Jesus Did Not Come To Be Useful

I recently heard philosopher/theologian R.C. Sproul comment that of the major philosophies, the only American-born one is pragmatism. So I got to thinking about that, and how pragmatism dominates so many churches. Pragmatists are more concerned with "what works" than with "what's true." And when I say "what works", I mean "works" as the pragmatist defines it. They want to know if a thing is useful, not good. This is terribly short-sighted.

So for any pragmatist who may stumble across this blog, allow me for a moment to put aside my desire to debate and persuade and instead to simply proclaim that Jesus did not come to be useful. He came to save, and to reign, in and over you. It's Jesus that works.

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

John 5:19-24