“Who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No-one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No-one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.” (1 John 3:4-6)
I.
Four Theological Preconditions for Revival
II.
Social Structures and Renewal in Society
III. Where Did the
Power Go?
IV.
The Heart of History...Where is Your Heart?
I. Four Theological Preconditions for Revival
When we think of Christian revival we identify with a rhythm in history that we discerned in the book of Joshua as Israel reaffirmed the nature of God’s covenant after the sin of Ai (8:30-35). Such was again affirmed at Shechem (24:1-27) and elsewhere in the Bible in such places as II Chronicles 15-21. We might continue by tracing revivals of the true worship of God down through the Middle Ages and early modern period into our own day.
In each of these revivals there has been a fresh recognition of the holiness of God. Thus far we have considered the holiness of God, the friendship He seeks to have with us and the levels of intimacy permitted the Christian. This may be a topic about which you will want to spend more time thinking.
We have gone on to consider the question of social sanctification. As we have done so we have come to recognise something of the significance of sin and ways in which it destroys our personality and social integrity. Sin always “short circuits” the work of God in our lives as individuals and what God seeks to do in the world. Of course, this is said in recognition of the fact that God continually works for good in the lives of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28).
When we consider what the preconditions for revival might
be I would like to turn our attention to four considerations. I have
been guided in this reflection both by Scripture as well as by the work
of Richard Lovelace who writes about revival in `Renewal as a Way of Life’
as well as earlier books. His thoughts are based upon the work of
the American theologian of revival, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), who's
preaching in the (then) colony of Massachusetts helped to stimulate the
Great Awakening of Christianity in North America. The following four
considerations present themselves:
1. A recognition of the holiness of God
2. An appreciation of the nature of our sin
3. An understanding of the structure of His love
4. A view toward the goal of His kingdom
In our first two talks we have considered the first two of the above points already. Much more might be said. However, if you are not sure of these things, return to the notes of the previous talks and think further about the ideas and texts in the Bible to which those notes take us. Here we shall turn to the last two of the four points raised above and concentrate on the third.
A) An understanding of the Structure of God’s love.
This understanding is kindled by an inner vision of the
heart stimulated by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:17-20). The prayer
is that all will experience this enliving. Tow of the theologians
who excel in their writing about this experience are Augustine (354-430)
and Edwards. Both focus upon the nature of love as the primary motivating
force. Augustine draws this idea out in his Confessions (XIII.9):
.........love is the weight by which I act. To
whatever place I go, I am drawn to it by love. By your Gift, the
Holy Ghost, we are set aflame and borne aloft, and the fire within us carries
us upward. Our hearts are set on an upward journey, as we sing the
song of ascents (Psalms 120-134). It is your fire, your good fire,
that sets us aflame and carries us upward. For our journey leads
us upward to the peace of the heavenly Jerusalem;....There, if our will
is good, you will find room for us, so that we shall wish for nothing else
but to remain in your house for ever.
In his book, On Christian Doctrine, Augustine goes on to discuss the nature of signs and things, how the only real thing is God Himself. Every other “thing” given to us in life is but a “sign” to lead us to God, the only final reality and resting place. Becoming satisfied with the “signs” is to become satisfied with something that is less than God, or idolatry.
The four dimensions of God’s love might be said to be:
1. Justification
2. Sanctification
3. The Holy Spirit
4. Renewed Confidence
Each of these four ideas have been present in every age of the church..However, in different periods of history Christians have been drawn to emphasise one or the other of them. For example:
1. Justification: Martin Luther is a theologian whose work emphasised the gratuitous mercy of God at a time when it appeared such might be lost in the face of attempts to win salvation through human effort. Before all such efforts Luther simply taught that we are accepted. This is a word that needs to be be heard again in our day today (cf. Romans 3:22-26; 5:1-5; and Gal. 5:1). The result of Luther’s emphasis upon justification was revival, even reformation in his day.
2. Sanctification: John Calvin is one of the theologians whose work draws us directly to the question of sanctification. Calvin wrote at a time when the question of the form of the Christian life was directly at issue. According to Calvin, the law that we perceive in nature (not dissimilar to the law that we find in the Bible) is both the foundation of a godly social order and, through our inability to live by it, should drive us to the grace of God in Christ (Luther’s point). However, the law that we discern in the Bible is also the form of God’s love, i.e. by living through the power of the Holy Spirit we find in the law how God would have us become whole people, or sanctified (cf. Galations 5:13). As such, we are freed from bondage to sin. The result of Calvin’s emphasis was to lead to a Reformed Christian movement that remade individuals, churches and societies.
3. The Holy Spirit: John Wesley was one of the figures in the history of the church who has drawn Christians to the empowerment that comes as we recognise and accept the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Writing in a day of religious formalism and hypocrisy his work helped to revitalise dying churches and a cynical society. Such texts as John 14-16 and Acts 2 remind the Christian that the Spirit is alive and present in the world today. Wesley’s work helped to stimulate a new world-wide evangelistic thrust and revival in areas where the call of the gospel was falling on deaf ears.
