{"id":1297,"date":"2017-03-10T01:58:27","date_gmt":"2017-03-10T01:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/takingeverythoughtcaptivetoobeychrist.wordpress.com\/?p=1297"},"modified":"2017-03-10T01:58:27","modified_gmt":"2017-03-10T01:58:27","slug":"on-emotionalism-and-the-gospel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/on-emotionalism-and-the-gospel\/","title":{"rendered":"On Emotionalism and the Gospel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/span>Emotionalism plac<\/span>es excessive focus on emotions. Many Christians have likely experienced this at various worship services and events. You will see this in places where \u201cdecisions\u201d or \u201cworship experiences\u201d are elevated above proper worship of God; or quite frankly, above the gospel. In its ugliest forms, the leaders attempt to manipulate the congregation\u2019s emotions for whatever their end goal is.<\/span> Or often something that is simply an emotional atmosphere is dubbed<\/span> <\/span>\u201ca move of the Holy Spirit.\u201d Let me continue to be frank \u2013 it is blasphemous to call something that is not the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit. <\/span>The Holy Spirit does not \u201cflood the atmosphere\u201d in fuzzy feeling sort of way. The Holy Spirit indwells believers. But that is beside the point. <\/span><\/p>\n

In its lighter forms, in many unintentional ways albeit, pressure is often applied to respond to the music or message in<\/span> a<\/span> certain way<\/span>; <\/span>whether it be raising hands<\/span> or coming forward to kneel and pray. Of course, there is nothing wrong with raising hands in worship or kneeling in prayer \u2013 as long as there is not emotional pressure applied to do so. Some Christians enjoy those aspects of an event, but others do not and may feel a bit uncomfortable if pressured to participate in that way. One of the problems with this lighter form of emotionalism is that the leaders expect everyone to have the outward response that they want them to. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>These environments often make the person who wants to stand with his or her hands in their pockets less spiritual as everyone else.<\/span> This should not be so. The gospel frees us to stand with our hands in our pockets. The gospel demands repentance of sin and faith in Christ, not a particular emotional response.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>In the extreme cases, leaders have exchanged the power of the gospel for the deficiency of emotionalism. Leader, the gospel frees you from forcing emotions. The gospel is the power of God to save. You may be able to force an emotional response, but you are utterly incapable of forcing a heart or life change on someone. And that\u2019s freeing. When you trade the gospel for emotionalism you lose <\/span>the very power of God. Trade in the tricks of the trade for the all-powerful, all-surpassing glory of Jesus Christ in the gospel. The gospel of Jesus does not need that perfect worship atmosphere to be effective; it just needs to be declared. When you try to add your slickness or expertise to the gospel, you lose it altogether. The gospel is the power to change hearts and lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>As a congregant, you are free from those pressures to act in an unnaturally emotional way. Those outward acts of emotionalism don\u2019t save you. They do not validate your spirituality. The sign of someone who has been transformed by the gospel is obedience to Christ in routine of everyday life. You\u2019re free from playing games. You are free to stand still in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>The wonder of being free <\/span>from emotionalism<\/span> is that the gospel itself actually excites the emotions. <\/span>There is nothing more thrilling to a sinner\u2019s heart than knowing that they stand justified before a just and holy God. There is nothing that makes a sinner more sustainably happy than knowing he has the righteousness of Christ. There is nothing that makes a sinner cry a gospel tear more than knowing that God approves of you. There is nothing more exhilarating to a sinner than knowing you are Christ\u2019s and He is yours.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201c\u2026we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received <\/em><\/span>reconciliation.\u201d + Romans 5v11<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Emotionalism places excessive focus on emotions. Many Christians have likely experienced this at various worship services and events. You will see this in places where \u201cdecisions\u201d or \u201cworship experiences\u201d are elevated above proper worship of God; or quite frankly, above the gospel. In its ugliest forms, the leaders attempt to manipulate the congregation\u2019s emotions for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[274,278,431,432,522,557,562,678,679,699,1039,1283,1367],"class_list":{"0":"post-1297","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"tag-christ","8":"tag-christianity","9":"tag-emotionalism","10":"tag-emotions","11":"tag-freedom","12":"tag-god","13":"tag-gospel","14":"tag-jenkins","15":"tag-jesus","16":"tag-joshua","17":"tag-religion","18":"tag-truth","19":"tag-worship","20":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4468,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/when-the-spirit-comes\/","url_meta":{"origin":1297,"position":0},"title":"When the Spirit Comes","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 17, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"8\u00a0And when he comes, he will\u00a0convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:\u00a09\u00a0concerning sin,\u00a0because they do not believe in me;\u00a010\u00a0concerning righteousness,\u00a0because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;\u00a011\u00a0concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world\u00a0is judged. 12\u00a0\u201cI still have many things to say to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/05\/Peter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/05\/Peter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/05\/Peter.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/05\/Peter.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3522,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/an-analysis-of-john-420-24-worshiping-in-spirit-and-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":1297,"position":1},"title":"An Analysis of John 4:20-24 – Worshiping in Spirit and Truth","author":"Joshua Mills","date":"April 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"INTRODUCTION The purpose of all creation is to worship the true and living God in a way that he has commanded. 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This paper\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gospel"","block_context":{"text":"Gospel","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/gospel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/first_congregational_portland_window_-_balcony_west-c_0.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/first_congregational_portland_window_-_balcony_west-c_0.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/first_congregational_portland_window_-_balcony_west-c_0.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/first_congregational_portland_window_-_balcony_west-c_0.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3845,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/what-is-true-worship-john-415-26\/","url_meta":{"origin":1297,"position":2},"title":"What is True Worship? John 4:15-26","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"August 26, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 15\u00a0The woman said to him, \u201cSir,\u00a0give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.\u201d 16\u00a0Jesus said to her,\u00a0\u201cGo,\u00a0call your husband, and come here.\u201d\u00a017\u00a0The woman answered him, \u201cI have no husband.\u201d Jesus said to her,\u00a0\u201cYou are right in saying, \u2018I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/08\/20090115_samaritan.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3064,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/martin-luther-on-the-holy-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":1297,"position":3},"title":"Martin Luther on the Holy Spirit","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"September 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There is much confusion in today's world on the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. 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