The Calamity of Complacency

Introduction

I believe that to be true and I think if you check, history and scripture will bear this out.

This speaks of strong men. It’s not talking about physically strong men necessarily, although when life is hard, physical strength can develop as a result. No, this is speaking of men who have developed the mental toughness and moral fiber to forge a nation out of pristine wilderness.

Men who experience hard times develop a strength of character as they fight through those tough times. They develop a toughness and resilience and moral fortitude to create a livable and relatively peaceful society. 

Once they’ve fought through and overcome the difficulties of life to establish a certain standard of living, they are unwavering, and set boundaries of what they will and will not tolerate in themselves and others.

They know what it took to get there. They were personally invested in the struggle. They create good times for their families and society as a whole.

They make one fundamental mistake though. 

Every man wants his children to have things better than he did. He remembers the struggle, what it was like, how hard it was.  And he sets about helping his children get established. 

However, by removing the difficulties of life for his children, he removes the struggle and protects them from the hard times that develop good character. And the children become a bit weaker than he was. Over time each generation becomes a bit softer as they get farther and farther from the strife.

 Eventually, they don’t know any different. The easy life is all they’ve ever known. 

They become complacent. Entitled even. Complacency has to do with self-satisfaction, a sense of contentment regarding the state of things.

They see no reason to do hard things. They see no reason they should have to struggle. They relax. They continually lower their standards as they apply their energies elsewhere. They tolerate a lower standard of morality in favor of doing their own thing and call it freedom.

Their children drift from the moral values originally taught by godly grandparents and great grandparents.

They become complacent. They’ve got the good life. They’ve lived a protected existence. They lose track of the evils that had to be overcome to get there. All things become possible for them but not all things are prudent. Anything goes. Anything goes in their pursuit of hedonistic pleasures. They lose track of even the existence of evil and in their complacency, they forget their God.

Men have forgotten God

Abraham Lincoln – March 30, 1863 – made this speech when he issued a “Day of National Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer” in the midst of the American Civil War.

 https://www.faithwire.com/2017/05/05/we-have-forgotten-god-abraham-lincolns-154-year-old-proclamation-about-faith-and-divisiveness-strikingly-relevant-today/

“Whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn – 120 years later in London on May 10, 1983, in his acceptance speech of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn-men-have-forgotten-god-speech/

“More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: “Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.

And if I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire 20th century, here too, I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again: “Men have forgotten God.” The failings of human consciousness, deprived of its divine dimension, have been a determining factor in all the major crimes of this century.”

… when thou shalt have eaten and be full; [and become complacent]

Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (Deut 6:11-12)

What is complacency?

It’s a feeling of being satisfied with how things are. Self-satisfaction.

Trusting in our own abilities – self-sufficiency

Settled into our routine, going about our life as we understand it. We’re comfortable with it. Satisfied for the most part. In some respects, it might be a mess, but it’s our mess. It’s the one we know.

Complacency is revealed when we become too comfortable with our lives and the culture in which we live. If we are too settled, we no longer strive for the Kingdom of God and what it promises.

Complacency, both physical and spiritual, doesn’t happen all at once. It comes a little at a time, in small ways at first.

When we’re spiritually complacent, we become less diligent. 

We study our bibles but maybe not as long as before, or we skip a day.

We pray but maybe it’s become repetitive, saying the same thing over and over. Or maybe we shorten our prayers, or skip occasionally. It’s not gone cold but it’s not exactly what we would call fervent either.

We begin to compromise. Maybe we attend services fairly regularly but sometimes we’re just not feeling it, so we opt to watch online instead or not at all. I just need a day of rest, we tell ourselves.

We may listen to a sermon or follow a study guide or read an article in the Beyond Today magazine but we don’t look up the scriptures. We’re familiar with them we tell ourselves.

When we don’t look up the scriptures, we don’t get the full meaning of it. Sometimes it’s the other half of the scripture that strikes us most. But we don’t afford ourselves of that detour that the Holy Spirit often takes us on leading us to other scriptures. It’s often on these detours where we learn the most.

Complacency can lead to becoming particular about how you want to worship, what you’re willing to do, what you want to hear. We only want to hear the “smooth things” not the hard sayings. (Isa 30:10) We justify in our own mind that what we’re doing is enough. It’s good enough.

“Good is the Enemy of Great.”

~ Jim Collins, in his book Good to Great

The concept is that too many people and too many organizations “settle” and take short cuts accepting that “good” is good enough and that they don't need to do the really hard work to be great.

In other words, Good enough is good enough. But is good enough, good enough?

Are we striving to be Christians who are just “good enough” or are we striving to be Christians who are assured entrance to the Kingdom of God, great examples and ambassadors?

Are we complacent? Convicted but not converted? 

“While you resist not conviction, beware of resting in it.” ~E. Cooper

Amidst all his convictions, man has lost his distaste for the evil of sin.

Maybe we relax our language a little, maybe a little rougher, tolerate curse words in movies, in others, and in ourselves. 

“It’s not that bad.”

“I’m dealing with it.”

“Besides, no one is perfect.”

“God understands.

