Christian Literature

I am an avid reader. There is nothing I would rather be doing than to be curled up in a big chair under a warm blanket, book in hand. I read quickly and devour literature at what my husband considers a frightning rate. I love historical fiction but pick up almost any genre. I am widely read. One of the things I have never understood is the proliferation of books that fall under Christian living. Books in this genre are supposedly written to help us live life as a Christians. Usually, they take a bible verse or some scriptural concept and the author spends pages expounding on the said verse or concept. With rare exception these books skate close to heresy. Heresy is a strong word, and not a word that is used very often any more. To clarify, when I say heresy, I mean an opinion or doctrine that contradicts Gods word. This is strong language but let me give you several examples; feminism, the prosperity gospel, self esteem, the justifying of sin as disease, and numerous other world views. All of these theories are found under Christian Living, masquarading as legitimate interpretations of scripture. Christian living books are so prolific and numerous that we do not need to open our bibles anymore. Any question about living the Christian life is easier found in the book store aisles than by opening the scriptures. It produces weak, self indulgant christians who are unable to sense the spirit working in the divine revelation of Gods word.

These books start of movements and change the course of not only individuals but of whole churches. Take for instance the seeker sensative church or the purpose driven church. Pastors preach from the pulpit, not from the scriptures, but from Christian living books. The opinion of man has been elevated above the work of God. The books come and go, one minuite a best seller, the next minuite replaced by the latest and greatest. There is a lack of discernment within the Christian community. This lack of discerment is a direct result of being unfamiliar with scripture. We are scripturally iliterate, so busy reading Christian living that we do not open our bibles. Why do we take second hand information as if it were truth and ignore the true gospel? Gods word is his divine revelation. It is always his divine revelation and like God himself, it is never changing. He is the author of Christian living, because Christian living is the work of God in us, making us to be more Christ. We do not become more like Christ by reading the work of man.