Awake Out of Your Sleep: Lethargic Christianity

Lethargy is a serious problem for Christians in America. It was a problem in Rome. American culture has a way of drawing Christians into a stupor, into selfishness, into sin and away from God. If we have put on Christ, lethargy is the indication we have taken Him off. Lethargy destroys the spiritual energy of the church, it suppresses the zeal of Christians to share their faith and leaves congregations lifeless. How can we afford to disregard that every day brings “our salvation” closer? Each day our death is closer, each day the rapture is closer, and each day hundreds of thousands of people die and go to hell. Can we afford to be lethargic? Absolutely not. In Romans 13:11-14, Paul exhorts the Christians in Rome to “awake out of their sleep” and to love one another. Just like us, they were living in the last days and had failed to remain alert and watchful.

Paul issues several critical commands (1) “cast off the works of darkness” (repent and confess your hidden sins) (2) “put on the armor of light” (prepare yourself for spiritual battle) (3) “walk properly” (not as the world, but as one who has put on Christ) (4) turn from revelry, drunkenness, lewdness, lust, strife, and envy (cast these off and replace them with the fruits of the Spirit) Finally, (5) “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:12-14).

A spiritually lethargic mind “makes provision” for the flesh by contemplating sin before they act upon it. The lethargic mind conforms to the world becoming contaminated and unfit for kingdom work. The lethargic mind seeks to justify sin and make excuses for why it can or cannot do something, such as attending church or studying the Bible. The lethargic mind becomes self-centered and engages in arguments and dissension. The lethargic mind drifts from God into worldly waters where they are battered and eventually taken captive to the darkness.  Finally, a lethargic mind leads the heart to become linked and corrupted by the world, putting out their spiritual fire and zeal for a strong evangelistic witness.

Wake up from your spiritual sleep and put on Christ.

 Ask the Lord to restore your zeal and give you a passion for the Great Commission and for eternal things…the fullness of our salvation could be right around the corner.