THE EASY WAY
By George W. Sinquefield
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By George W. Sinquefield
1 Kin. 12:28 through 1 Kin. 12:33 (KJV)
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. 31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
Jeroboam was king over the ten northern tribes, but he felt insecure. The Hebrew law specified that several times a year devout Hebrews should journey to the place God designated for key religious ceremonies (Deut. 16:1-17). He worried about the people of Israel returning to Jerusalem regularly to worship at the temple. He feared they might eventually turn to Rehoboam.
Jeroboam became so concerned about the possibility of his people rebelling against him that he designed an alternate worship system in the north. Instead of going south all the way to Jerusalem to worship God, the people could, he proposed, worship at the new sanctuaries he built.
Jeroboam made two calves of gold and placed them at Dan and Bethel. He announced to the people that these calves were the gods who had delivered them from Egypt. To further entice the northern Hebrews to stay close to home for worship, Jeroboam created high places or worship centers and appointed priests to serve his gods. These golden calves were associated with the pagan worshp of Baal, the religion of the Canaanites. Jeroboam led his people into idolatry and God was certainly displeased with them. Now Jeroboam knew that people (then and now) desire the easy way. So he manipulated them to keep them from becoming loyal to Rehoboam. He provided for them an easy way.
John Bright says, "Indeed we would have it the chief business of religion to keep crosses far away. We want a Christ who suffers that we may not have to, a Christ who lays Himself down that our comfort may be undisturbed. The call to lose life that it may be found again, to take up the cross and follow, remains mysterious and offensive to us."
Listening to her five year old daughter say her prayers one evening, a mother was surprised to hear her close her prayer this way, "And please, dear Lord, put the vitamins in pie and cake instead of cod liver oil and spinach."
A minister visited a Christian college seeking volunteers for a mission field. He assured the young men that the work was not difficult, that they would live in a pleasant society, have good homes and enjoy the services of plenty of servants. No one offered to go. But a little later another mission worker came to the same school seeking men to go to the Congo. The places he wanted to fill were left vacant by the force of death. He said very bluntly to the students. "It will most likely mean death to you." Immediately six men offered themselves for service. This may be true of a few real dedicated Christians, but for the majority of professing Christians, the easy way is preferred.
John Sutherland Bonnell warns in his book, "No Escape from Life:" "With ever year that passes the necessity for effort on our part is lessened. Multitudes are living today by the creed of comfort. We are producing a soft generation. Year by year new inventions make labor less and less necessary."
"In some of his more recent lectures R. S. Eliot has warned that even in our pleasures we are eliminating all necessity for endurance or fatigue. The philosophy of life of many Americans is to achieve relief from every form of hardship. Little by little we are beginning to regard struggle, effort, and self sacrifice as things to be avoided. We long for even greater comfort. But our comforts do not make us happy."
There is a story of a young man who determined that his first vehicle would be the epitome of his dreams. He worked and saved, dreamed and toiled, until the fateful day arrived when he purchased this dream machine. It was a beautiful van -- loaded, luxurious, and as good as they come, the perfection of the engineer and designer's art. The young man had every right to expect a great deal from this mechanical marvel. He bought the vehicle and drove it off the lot with the pride and aura of a man who knows destiny and determination have conspired to bring about the perfect union.
The next day, however, the beautiful new van was towed, bent and battered, back to the dealership. An angry and disillusioned owner stormed into the office of the salesman, not only demanding a complete refund, but also threatening to sue for medical damages.
"What happened?" asked the startled salesman.
"I bought your van," the young man sputtered. "I drove it out to the interstate to give it a test run. I set the automatic cruise control, went to the back to fix myself a cup of coffee, and the darn thing ran off the road!."
I suspect that there is a hunger in each of us to put our lives on cruise control. To avoid responsibility -- to sit back and eat, drink and be merry -- to enjoy the benefits of our modern technological world without having to pay a great price for it.
I. We Want An Easy Way To Be Saved.
Someone has said, "The trouble with people these days is that they want to reach the promised land without going through the wilderness."
