting of the relevance of the church in society in 1730s
How does the church become irrelevant? It is not always a radical rebellion. It can quietly begin to happen as successive generations put less and less emphasis on the imperatives of walking with the Lord.
What emphasis do you place on prayer? What emphasis do you place on worship? What emphasis do you put on Bible study? What emphasis do you place on fellowship with the saints?
It is not always apparent; the slow erosion of the Christian values that Christ established for us when he taught his disciples what it meant to be children of God.
It is not always as obvious as the prodigal son who left his father’s home and went out on his own to live in riotous living and ruin.
What value do you put on prayer: personal communion with an unseen Almighty God? The acknowledgement that though he cannot be seen he is ever present in all aspects of our lives.
Christianity is a set of relationships. You cannot view it only as a religion. When you see Christianity as a religion you begin to view it differently from the way Jesus viewed it. In the beginning of the Christian religion, it was called “the way”
The way was established with specific directions. Jesus told the woman at the well “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). This is the first relationship: You and I acknowledging that God is the unseen almighty Sovereign of all that is. As the Awesome God that he is, he is worthy of your worship. He is to be revered, respected, feared, and obeyed. If this relationship is eroded due to the cares of this life; diminished by other relationships; weakened by the challenges of living a consecrated life; The only remedy, the only way to repair the damage of our relationship with him is to repent. We need to acknowledge that we have failed to acknowledge him in all our ways. We need him to restore our worship relationship. When we repent, the bible tells us, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) We then are able to return to the relationship of righteous worship that strengthens us and keeps us faithful. We are also able to speak with others of the redeeming grace of the one true God who desires that none be lost.
Which takes me to the second relationship. When you are in a right relationship with the Almighty God, you are able to recognize your responsibility to live upright before your fellow believers in Christ.
In his letter to the church in Galatia, Paul makes it clear that we are responsible to love and “serve one another” Galatians 5:13.
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul writes, “Now, therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” Ephesians 2:19
And again, Paul admonishes the believers to be “followers of God” (Ephesians 5:1-2): The admonition being based on a right relationship with God in which we follow his way rather than our own. We are called to serve one another to all be followers of God.
Consider the twelve that Jesus chose to walk him for three years as he began his earthly ministry to bring in a new way for all men and women to have access to Almighty God.
Matthew was a hated tax collector, Thomas was a pragmatic individual who required proof before leaping into the unknown, Simon Zelotes was a religious zealot who anticipated Christ to lead a rebellion, James and John were nicknamed by Jesus, sons of thunder. This was not flattery because of great power, but rather it was a caution against their natural impetuosity and their inclination toward violent reactions. Peter was impetuous and outspoken. Yet when faced with the choice to die with Jesus, being associated with Christ at his hour of trial, he denied him 3 times. Each one of these men were ordinary men whom God chose and powerfully used because they all submitted themselves to the authority of Christ and the work of the ministry for which they were called.
You have come to the section of the article where God wants you to hear his message to you. If you do not know him yet, keep reading
The third relationship is your relationship with unbelievers.
Your relationship to the unbeliever ought to be the same as Jesus’ relationship was.
Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17
Our lives, our message, our prayers, all ought to be directed toward drawing those who need to know the savior to him. This is probably for many the most difficult of all the relationships. Maybe not because we feel we are better than them, maybe we feel we are not adequate to the task of winning the lost for Christ.
How do they hear the message of salvation? How do they learn about the Lord who loves them and died for them?
We need to be so in love with our Lord that we will be willing to go, do and say anything that he wants. If we have this mindset, he helps us with our inadequacies. He empowers us by his Holy Spirit to accomplish the task he sends us to undertake.
Jesus often spoke to his audiences to proclaim the Love of the Father. He consistently railed against those who actively opposed the work of God. His message to unbelievers has been the same “God so loved the world” and all that are in it, that he gave his only son to act as the sinner’s substitute. (John 3:16)
The Father sent his son to take on the sins of the lost and atone for our sins by his death on the cross. This is God’s plan of salvation. This is your opportunity for eternal life with God. And for believers it is our message to carry to all who do not know him.
Christianity is not another religion; it is a living growing relationship that has to be developed and nurtured. It is the responsibility of every believer to ensure that Christianity is alive and healthy. After all there is no other way to God. Acts 4:12 tells us, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Christianity is not another religion; it is a living growing relationship that has to be developed and nurtured. It is the responsibility of every believer to ensure that Christianity is alive and healthy. After all there is no other way to God. Acts 4:12 tells us, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Thank you for continuing to read. You have heard a brief explanation of God's Plan of Salvation that includes you.
Take the next step and investigate for yourself to learn whether the words that have been shared with you are the message of the Lord who loves you.
Choose Christ and his plan of salvation for you.
Reach out to your local or church or send a message to us for more.
Steps To Commitment To Christ
Fact of Sin
Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"
Penalty of Sin
Romans 5:12
"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so, death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned"
Penalty Paid By Christ
Romans 5: 8
"But God commends his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
We Must Receive Christ
John 1:12
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
Salvation by Faith
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any should boast."
Beloved, If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" Romans 10:9 Do it today! In the name of Jesus.
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