It is easy, so easy, to mix up the true goal of Christian discipleship. If the goal is missed, apparent success is worthless. I speak of Cookie Cutter Christians. Perhaps every group in Christianity struggles here, and Independent Baptists are, perhaps, masters of the art.

Perhaps you have taken part in a cookie making event. As a father of six, I have had at least a few Christmas opportunities (though I could in no way walk in the kitchen at this moment and make a batch of cookies). The first thing you will notice is how much they all look alike as you use you little cookie cutter.

Strangely, that is how some view disciplining new Christians. The great doctrines that define Christianity are mentioned to some degree, but no more than how we ought to look, exactly how a worship service should look, and what we are allowed to do or not do. Some of those discipled are shocked to learn later, if they actually become Bible students, that the emphasis does not match what the pages of Scripture show. If they never do, they will more likely become what their trainers hope they will.

It is not if they have a theological grasp on salvation by grace, but that they commit to memory all standards and never slip on any of them. It is not if they have the big picture comprehended, but if they have the rules down. If you doubt this to be the case, just let the Christian in question miss the doctrinal point (real doctrine) or miss the standard. Watch what happens, and you will see for yourself.

The other thing about making cookies is that if I remove the cookie cutter and some part of the little snowman falls off, I grab it and roll it back into the batter. That cookie doesn’t make it.

So it is for some new Christians. They get a little time to conform, but then they better get with the program; or else. I have seen more than one broke little Christian thrown back into the batter.

Perhaps if we saw the goal as Christians being conformed into the image of Christ, we would not be so concerned if they were not conformed into the image of us!

Sometimes the most trumpeted spiritual gifts are the ones that are not spiritual at all. One example is the snooping around done that leads to griping. We sit there griping about someone as if the words out of our mouths were new nuggets in our accumulating treasure in Heaven.

We read articles to see who has messed up. We ask around for the juiciest gossip of who has fallen just so we can wax eloquent on how upset we are about it. Strangely, it is not common to be really upset about what you go seeking to find. Usually, that is a source of joy. Could that be the case here? You can answer for you, but I must ask: O Lord, help me.

Sometimes we are looking for lesser things than someone falling. We scan Facebook newsfeeds with squinting eyes asking our spouse: does she have on pants? We have an in-depth conversation at church about whether so-and-so went to the movies. And on and on.

If that wasn’t bizarre enough behavior, we then talk about that person as if he or she has apostatized. We say, “Isn’t that so sad?” Now the emotion shown looks like something other than sadness. Gloating is, perhaps, a little more accurate. Then we gripe and gripe: “What is this world coming to?” “Isn’t there anyone left who loves and follows The Lord?”

There are people, I believe, who never have a week go by without engaging in this aberrant behavior. It is done with the pretense of spirituality, but how does The Lord view it?

On several occasions such people showed up to check on Jesus. Can you believe He eats with sinners? He ignores the Sabbath–He doesn’t love God. They would come finding what they were looking for and just gripe incessantly. What does Jesus think of that attitude?

Well, once John the Baptist answered the question. Matthew 3:7 says:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Read on–his words only got stronger!

It might be time to put this supposed spiritual gift on the shelf where it belongs much as you would poison when making a nutritious dish. We need no such spiritual griping.

Read all articles in the series here.