J. Wilbur Chapman said, "If there is a criticism that can be justly urged against modern evangelism, it is that we are making it too easy for men to turn to God. I confess I like the old days when men sobbed their way into the kingdom. I like the old times when with white faces men sought God. Conviction is almost a lost word. Men are too easy about their sins. I hold that genuine conversion must be preceded by conviction."
R. A. Torrey said, "I received a letter today from a man who said it was very hard to expect people to stand up to confess Christ in the way I ask them to and he went on to tell me an easier way to get at it. But I am not looking for an easier way. I abominate these easy ways. I believe in getting people converted. I could pass around cards and get them to sign their names, saying that they hoped to go to heaven; but a month after I had gone the effect would be nothing, or worse than nothing."
We beg the lost to walk the isles and make a public profession of faith in Jesus and we mean well. We long to see them come to Him for salvation. But, as strange as it may seem, Jesus warned those considering becoming one of His followers. Jesus loved them and longed for them to come to Him, but He never made it easy. One example is His encounter with the Rich Young Ruler.
Matt. 19:16 through Matt. 19:22 (KJV)
Salvation was available for this young man but he was not willing to pay the price. And you will notice that Jesus did not call him back and offer him as easier way. Jesus urges men to count the cost of following Him.
Luke 14:26 through Luke 14:33 (KJV)
The desire for the easy way causes many to join the cults and false religions. One said, "Buddhism suits us exactly. It does not concern itself with this life, only the life after death. Therefore it does not set up a system of daily behavior, an ethical pattern or a weekly demand for weekly church goings. Buddhist services are conducted in Chinese and cannot be understood by worshippers and Buddhist priests have very little effect on daily life."
Matt. 16:24 through Matt. 16:25 (KJV)
The cross stands for one thing and one thing only and that is death. Jesus said that if one wishes to follow Him he must die to self, to selfish ambitions and let Jesus be Lord in his life.
Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world do free? No, there's a cross for everyone and there's a cross for me. There certainly is a cross for everyone who follows Jesus.
Matt. 10:38 (KJV)
II. Wanting The Easy Way Prevents Many From Growing As A Christian Should.
Dr. Charles Myers, pastor of the First Baptist Church, McAlister, Okalhoma, spoke of the "Path Of Least Resistance." "Have you ever looked at a river from the air? It is an interesting sight and at the same time teaches an effective lesson. The river bed is seldom ever in a straight line but meanders all over the country side. It has various shaped and sized curves and seems to wander back and forth sometimes changing around to go in the exact opposite directions as if it could not make up its mind where it wanted to go. The river itself may flow miles around these curves before it actually covers a distance of a single mile in a straight line from a given point. And why does the river do this? Way back when this stream had its beginning the first water that flowed started down the hill taking the path of least resistance. If a rock or a tree or some solid soil got in its road it changed directions and went another way. Even if it made a U turn and flowed in the opposite direction from which it had come, it still followed the path of least resistance. This water made a small rut. As other amounts of water started in that direction -- they fell into these ruts and still following the path of least resistance followed the same course. After years and years of this the river bed was cut and all the water coming that way flowed along this bed. It is because of this that we talk about the river as a lazy stream. And it is a lazy stream because it follows the easy path. When men want to harness its poser they bring it into a straight line and force it to exert its power rather than to flow along in the easiest path.
There are many lives that are like that river. They follow the path of least resistance. Every time they come up against a hard task or are called upon to make a difficult decision, they change directions and look for an easier way. They wander off in every direction always looking for an easy way. And much like the river they never realize their potential. Their course is alway determined for them. They never determine their course. Following the line of least resistance makes rivers and men crooked.
