Sometimes, Christians grow cold in their love for the Lord, his gospel, his truth, and his church. Yes, Christians. Yes, those who have been genuinely born again, justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Yes, even Reformed evangelical Christians can grow cool, if not even calloused, to the love of God in Christ Jesus. You know this to be true, both of others and most particularly in your own soul. So, how do we respond to those who do and how do we respond when we ourselves are likewise spiritually as cold as an ice cube? This is a good question, an important concern, and thankfully there are answers. Many of them.
Church history is filled with good pastoral counsel addressing this painful, lamentable, and yet treatable malady. Octavius Winslow wrote a helpful book several hundred years ago tilted Spiritual Declension: Its Cause and Cure. Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks is another helpful work. In more recent years, Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s published sermon series, Spiritual Depression: Its Cause and Cure, addressed similar matters. What these and similar books share in common is the observation that spiritual coolness towards Christ is an ailment in the life of the Christian that needs to be remedied. In this article, I want to argue that fellow church members are the usual remedy. Fellow church members, like burning embers, are God’s means to fire up those who need to thaw out.
Solomon practically observed, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–11). Partnership, companionship, fellowship “is better,” the king knew, than trying to go it alone. This is true in numerous areas of life, including the Christian’s earthly pilgrimage. But how can one keep warm alone? That is a really important question, not only atmospherically, but also spiritually.
In the ancient world, travellers did not have access to hotels or B&Bs. Inns were sometimes available, but often at the risk of one’s life. Travellers on chilly nights would often huddle together to guard against the cold air. Perhaps as the embers of a fire were growing dim, family, and even friends, would sleep in close proximity and a chilly environment would be somewhat mitigated. Shared space meant warmth. The group benefited by the warm contribution of one another.
I once had a conversation with a church member who admitted that his spiritual temperature had cooled to the point of being cold. His transparency was a first step towards recovery. As we spent about an hour discussing, probing, and assessing, it was clear that his choice to isolate himself from other Christians was a key factor behind his spiritual lethargy. We talked about the way forward and changes that he would need to make, including practical steps of structuring a daily time before the Lord, regularly gathering with the church, and reaching out to others. When our time together came to an end, I said something like, “The next time I detect that you are growing cold I will reach out to you.” With a humble and yet confident smile he said, “There won’t be a next time.” If we were not in a public setting I might have shouted, “Hallelujah!”
As I walked away, two things struck me with particular force. First, the wonderful joy of being a means to rescue the perishing (James 5:19–20). It did not require anything heroic. It merely required making a phone call, expressing concern with an offer to talk. God did the work, but what a joy to be tool in his hand. Fellow Christian, fellow church member, whom do you need to reach out to? Who is on your heart? Who do you see all alone and in need of the relational and spiritual warmth you, in the providence of God, can provide? Go ahead and make the call. Arrange that coffee of meal. Perhaps walk to the other side of the church hall, shake their hand, and tell them you care.
The second thing that struck me was the thought that, like a fire, the closer the coals lie to one another, the longer the fire and the greater the heat. This is how we should see ourselves. To tweak Solomon’s metaphor, how can one coal remain burning if it remains alone? Church members should see themselves as coals who need other coals. Lonely coals will soon be nothing but half burnt logs or grey and useless ash. We need to share our warmth if we will all stay warm. We need to see ourselves as members who are embers. Someone needs your spiritual contribution. Someone in your circle is suffering from a plummeting spiritual temperature. Will you come alongside in an attempt to warm them up?
Perhaps you yourself are struggling. Perhaps the fire of your devotion has burned low. Like my friend, be honest and confess your condition. Then humbly receive the offered coal. Not only will you find warmth, but so will those with whom you are now burning alongside. Who knows but that the Lord might kindle a fire that will warm others beyond our wildest imagination.
Doug