Michael Frost takes on the topic of pietism in his book "The Road to Missional." In the book he examines pietism and makes the following observations (paraphraised):
1. Pietism (one manifestation is the idea that I can achieve righteousness through methods such as withdrawal from the world, observing the law, judging others [who are obviously more broken that I], self-improvement, etc.) often seems to remove itself from a world it believes is below it's own standards.
2. It seeks to make itself aloft from those 'others' (the very ones Christ went toward) who are evil and victimize the pietists.
3. The above victimization and perceived persecution causes fear and, what Michael Frost believes, laziness.
Pietists seem to hang their hat on the cliches of the faith, using easy one liners, the 'rules' and a huge list of things not to do. Why engage a person in meaningful discussion when you can hand them a religious tract. Why engage the world with the light of Christ when you can cut off conversation with an "I just follow the Bible." Frost says the problem is not that the pietist is too righteous, but is unrighteous. He/she has missed the idea that Jesus calls us to exceed (not mimic) the righteousness of the Pharisees. So ... how can this be done?
How about this. Stay alert to the work of the Holy Spirit. Discern how Jesus would deal with a situation, engaging incarnationally with our neighborhood, God's people, and our neighbors. Remember, the cruciform love of Jesus is not always pretty and easy (like those Lifetime movies). Instead, it is struggle, dirty, bloody and often done with the reward of real persecution. To understand the universal reign of Jesus you must be willing to submit all things, even false piety, to the God who can redeem even this world. Let Him use you, lead you and love through you. You may begin to grasp the humility and the true reign of God in your act of submitting. Try it ... it is what Jesus did! Pastor Randy
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