Beyond the Symbols
The sermon warns against the dangers of symbolism in church, emphasizing the need for a genuine experience of the Presence of Christ.
A.W. Tozer warns against the resurgence of religious symbols and gadgets in evangelical churches, arguing that they distract from the true presence of Christ. He emphasizes that as the genuine presence of God diminishes, congregations often resort to these symbols as substitutes, leading to formalism and spiritual death. Tozer asserts that the human heart naturally seeks something to love and fear, and if it does not find the true God, it will create false idols. He cautions that a gathering that worships a false god cannot be considered a true church, regardless of its labels.
Text
I have noticed lately among so-called evangelicals a renewed interest in the religious gadgets that our Protestant fathers once threw away to make room for the Holy Spirit. It is becoming more common now to see in our churches (and in some Alliance churches, I regret to say) huge pictures of Christ, crosses on the altar, candles and other symbolic objects. This is the sure way back to formalism and death. In proportion as the Presence of Christ is felt in a congregation these things will be unnecessary, even offensive. And as the Presence lifts and withdraws, these symbols are brought in as poor substitutes.
The human heart must have something to love and fear. If it misses the true God it will make a god of its own.
A crowd of persons who pray to a false god is not a church in any sense of the word, even if the word ?Christian? or ?church? appears on the front of the building.
Sermon Outline
- The Dangers of Symbolism
- The Human Heart's Need
- The Church Defined
- True Worship
- False Worship
Key Quotes
“In proportion as the Presence of Christ is felt in a congregation these things will be unnecessary, even offensive.” — A.W. Tozer
“The human heart must have something to love and fear. If it misses the true God it will make a god of its own.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Be careful not to rely on symbolic objects in church, as they can become substitutes for the true Presence of Christ.
- Make sure your heart is seeking the true God, not a false one.
- True worship is not about external symbols, but about a genuine experience of God's Presence.