Sensational Supermarket Theology
As I was standing in the supermarket one day gazing at the tabloids, while trying to pretend that I was not looking at the sensational headlines, I realized that popular Christian theology would fit right in with the tabloid stories. From Jesus’ face embedded on toast while the highest bidder on eBay gets the ‘holy’ toast to screams heard in hell during an oil drill, forwarding the countless emails with a promise of a blessing if we simply comply by forwarding to the people in our address book are events that Christians proclaim are from God. Dreams, visions, sensational manifestations attributed to being slain in the spirit, gyrating on the floor in some kind of “holy laughter” are also part of this Christian sensationalism that proliferate our churches. All that we need is some tabloid reporter to interview some of these Christians so that we can all read about it while standing in the checkout lane at our local grocery store for we certainly won’t find it in the bible.
How did this supermarket theology come about? Why do I even call it a “theology?” Theology really is the study of God. Everyone has a theology. An atheist has a theology and their theology is there is no God. Christians have a theology and it should be based solely on the Word of God. Today, it is unfortunate that it is not always the case. If the body of Christ practiced theology by studying the word of God, Christians would not find the face of Jesus on toast or a pancake generating a whopping $14,000 bid to own the Jesus pancake before eBay fortunately removed the listing. Supermarket theology is a little of this and a little of that, if Christians hear something that sounds spiritual, it becomes part of their belief system. They are unable to use the word of God to support and defend their beliefs.
Where is everybody going wrong that they will fall prey to every false assertion that comes their way? It is really very simple. People do not read and study the Word of God and rely on someone else to teach them about God. They practice Lazy Christianity. People are looking for some sign, some manifestation to show them God. God is not found on a pancake nor does He prove His presence in holy laughter, babbling in tongues, slaying in the spirit, Christians going to hell and returning to inform us about the horrors of hell while lining their pockets, email forwarding for a blessing, and countless other ways that Christians “encounter” God.
God came in the flesh, established who He was through miracles. He then died on the cross and then rose thus defeating sin and death. All that God revealed about Himself is found within the covers of the Word of God starting in Genesis and ending with the book of Revelation.
Want to know about God? Read the bible. I guarantee you that you will not read about Jesus showing up on your pancake, or find people barking like dogs, or the long laundry list of bizarre manifestations that could easily be found in a supermarket tabloid. Leave the sensational headlines to the supermarket tabloids and return to the Word of God.
Really, honestly, He can be found in the Word of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Joh 1:1 ESV)
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On one partivular day I had become so annoyed by one of those emails that required me (if I love God or if I am not ashamed of Jesus) too forward this email to 10 people in my address book. “Whatch what happens.”
I clicked on “reply all” and said something to the effect:
My God is bigger than the internet. The Holy Scripture that I read says that He will never leave me nor forsake me.
What if I forward this email to only eight people? Will the internet god give me partial reward? How about if I forward this email to TWENTY people? Will I be able to see twice what people see who only forward it to ten people?
Well you get the point.
I get those emails all the time. I just delete them. You’re right, God is not operating in our lives based on us forwarding an email. Silly, isn’t it?