Isa 6:9-12 KJV

(9)  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

(10)  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

(11)  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

(12)  And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

That’s where our nation is headed today. How about us?

Mat 13:14-17 KJV

(14)  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

(15)  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Mat 13:11 KJV  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

(16)  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

(17)  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

God has revealed these things to you. 

Cherish that. Relish in it. It is a great privilege. Don’t take it for granted.

Complacent is a dangerous position to be in. When we don’t bother to take action on what we’ve heard or read in scripture, our sin no longer pricks our conscience the way it once did. Our conscience can become seared. Maybe it’s not totally seared yet, but it may be just a little crispy around the edges.

Judgment is promised to the complacent.

Zep 1:12-14 NKJV

(12)  "And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, [settled on their lees- KJV] Who say in their heart, 'The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.'

(13)  Therefore their goods shall become booty, And their houses a desolation; They shall build houses, but not inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine."

(14)  The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.

We often think of the Church of Laodicea as the one who exemplifies being complacent but another church was guilty of the same sin.

Paul founded the Church at Ephesus around 50 AD. About 6 years later, he sent his letter to the Ephesians instructing them in great detail how they ought to live (Eph 4:17-32 – 5:7). Just a few years later, 4 or 5, he wrote to Timothy, who was in Ephesus, to warn against complacency. 

In their complacency, some had begun to give heed to fables and false doctrines. Complacency can lead to apathy and some had even departed from the faith. 

Paul urges young Timothy to remind them of the danger of such things.

1Ti 4:1-2, 6, 13-16 KJV

(1)  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

(2)  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

(6)  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

(13)  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

(14)  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. [the Holy Spirit]

(15)  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

(16)  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

2Ti 1:6-7 KJV

(6)  Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

(7)  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Stir up the Holy Spirit. Fan it into flames! 

Give utmost attention to reading, exhortation and good doctrine.

They rooted out those who proclaimed false doctrines and found them to be liars. But along the way they settled in, became complacent. They lost their fervor, that zeal they had when they first came into the truth. 

They were on fire when Paul started the church. But despite his instructions and admonishments, 30 years later by the time John wrote to the Church at Ephesus, they had lost their first love – 

Rev 2:1-7 KJV

(1)  Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

(2)  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

(3)  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

(4)  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

(5)  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

(6)  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

(7)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The point being, stay the course no matter how long. 

Hold fast ‘til Christ comes!

When we don’t hear and heed that still small voice of God’s Holy Spirit, we harden our heart, sear our conscience ever so slightly and risk quenching it entirely. We relax a little. We’re not as enthusiastic as we once were. We know what we should do but we don’t. We become lackadaisical. We procrastinate. I’ll get on it later. I’ll get really serious about it later.

We can be hesitant to break the inertia though. There’s an idiomatic expression that goes -

“Well begun is half done.” 

We know what we should do. Get started. Just do it! Be doers of the Word, not hearers only.

Ah, but we say, 

“We have plenty of time to prepare though, right?” 

“I mean – 

We don’t see Jerusalem surrounded by armies yet (Luke 21:20)

We don’t see a new temple built yet, right?

We don’t see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place yet, right?

We don’t see the two witnesses on the scene yet, right?

So, we have plenty of time to prepare. Right?”

See how it starts?

What we don’t know is how long it will take us to get ready. We don’t realize how very long it takes to prepare spiritually for what lies ahead.

How many have been living God’s way of life for 20, 30, 50 years? Will any of them tell you they’re absolutely ready, without a doubt? 

If Christ had returned this year, would you have been ready?

If not, why not? Identify those things. And get ready. It’s a process and it takes time. Some of us longer than others. 

Anyone feeling like you’re getting close to the finish line of the race? Maybe getting close enough to let off the gas just a little.

Do we find ourselves just holding still for it? Waiting for it to be over? Just hoping it will all be over soon. Doing as little as possible to check the boxes while we wait for Christ to swoop in and save us.

Are we feeling complacent?

Pro 1:31-33 NKJV

(31)  Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

(32)  For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

(33)  But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil."

The turning away, backsliding, waywardness of the simple and the careless ease of over-confident fools will destroy them.

We have not yet attained. Press on! Continue to grow in grace and knowledge.

How do we overcome complacency?

1Co 9:24-27 KJV

(24)  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

(25)  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

(26)  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

(27)  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

We’re going to have responsibilities in the Kingdom.

To whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:47-48)

 

Rev 3:18-19 KJV  

(18)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

(19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Do! Take action. Repent! Be zealous!

We have to fight spiritual complacency!

We can’t coast into the Kingdom.

Keep the pressure on! We’re rounding the home stretch, pour it on! Give it all you got! #FinishStrong

Ask 

Do I love God’s truth as much as I did when I first fell in love with it?

Do I love God’s way as I should?

Do I take it for granted?

2Pe 1:3-12 KJV

(3)  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

(4)  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. [lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life]

(5)  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

(6)  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

(7)  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [love]

(8)  For if these things be in you, and abound, [are increasing] they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [spiritually maturing]

(9)  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [forgetting what manner of man he was]

(10)  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

(11)  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. [not just squeaking by]

(12)  Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

He that lacks these things is blind. Wretched, poor, blind, and naked.

