The Coddling of the American Christian, Part 2

The Coddling of the American Christian (Part 2)

A coddled person is an over-indulged, pampered being.

I may be a coddled Christian when I am not called to responsibility for my part in failing to align with the righteousness and glory of God. Romans 3:23

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

I may be a coddled Christian when I am not encouraged to feel the shame and guiltiness of my person and behavior.

SHAME

“For from the least to the greatest of them,
    everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
    everyone deals falsely.
¹⁴ They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
    saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
    when there is no peace.
¹⁵ Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
    No, they were not at all ashamed;
    they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
    at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,”
says the Lord. Jeremiah 6:13-15

GUILT

“None is righteous, no, not one;
     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
 “Their throat is an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
     in their paths are ruin and misery,
 and the way of peace they have not known.”
    “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:10-18

¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. John 3:18, 19

What are we to do with our shame and guilt?

• ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
• ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21
• ⁸ For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. ⁹ As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
• ¹⁰ For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. ¹¹ For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. ¹² So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. ¹³ Therefore we are comforted. 2 Corinthians 7:8-13

I might be a coddled Christian if I do not call myself to godly grief that produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret.

These five stages of repentance, from Psalm 51, may be helpful:

• I did it and it was wrong. Psalm 51:3
  • For I know my transgressions,
        and my sin is ever before me.

• I did it and it hurt you.  Psalm 51:4
  • Against you, you only, have I sinned
        and done what is evil in your sight,
    so that you may be justified in your words
        and blameless in your judgment.

• I did it and it was sinful and flowed from my sinful heart. Psalm 51:5-6
  • Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
        and in sin did my mother conceive me.
  • Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
        and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

• I did it and it effected my relationship with you and God. Psalm 51:11
  • Cast me not away from your presence,
        and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

• I did it and I repent, by God’s grace. Psalm 51:7-15
  • Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
        wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
    ⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
        let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
    ⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
        and blot out all my iniquities.
    ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
        and renew a right^[b] spirit within me.
    ¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence,
        and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
    ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
        and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.

Refusing to be coddled, I call myself to repentance.