"Christianity is not a happiness cult; it is not a success cult. At heart it is the process by which God makes saints out of sinners. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son. We are not on a glorified picnic or a sanctified hayride. We are afflicted nowadays with a cheap Christianity, a kind of religious popcorn diet -- no cross, no discipline! We receive the Word with joy, but we have no root nor depth and are soon offended. There are too many religious hoboes trying to go to heaven as cheaply as possible, with just enough prayer, Bible reading, and service to get by. Such lives will go up in smoke at the judgment. Paul tells us that the only sure foundation is Jesus Christ and that we should build on that foundation with gold, silver, and precious stones if our lives are to stand the fire test. Alas, we mix wood, hay, and stubble, and there is something wrong with the mixture!" -- Dr. Vance Havner
It is easy, fatally easy, for people to believe, when they have gone through ceremony, that they have done everything. Basically religion today is cold, barren and empty because it is easier to go through a form than it is to perform the righteous deeds of Christianity. So much of modern Christianity is detached from he sacrificial spirit and self denial of its founder, Jesus Christ.
A student asked a college president, "Can I take a shorter course of studies than the one prescribed?" "Oh, yes," replied the president, "but it all depends on what you want to be. When God wants to make a giant oak, He takes many years. But when He wants to make a squash, He takes a few months."
Some time back I was listening to a preacher on "The Back To God Hour" and he said something that is worth our consideration. Christianity is supposed to be a revolution in this world of sin, a revolution of divine redemption. But it cannot explode with the full force of its faith if those who believe in it are not willing to suffer for it.
This is a pretty hard thing to talk about in our plush and comfortable civilization where Christians are seldom called to suffer much for Christ. In fact, we even complain about the little sacrifices we have to make and the ridicule we have to bear. It really doesn't cost us very much to be Christians. And the ridicule doesn't amount to much in this secular atmosphere in which we are not only tolerated but even respected.
We fine it hard to understand a man like Paul who talked about wanting to share in the sufferings of Christ. He simply would not feel at home with many modern Christians who are always looking for some easy way to maintain their connection with the cross without ever becoming vitally involved in it. Paul would say; show me a man who really trusts in the cross of Christ, and I will show you a man who bears that cross."
III. The Desire For The Easy Way Leads Many To Be Disobedient To The Lord
Take the matter of baptism for example. We are saved by faith and after we're saved, we are to follow the Lord in baptism. Baptism does not save one. It has absolutely nothing to do with one's salvation. Baptism shows forth one's death to sin, his burial and resurrection to a new life. Bible baptism is the burial in water of the body of a believer. Nowhere in the Bible do we find sprinkling as a mode of baptism. One says, "When I was baptized, I was sprinkled." Being baptized or sprinkled is two different things. If you'd make a serious study of this subject, you would learn that sprinkling was started for convenience sake. It is so much easier and convenient to sprinkle than to immerse but that is not God's way. So many have the attitude of this one man who said to me. When the church asked me if I wanted to be immersed or sprinkled, I said, "Just sprinkle me and get it over with."
Nevins says, "It is some 60 miles from Nazareth to the Jordan where John was baptizing. Nazareth lies in the foothills of the mountains. There are many beautiful streams and crystal pools about Nazareth where one could be baptized. But when the time came for Jesus to be baptized, He turned from these beautiful streams and pools and walked 60 long miles, that His baptism might fulfill all righteousness."
The same can be said of titheing one's income. The Bible teaches that one tenth is the Lord's and we're to return that to Him to support His work. Large numbers professing Christians choose to "tip" God instead of titheing. Yes, multitudes of professing Christians are doing that which is easy, that which cost them so little in time, money and service.
Christians are doing the easy things. It's easy to go to church. After all, what else is there to do? Everything's closed up! Of course, some find it hard to go to church from 9:40 AM until noon, so they come to Sunday School and then go home; or they come to worship and are not in Sunday School It's hard to go to church Sunday night, because there is so much else going on. So a lot of Christians are not in church Sunday night. It's easy to read a few verses from the Bible, but it's hard to dig in and study; so many don't study the Bible. It's easy to say your prayers, but it's hard to pray. So Christians don't pray.
It's hard to go to Church after a long days work. It's so much easier to relax at home. So Christians stay home from prayer meeting. It's easier to keep still when they are talking against Christian things in the office; so Christians keep still. It's hard to win souls to Christ; so we don't win them. It's easy to drop a dollar in the offering plate, but it's hard to tithe so we don't tithe. It's easy to talk, but hard to practice; so we talk. It's easy to sit in class and enjoy the lesson, but hard to be a teacher; so we "sit and soak." It's not easy to visit regularly; so we don't visit. It's hard to fill a place of leadership; so we let someone else do it. Christians are doing the easy things -- that's the trouble. And all the time a voice is saying to us, "Take up the cross and follow me!" When we choose comfort instead of the cross, we forfeit the crown.
