Note: This is the fifth article in a series called Overcoming the Five Failures of Us. Previous articles are always available at http://www.webbweekly.com.

Jesus reveals the failure of syncretism in Revelation 2:14-16

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Last week, we discussed the syncretism of Balaam and Balak, the Nicolaitans, and Narcissism. These are examples of a major failure to which all of us are vulnerable: Working the system, mixing in a little of this and that, to create a form of Christianity we like.

In our cultural and religious context, syncretism morphs the call of Jesus Christ into a quasi-Christianity that promises financial gain, physical health, relational happiness, and political and religious power. Paul warned Timothy about syncretism in II Timothy 4:2-3,

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
The Call of Jesus Christ

The call of Jesus stands as a full affront to us Narcissists and our passion for instant gratification. The great declaration of narcissism is found in Queen’s song, I Want It All,

I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now.

Everything Jesus taught is based on the delayed and eternal gratification of treasures stored in heaven. Jesus declared to Pilate in John 18:36 that His Kingdom was not of this world. Our narcissism just can’t handle that truth. We don’t want to wait for heaven. We want the fulfillment of all God’s promises now, so we craft a form of Christianity that lets us have them now. It is the lie of syncretism – and it subtly infiltrates nearly every aspect of our faith.

I confess it is my struggle, too. I’m human, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. So, how do we overcome our narcissistic syncretism?
Through the empowering and transforming grace of the Holy Spirit, the call of Jesus requires us to:

1. Repent. We must own up to our narcissistic self-worship, confess it to God, and seek and receive His merciful forgiveness. In I John 1:8-10 we read, If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar, and his word is not in us.

2. Yield (surrender) our full will to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. For the sake of clarity, Jesus demonstrated exactly what this means. In Philippians 2:5-8 we read, In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

3. Die to self through the daily taking up of the cross. He did it for us; now He calls on us to live the very same kind of life. In Luke 9:23-24, Jesus says, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and, take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

4. Expect suffering, rejection, and persecution. See John 15:18-19, 16:33, II Corinthians 4:17. Hebrews 11 is known as the faith chapter. It is filled with wonderful stories of how God miraculously intervened in the lives of people who had great faith. But it also tells us about countless numbers of people who suffered terribly for their great faith:

There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

Yes, sometimes God does something miraculous and amazing in response to our faith. But friends, more often than not, the result of faith isn’t a miracle; it’s suffering. We know this to be true, but we don’t talk about it because it doesn’t make our faith attractive. It’s easier to promote a faith that always results in miracles – just believe, and God will always give you what you want. By the way, if you don’t get what you want, then your faith was just too weak. How convenient is that? Do you see how syncretism works its way into our beliefs and how damaging it can be?

Take some time to evaluate your beliefs in light of what Jesus actually taught and lived. There’s a good chance we’ll all find some narcissistic syncretism hiding in there. Jesus knows – and He is ready to forgive, heal, restore, and redeem. Amen!