Recently, I wrote about the new Passion Movement and its Passion Conferences, in a post called "New Commands." A wise reader noted that, although the whole movement is a problem, there is, in fact, a passion in many Christians. There is a passion in many teachers and preachers and servants, a passion for truth, a passion for salvation of the lost, a passion for Christ.
She is right, of course. So, you may wonder, why do I dislike the whole Passion Movement? Because its goal is to tell people to be more passionate, to generate passion, to create passion, and this is not the right point of view at all.
Scripture tells us a lot about how we ought to be. We ought to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Gal 5. We are to "put on" compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We are to bear with one another and forgive each other and put on love. Col. 3. We are to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. 2 Peter 1.
Not a word about passion in there anywhere.
Passion is not something to be commanded or created by our efforts. Passion is something that grows within us as we grow in Christ. It is a natural outgrowth of a spiritual process and not something we can create in ourselves by our efforts.
Telling someone to "be passionate" about Christ commands them to generate an emotion (passion is an emotion), which will pass. You are telling them that they must feel a certain way to please and serve God, which is not what God says. What will they do the next day or next week, when their artificial emotion has waned and they still must serve God.
God has given the wise command. Do these things, He says. Live lives of virtue, peace, knowledge, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and all the other obligations of Christians. Passion will develop on its own and that passion will be true and based on who you have become in Christ, not how you feel about some music.
Do what God says and passion will come. But do not seek passion, seek Christ.
She is right, of course. So, you may wonder, why do I dislike the whole Passion Movement? Because its goal is to tell people to be more passionate, to generate passion, to create passion, and this is not the right point of view at all.
Scripture tells us a lot about how we ought to be. We ought to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Gal 5. We are to "put on" compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We are to bear with one another and forgive each other and put on love. Col. 3. We are to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. 2 Peter 1.
Not a word about passion in there anywhere.
Passion is not something to be commanded or created by our efforts. Passion is something that grows within us as we grow in Christ. It is a natural outgrowth of a spiritual process and not something we can create in ourselves by our efforts.
Telling someone to "be passionate" about Christ commands them to generate an emotion (passion is an emotion), which will pass. You are telling them that they must feel a certain way to please and serve God, which is not what God says. What will they do the next day or next week, when their artificial emotion has waned and they still must serve God.
God has given the wise command. Do these things, He says. Live lives of virtue, peace, knowledge, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and all the other obligations of Christians. Passion will develop on its own and that passion will be true and based on who you have become in Christ, not how you feel about some music.
Do what God says and passion will come. But do not seek passion, seek Christ.