Do we come away from our time in worship enriched? Or is it that we’ve checked the box, now on to the next thing? Do we schedule serious time that cannot be encroached or barely fit it in finding excuses to cut it short or reschedule?

Spiritual blindness is the calamity of complacency. Wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. (Rev 3:17) And deceiving ourselves, we don’t even realize it!

The Day of Atonement is upon us. Let’s take it seriously. It is to properly prepare us to enter the Kingdom with the right attitude. The Feast of Tabernacles is a taste of what the Kingdom will be like. It’s not just vacation. Make the most of this understanding.

The Feast of Tabernacles will show us the reason and give us a sense of purpose. 

What we need in addition to that sense of purpose is a sense of urgency!

Urgency to make our calling and election sure.

We need to be actively learning and growing in grace and knowledge.

We must test the spirits that influence us. (1 John 4:1)

And if they speak not To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to God’s word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa 8:20)

We overcome complacency through action.

You know what is right. You know what you should be doing. Do it!

Doing what is wrong is sin but so is not doing what is right.

Jas 4:17 KJV  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Do what you know is right and the faith will come. It will grow stronger.

Walk by faith. Do the word. Be doers of the word.

Jas 1:22-25 KJV

(22)  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

(23)  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

(24)  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. [forgotten that he was purged from his old sins]

(25)  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Jesus Christ told the Church at Laodicea to repent and be zealous.

Rev 3:19-22 KJV

(19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

(20)  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

(21)  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

(22)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Have we become lukewarm? Have we become rich and in need of nothing, spiritually speaking? Have we become complacent in our relationship with God? 

Behold, He stands at the door and knocks.

Remember when we first came into the Truth? How excited we were? How zealous we were to learn God’s Truth? To finally get to know the One True God?

Have we forgotten our first love? Have we forgotten from whence we have fallen?

Remember how far we’ve come?

When you first began, you were desperate to be where you are right now. But we can become complacent, half-hearted, and weak.

We used to be ready to take heaven by storm. Ready to storm the gates of heaven to learn the truth of God. (Matt 11:12)

We’re most fervent when we’re most desperate.

When we become complacent is when we’ve forgotten that sense of desperation to know God.

Psa 42:1-5 KJV

(1)  To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

(2)  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

(3)  My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

(4)  When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

(5)  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

When was the last time you poured out your soul before your God?

When we lose our zeal is when we forget that hunger, that thirst, that desperation to be close to God. When we forget God in that way, our prayers become perfunctory, they become routine, they become rote, repetitive, and without fervency.

Mat 5:6 KJV  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

How do we fill that hunger and quench that thirst?

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (Joh 6:35) 

Php 2:12 KJV  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

With diligence and determination. With reverence for God, with passion to do His will.

But if not done with fear and trembling, we can ease off and be tolerant of our disobedient behavior.

We want to be careful not to sear our conscience. Things that would have bothered us when we had our first love, perhaps don’t bother us so much any more.

We may compare ourselves with others, or even with our past failures and we sense success.

Maybe we compare ourselves to others outside the Church and we feel like we’re doing pretty good. At least we’re not like them!

Or even compare ourselves to others in the Church and by comparison, we feel like we’re doing alright.

2Co 10:12 NKJV  For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Spiritual complacency can lead to neglect in our prayer and study. This can result in a lack of discernment and make us susceptible to every wind of doctrine.

Heb 5:14 KJV  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Just like not exercising will cause a muscle to atrophy, not flexing our spiritual muscles will cause them to shrink and lose strength as well.

Not that we don’t believe anything about God, but that we leave ourselves open to believing everything. We’re susceptible to false doctrines such as the doctrine according to Oprah, that all faiths lead to God. 

We know, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)

Paul tells us this will happen again in the latter times.

1Ti 4:1-2 KJV

(1)  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

(2)  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

How does that even happen? Maybe life is comfortable and relatively quiet. Or we are just exhausted with the struggles of life. We weary in keeping on and we just want it to be over. Weary not in well doing! (Gal 6:9; 2Th 3:13)

We have to fight dull-heartedness with whole-heartedness! Fight complacency and compromise with fervor and zeal!

Psa 86:11-12 KJV

(11)  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

(12)  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Jer 29:13 KJV  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Satan knows he has but a short time. (Rev 12:12) Well guess what? So do we. Time is short!

When the end comes, it will come suddenly in an instant. (Isa 30:13) 

There will be no time to get right with God then.

We might think we have plenty of time since a few milestones have yet to occur. So, we can slide a little longer. But, what we don’t know is how long it will take each of us to reach a level where we can stand before His throne and be granted entrance to the Kingdom abundantly. (2 Pet 1:11)

Get with it now! We still have a lot to go through ahead of us. Only by trusting in God with all our heart will we be able to get through it without losing heart. It takes time to build that kind of trusting relationship.

Buckle down! Do it now! Dig in now!

To overcome complacency, take action! 

Do what you know is right and the zeal will follow.

Mat 5:13-16 KJV

(13)  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

(14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

(15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

(16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Luk 21: 36 KJV  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Fight against complacency and do the first works! And #FinishStrong!

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