Crucifying Consumerism | Not About Us
For all the challenges facing the Christian Church in the west, none poses as big of a threat as the pervasive consumeristic mindset. While some may think that the biggest threat to Christianity comes from outside, history routinely shows that when the church endures persecution from the outside, it strengthens the resolve of the church but forcing the dependence upon God. When one is threatened by a dangerous enemy, it becomes easier to run to the Lord and seek His help. The consumeristic mindset, though, finds its foundation in the safety of selfish security. As a person of faith pursues the faith through the consumeristic lens, the church becomes something that should serve them and care for their needs rather than a body of believers dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel in the world.
For a christian marked by consumerism, the focus is on the individual. The need to program they think is best as the church is their to do what they want them to. Often times, when they do not get the exact thing they want, then it is an indicator that the church has failed them. They will bounce from church to church, never fully able to connect with any place because they miss the intent of the church; joining the body of Christ in mutual submission to one another. Consumerism feeds the ego of self-indulgence in the church, refusing to bow before Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is a faith that comes without cost and cheapens the work of Christ on the cross. At the root, the problem is a failure to die to the self, thinking that everything revolves around us. To crucify consumerism, the first step for the believer must be the willingness to die to our old self and come alive in Jesus Christ.
Dying To The Self
Where consumerism feeds the ego of desires of the flesh unchecked, the Christian must learn to die to the self. This means that the person’s preference, desires, wishes, and pride of thinking that all things revolve around them, must be crucified as they step into their new life. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, ESV) Baptism, as the sign of our salvation, displays the symbolism that we have die in our old self and come alive in the new self as we identify with Jesus Christ, specifically with the desires of our old life. For the Christian, dying to the self means putting aside the notion that our desires can go unchecked as we stand in humility before the Lord. Our old self may have lived as if everything revolved around us, but that person is no more. The old person has been crucified with Christ so that our new person, reflecting the image and glory of God might live in eternity with Him.
Furthermore, dying to the self is not just a once in a lifetime experience. While our conversion to faith is a one time event marked by the first dying to ourselves in faith, as we continue to wrestle with our flesh, we continue to crucify the old self and its desires for the greater glory that is a life secured in Jesus Christ. “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24, ESV) The words of Jesus show that we should take up our cross daily. When we view our faith as simply a one time event followed by a life of consumption, we rob ourselves of the glory and joy of a daily walk with Jesus Christ. We cannot stop to think that dying to our flesh is a form of punishment that God inflicts upon His people. Instead, we must build our understanding that dying to our old self means coming truly alive according to the perfection that God created us to be.
Scriptures Speak of God, Not Us
We must stop thinking that the world revolves around us. While we may have been created in the image of God, we cannot think that the image bearer holds higher esteem than the creator. This even goes with the story of scripture. We seem to be under the impression that the entirety of scripture revolves around us and everything God is doing for the sake of saving us, as if we might be worthy of saving by our own merit. While mankind certainly has a role to play in the story, the story of scripture is one that tells of the Father’s love for the Son who sends His Spirit. The fullness of the love of God is poured out for the glory of God and the whole of scripture points to His glory rather than our own. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people.” (John 5:39-41, ESV) If we are crucify the consumerism that chokes the life out of spirituality and faith in Jesus Christ, our position and standing in the grand scheme must be ordered to understand that God is glorified in the story of scripture, not ourselves.
The love of The Father is poured out fully on Jesus Christ. Our position as recipients of the love of God comes from our identification with Jesus Christ who sends the Spirit to be with us. We are invited to participate in the perfect love between a Triune God through our identification and bonding with Jesus Christ. Mankind, through faith in Jesus Christ, being united with Him in death, burial, and resurrection, have become children of God and the bride of Christ, holding the same rights and privileges as children of God. As we remain in Jesus Christ, we share in the love that the Father has for the Son. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3, ESV) Apart from Christ, we cannot save ourselves, love, or endure the punishment and judgment that God pours out. Yet, by the grace of God, Jesus Christ endured the judgment of God for the sake of those who love Him so that we might be with Him for all eternity and glorify Him in this world today. We crucify the consumerism within us so that we might come alive to the perfection in Jesus Christ.
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