4. Authority: Perhaps this is a word that the church needs to hear today. Based upon the ideas of acceptance, freedom, and empowerment through the Spirit, the Christian can be in command of his life and in society. However, when not properly understood this idea is open to abuse and misinterpretation. Such has frequently happened in history.
Having added the above caution, the following must be noted:
a) The Bible promises the wisdom that we need to lead our lives (James 1:5; cf. Matt. 7:7-12). It would appear to limit God were we to say that such does not also extend to ways in which we lead our lives in society. This calls for a deep and continuing study of the Bible to see all that God intends for us.
b) Furthermore, as the church Christians constitute the body of Christ in the world (Ephesians 1:23). As such, we act rightly when guided by our head, Christ Jesus. However, we also need to remember that we should not be surprised if we experience what He in His body experienced during His days on earth (I Peter 2:21; 4:12).
c) The life of Christ gives us guidance into the manner
of Christian control. Perhaps the best set of events to focus on
here is the temptation of Christ (Matt. 4:1-11). Here Jesus was challenged
to use His power to make stones into bread, to cast Himself off the temple
so that the angels would care for him, and to take control of the nations.
However, in refusing such temptations and in following the way of the cross
He became bread for us, the perfect witness to God’s truth, and receives
final dominion through the last judgement (cf. Hebrews 4:14; Revelation
1:5). Or, put differently, Jesus became our High Priest, the perfect
prophet and king. By analogy, so might we as we learn to intercede
for others, speak truly and rule through service (remember John 13: 1-17)
In this way the Christian learns the nature of true power
and authority.
B) A View Toward the Goal of His Kingdom
Only as the Christian is in Christ and keeps as his goal the Kingdom of God can he or she maintain a right sense of authority as outlined above. There is much that might be said about the nature of God’s Kingdom. The following is meant only to be suggestive:
1) The nature of the Kingdom is mystically summarised in the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:38-40), a summary of much of Old Testament command and precept (Deut. 6:4-5 and Lev. 19:18).
2) The writings of Israel’s prophets and theme of her history further sketch the nature of this Kingdom. It is one to which she is called by God and cannot construct by herself (cf. Genesis 11, 12). The visions of Isaiah (e.g. 9:6-7), Daniel (e.g. 7:14, 27), and other prophets offer guidance in thinking.
3) Imagery in the New Testament compounds what we can find in the Old Testament. However, the vision of the Kingdom is deepened and seen to begin in the human heart through the teachings of Jesus. As we have come to understand something of the nature of sin, this is something that we can now appreciate.
4) Further speculation throughout the history of the church has worked with the lines and shadows sketched above in an effort to give the Kingdom greater specificity. Some of the ways in which this has been done have been described as “a-millennial”, “post-millennial”, and “pre-millennial” as Christian thinkers have sought to put history as we perceive it together with the visions of the prophets and writers of the Bible. Different visions of the precise nature of the coming of the Kingdom have sustained many of the revivals in the history of the church.
Question One:
As you ponder the nature of the structure of God’s love, what do you see as the dimension of that love which needs to be heard most by yourself and the community of which you are a part?
II. Social Structures and Renewal in Society
A) Social Structures
1) Primacy of the Holy Spirit
Even before we think about the nature of social structures in a society and ways in which such might promote or impede the proclamation of the gospel, we must remind ourselves that the work of evangelization and revival is always first and foremost the work of the Spirit of God.
a) The promised gift: Jesus promised the sending of the Holy Spirit (John 14-17). The Spirit would empower believers to work as the body of Christ in the world.
b) The gift received: The reception of the Spirit by believers is recorded in Acts 2. We see many examples of the work of the Spirit in the book of Acts, for example note the incident in Acts 3. The Holy Spirit came in the first generation of the church and is available to every believer. The “Age of the Spirit” is not some era that is beginning to dawn or will dawn in the future. The Bible teaches that after this age (the era of the NT) will come judgement.
c) The gift open to mis-use: As early in the recorded history of the church as Acts 8:9-25 (the example of Simon Magnus) we find those who desire to use the power of the Holy Spirit for their own ends. Reasons of envy (Simon Magnus), jealousy and lust (Judas?), resentment (Gehazi, the servant of Elisha) often prompt one to use religion and religious language for one’s own ends.
d) The extent of the gift: Having noted several concerns above, we must come back to our first point, that revival comes at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Spirit in power is related to our prayers and God’s will (Ephesians 1:17-23). The extent of the Spirit’s power is as vast as the power that raised Jesus from the dead.
2) Unrest in Society : The work of religious anthropologists and sociologists in this century has helped us to see that the likelihood of revival or openness to new world views is greater among a people in times of turbulence and social transition. This should not surprise the Christian who knows that his or her own openness to God came (or comes) at times of individual turbulence. As you look at all that is going on in our world today we should be aware that times are “ripe” for evangelisation and revival.
