Superficial Christianity

Carnal Christianity is almost synonymous with contemporary Christianity in America. The church's morals are unremarkably different from those of the society at large. Since morals are an outgrowth of spiritual understanding, one cannot but wonder about the authenticity of a Christian whose affections are world-oriented and flesh-oriented to the degree that we see in today's Church. Phil Johnson at Pyromaniacs does us all a great service by posting excerpts from Spurgeon every weekend. This week's article is
Shallow Conversions;Shallow Religion

Though I rejoice in sudden conversions, I entertain grave suspicions of those suddenly happy people who seem never to have sorrowed over their sin. I am afraid that those who come by their religion so very lightly often lose it quite as lightly. Saul of Tarsus was converted on a sudden, but no man ever went through a greater horror of darkness than he did before Ananias came to him with the words of comfort.

I like deep ploughing. Top-soil skimming is poor work; the tearing of the soil under surface is greatly needed. After all, the most lasting Christians appear to be those who have seen their inward disease to be very deeply seated and loathsome, and after awhile have been led to see the glory of the healing hand of the Lord Jesus as he stretches it out in the gospel.

I am afraid that in much modern religion there is a want of depth on all points; they neither deeply tremble nor greatly rejoice, they neither much despair nor much believe. Oh, beware of pious veneering! Beware of the religion which consists in putting on a thin slice of godliness over a mass of carnality. We must have thorough going work within; the grace which reaches the core, and affects the innermost spirit is the only grace worth having.