Dear Christian, Stick to the Basics.

There is a type of pride I’ve noticed in my life and in the life of others that refuses to rejoice in, love, and submit to the basics of the Christian faith, because they don’t seem yield immediate results in your felt needs. This type of pride kills your worship, short circuits your Christian life, and left unchecked will lead to complete burnout and damnation. This is the type of pride that is bored when hearing the basics of the faith rehearsed because “I already know.”

Some of us think that our “issues” or “needs” (or maybe from another angle, “understanding” or “abilities”) are more “advanced” than others. When the fundamental truths of the faith are preached, we believe that these cannot possibly meet our needs, that we need some more advanced, special, or supernatural care. So we do not avail ourselves of the grace that can be given through love for and constant adherence to the fundamentals.

If we are not currently flourishing in, cherishing, constantly meditating on, and helping others do the same with the fundamentals, the basics, more “advanced” teaching (as if such a thing existed) will never be of use to you.

The fact is that there is no “advanced theology” that is of use to a needy soul that can’t be had by someone with only a basic-level understanding. There is no “advanced spirituality” that is of use that can’t be had by any of God’s children beyond practice of the basics. That means there is no advanced level of the faith, there is only maturity in, love for, cherishing of, and constantly practice of the basics.

If we are despising a sermon, teaching, or exhortation because “I’ve already heard this”, then you surely don’t grasp it.

God has revealed Himself to us in understandable ways. He has given us the keys to life, joy, contentment, and perseverance through trial. We can know what they are.

He has also given us gloriously simple habits to practice in order to experience these things: Prayer, fellowship (participation) in the life of the church community, gathered worship, repentance from sin, and meditation on His character and works. And He has even gone so far as to write down everything He wants us to know with regards to our faith and practice of that faith in The Bible.

Rejoice this week that our Father is so kind to us, so gracious and merciful, to provide life for us in this way.