3) Pattern of Relationship Between Christianity
and Society:
Whether the gospel can be heard in a society will depend
a great deal on the patterns of relationships that have existed between
the church and the society, i.e. on the society’s perception of Christianity.
The nature of this relationship can best be thought of in relation to communication
theory.
A question that must be asked in this context is whether the society is faced with the need of evangelisation or revival. In theory, in any society where the church has already been planted it is probably best to think of revival rather than evangelisation. Efforts directed toward revival can frequently take advantage of the country’s heritage and sense of self-identity. Such will promote the work of revival.
4) The Structures for Dissemination
a) historical perception of Christianity
b) the condition of the churches
c) access to social structures
d) the nature of the media
B) Religious (Christian) Revival in History
1) The model of II Chronicles 15-21
2) Examples (These examples are taken up in detail in
the Church History Workbook being prepared for Theological Education by
Extension)
a) The Great Awakening in North America
b) The Evangelical Revival in Great Britain
c) The Welsh Revival
d) Current Interest in Revival in North America
Question Two:
As you wrestle with the preconditions for revival cited above, think through the following:
1) Read through and study II Chronicles 15-21 in order to see if you can discern the preconditions for revival cited in this talk.
2) Apply what you have read above to a revival of your experience or understanding through reading.
3) Think about your own Christian experience, church and society. In what ways can you promote the work of revival?
In other words, why do revivals end? This is an interesting question that, like the question of the beginnings of revival, take us to the interstices of divine will and human effort. But we need not leave the question simply with mystery. There are suggestions given us in Scripture to enable us to at least develop degrees of an answer.
A) Suggestions from Scripture:
You may want to begin your considerations with Scripture. Read about the end of the revival begun under Asa in II Chronicles 21.
Furthermore, think of the list of “Seven Deadly Sins” which we worked out earlier. Note ways in which envy, lust, pride etc. have distorted and destroyed the work of religious revival.
B) Contemporary Examples
1) Individual-Social integrity: In an article entitled “So Much for Our Great Awakening” in the fortnightly Christianity Today, Charles Colson writes of attempts at revival in the United States in the 1980’s. He notes the failure of this revival because of its promoters failure “to grasp a basic truth: It is impossible to effect genuine political reform through legislation without at the same time reforming individual - and eventually national - character”. He goes on to compare this failure with successes found in the efforts of nineteenth century British statesman William Wilberforce in the Evangelical revival within Anglicanism and non-Conformist groups in Wilberforce’s day.
2) Theological honesty: In his book Less Than Conquerors: How Evangelicals Entered the Twentieth Century, Douglas Frank scores American Evangelicals on the tendency to think of themselves as purer than others when, under God’s judgement, they stand in equal need of grace. Such an attitude has undermined their effectiveness and the possibilities of lasting revival in the twentieth century. Frank argues that in losing political control at the turn of the last century, instead of acknowledging their helplessness and need for God’s grace, managed to shore up and assert self-confidence. He argues that this occurred in three ways: 1) In the substitution of spiritual power (dispensational pre-millennialism) for lost political power; 2) Through preaching manliness and mastery in a complex society beyond their control; 3) In emphasising a new legalism in terms of social practices rather than God’s grace.
Question Three:
Think about a particular religious revival of which you are aware. What are some of the reasons for its failure? Were the issues particular sins, failure of vision, or other factors?
IV. The Heart of History....Where is Your Heart?
A) Integration Needed: Values (Religion) are central to any social order. As we look around Europe today this should be quite clear. The point being stressed today with respect to the restiveness visible in Eastern Europe. If Christians do not help to assert the development of and implementation of values in society, other groups will. If we argue that Christian values are intrinsically accurate because they flow from the nature of the one God, then societies based upon any other values will be inherently less stable. Their foundation will be upon a partial truth, mis-perception, or outright lie.
B) Revivals and Historical Momentum: In light of the assumptions noted above, if there is inherent within individuals and societies a search for the truth which is at least as strong as our tendency to hide from the truth (Romans 1), then might we see in revivals a kind of key to history? This draws us to the question of what forces fuel history. Both societies of the East and West have grounded much of their understanding of historical momentum in the belief that economic factors are the energy behind historical momentum. While there is obviously truth here, whether or not this is the sole, or even most important motivating force in history is something that is open to debate. Our understanding of the central role of values in shaping a society should keep this debate alive.
C) Your Burden and God’s Burden: As you assess your own participation in the church, in the work of revival, and in the use of religious ideas and words it is valuable to ask continually whether the burden you bear is yours or is God’s. As you work with this tension think again about the nature of the kingdom of God as it was discussed earlier.
Question Four:
As you conclude your reflections with the question of
your heart and the heart of history you might ask yourself what your burden
is. Reflect on Jesus’s words in Matt. 11:29-30 towards this end.