The death of Jesus means not only that something amazing has been done for man; it also means that something demanding and exacting is expected of man. While the average Christian has little difficulty in conceding the place the cross holds in his redemption, he seems to have difficulty in sensing that the cross is projected into the daily living of all who seriously attempt to follow Christ. There is more to the cross than that wooden structure on Golgotha's hill nineteen hundred years ago. It is an event in history; it is also a continuing experience in the life of every sincere Christian. At the very heart of the cross is the spirit of sacrifice and service for others. Too many seem anxious to make Christian living costless and easy.
We have an enormous job on our hands today in a very hostile world. And we are not going to do it with Christians who are only trying to see how much money they can make for themselves, and how much fun they can have, and how comfortable they can be. We will have to do it the hard way, the way of the cross; by rediscovering and reproducing the power and the glory of our historic faith -- not only in the creeds of the past but in the context of the present, not only in terms of our sinful souls but in terms of our sinful world, not only in our churches but in our communities, not only in our private experience but in our public service.
The record of the Christian church proves that our historic faith depends under God, upon the total surrender of those who profess it. Some have had to be martyrs literally, giving up their lives; but all of us must be willing to give as much. The great confessions of the church have been written with the blood of men. The great deeds of the church have been done in self denial and the great place of the church in this world has been maintained through sacrifice.
A missionary society wrote David Livingstone as follows. "Have you found any good roads to where your are? If so, we want to send other men to join you." He answered, "If you have men who will come only if there is a good road, I do not want them to come. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."
IV. The Easy Way Leads To Disaster.
This is true physically speaking. When one is too lazy to exercise, his body will not develop as it should. A student in school who chooses the easy way will fail. He will not grow mentally. A Christian who desires the easy way will not experience the joy and peace which the Lord would give. It is His will that His people be filled with joy.
John 15:11 (KJV)
John 16:24 (KJV)
1 John 1:4 (KJV)
Peace is rightfull yours as a child of God.
John 14:27 (KJV)
John 16:33 (KJV)
Phil. 4:4 through Phil. 4:7 (KJV)
Jesus wants to give us, not only life, but the overflowing, full and abundant life.
John 10:10 (KJV)
You say you are saved but you are not happy, you do not have real joy and peace in your heart. Please permit me to give up a little examination. How much time to you spend in prayer? Do you spend a good deal of time feasting on spiritual food -- the Bible? What are you doing to help promote the Lord's work? Do you bring to the Lord His tithe or do you use it selfishly? Do you ever try to win some lost soul to Jesus? How about your influence? Are you letting your light shine for Jesus?
Now what score would you give yourself? If you failed it means you have chosen the easy way, and that is why you do not have peace and joy. You do not have the abundant life Jesus came to give.
In Malachi the people were saying, "Behold, what a weariness it is?" Their religious life had become a burden to weight them down rather than wings to lift them up. What was the cause of that? I like the way, "The Living Bible" puts it. "You say, 'Oh, its too difficult to serve the Lord and do what He asks. And you turn up your noses at the rules He has given you to obey.' Think of it! Stolen animals, lame and sick -- as offerings to God. "Should I accept such offerings as these?" asks God. "For I am a Great King, says the Lord of Hosts, and my name is to be mightily revered among the Gentiles." (Malachi 1:13-14)
They chose the easy way, the cheap way, to serve the Lord and it became a burden to them. It always will. They gave God the sick lambs; robbed Him of His tithe and offerings and offered polluted bread upon the altar of God. What a weariness it was for them and it will be the same for anyone who desires the easy way -- the way that cost nothing or very little and does not call for any sacrifice. Jesus said we must take up our cross and die to self. We must lose our life in order to find it. That simply means to surrender our all to Jesus. Let Him be Lord of all in our lives. Have you done that? If not, will you do it now?
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
