The Pragmatic Produce
by Christopher Hendrix
The story goes of a beautiful girl with fair skin, rosy lips, and dark hair. She held a beauty that none could compare. She was loved by many and considered to be a virtuous woman. Likewise, her step-mom had a beauty that many envied. However, instead of being virtuous, she was quite the opposite. She was vain, wicked, boisterous, and even practiced dark magic. She was envious and coveted to be the most beautiful in the land. She used her witchcraft to fill her vanity and pride through a magical mirror that would declare that none compared. She discovered one day that she had a competitor. This new beauty queen was none other than her step-daughter, who came of age, and now held the beauty title. In envy, the step-mother created a magical apple that would poison her step-daughter and put her to sleep. She disguises herself as someone else, convinces the step-daughter to eat the apple, and puts her to sleep. This tale is familiar to many. They know this story as Snow White. However, this is also another story. It’s the story of many churches today.
Watch Pastor Chris Hendrix’s sermon on Genesis 15.
The church, the fairest in the land, is the bride of Christ. Christ has adorned the church with a beauty that none can compare. We have his righteousness. We are clothed in white linen because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. His bride is justified. Yet, there is an evil that lurks around. This evil can be described as the sin still present in the bride, Satan, and the world. These three evils work together to harm the church. One of the present tactics used by these evils involve what’s labeled as pragmatism. Pragmatism is the elevation of practicality to achieve a desired end goal. For example, a church says they want to grow numerically, so they decide to create programs that will attract new people to the church. Maybe even have giveaways for the first 500 people that walk through the door. Add to that principles from the entertainment industry, and poof, numerical growth. Mission accomplished and success is won. This is pragmatism. It takes a variety of forms on many levels, such as implementing metrics, bringing business principles into the church, shaping church government to resemble a fortune 500 company, certain decisions on decorations, types of music, and even the sermon, or for some, a motivational speech. Churches of different shapes and sizes are confronted with the temptation of pragmatism. It’s enticing, but once this poison apple is tasted, then the church falls asleep.
Reflecting on the covenant of Abraham, we see God’s gift of faith upon his life. Genesis 15:6 presents the faith of Abraham and the righteousness that followed. In this chapter, God established the covenant with him, and gave him promises. Abram (his name had not changed yet) believed and received righteousness based on this belief. Embedded in these promises was the promise of a son. The heir of these promises would not be Eliezer of Damascus, but an actual son that came from Abram. The chapter ends with the Lord establishing this covenant in a unilateral manner. Abram didn’t have to do anything but look to God to fulfill it. The chapter ends with a wonderful promise given, and a majestic act undertaken by God. All seems hopeful!
Until the next chapter, when pragmatism strikes. That delicious poison apple was presented to Abram, and he took a bite. In an almost replication of the Garden of Eden, Sarai, who was barren, twists the Word of the Lord like Eve. She, being very intelligent and an obvious strategist, figured that God meant the son of the promise would come from Abram’s flesh, but it didn’t matter who the wife would be. In ignoring her role as Abram’s wife and not considering the covenant of marriage, she convinces Abram to go about a plot of conceiving a child with Hagar, her maiden. Abram, like Adam, fails miserably in leading his household. He agrees to it. This would produce a child, position themselves for God to work, and get the promise process going. After all, they weren’t getting any younger and time was slipping away. The idea worked! A son was born! But the poison of the apple set in. Their eyes were open to what they did, and bitterness ruled the day. Relationships were broken and things were a mess. This pragmatic solution ended in pain. Why? Because some of God’s truths were ignored. Only half of His Word was considered, while His sovereignty and faithfulness was ignored.
The pragmatism in the church today does this very thing. We have the Great Commission, so churches devise means and ways to do it. In the name of seeing people converted, we see slogans like, “We will do anything apart from sin to see someone converted.” While that has a pietistic tone to it, this ignores the rest of Scripture. Specifically, passages on God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. Instead of creating our own strategies, devices, and thoughts, we must look to the Bible first. The Scriptures guide us on how we should view the church, how we worship, and what we should be about. When we know the full counsel of God, then and only then we should move forward with a decision.
Despite Abram’s and Sarai’s sin, God still cared for them and fulfilled His promise. As proof that the covenant of Abraham did not depend on them, God gave Isaac to them. He was the fruit from their marriage, done according to God’s nature and law, and fulfilled the promise to Abram. Likewise, for all the church’s pragmatism, God still fulfills the new covenant. He will still build His church, raise up men and women who truly love God above all, faithful people who desire to abide by His law, and true worshipers. He will do this in spite of the pragmatic choices made by churches. Why? Because He is a graceful and merciful God who has covenanted with us. His new covenant isn’t conditioned on us. It’s unconditional. He will still fulfill His promises.
This means though, we must repent. We don’t repent because God needs us to turn from our pragmatically wicked ways in order to accomplish His work. We repent because we don’t want God to work in spite of us, but through us. God using us rightly brings the most joy and peace. It may counter everything the world says. It may go against the grain of what is physically seen. It may even contradict our percieved growth principles. Yet, we must stand on God’s Word and allow God’s timing to rule. It starts with repenting of pragmatism and anything we may do that trends this way.
Then, we believe. We look to Christ to fulfill His promises. We trust in His Word and pray for faithfulness. We ask the Spirit to sanctify our minds and hearts to conform to the image of Christ. We study the Word, get down on our knees, and beg the Triune God to implant those truths into our hearts. Then, we get up and live our life accordingly. All the while recognizing the poison apples. And if we falter and partake of the fruit, then let us look to our King who wakes us up and brings us to new life. The Prince awakened Snow White, and our Lord awakens us.