"The Lord of that servant shall come ... and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites .." (Matthew 24:50, 51)
It appears that too many Christians want to enjoy the thrill of feeling right but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of being right!
The glaring disparity between theology and practice among professing Christians is a more destructive evil in its effect upon the Christian religion than Romanism and liberalism combined.
So wide is the gulf that separates theory from practice in the church that an inquiring stranger who chances upon both would scarcely dream that there was any relation between them.
An intelligent observer of our human scene who heard the Sunday morning sermon and later watched the Sunday afternoon conduct of those who had heard it would conclude that he had been examining two distinct and contrary religions!
Christians habitually weep and pray over beautiful truth, only to draw back from that same truth when it comes to the difficult job of putting it in practice.
The average church simply does not dare to check its practices against biblical precepts. It tolerates things that are diametrically opposed to the will of God. This can be explained only by assuming a lack of integration in the religious personality. The mind can approve and the emotions enjoy while the will drags its feet and refuses to go along!
And since Christ makes His appeal directly to the will, are we not justified in wondering whether or not these divided souls have ever made a true commitment to the Lord?
~A. W. Tozer~
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