<< Previous | Index | Next>>"EMOTION VS. EMOTIONALISM" INTRODUCTION 1. To emote or not to emote, that is the question... a. Many decry the lack of emotion in the worship and lives of others b. Others warn against emotionalism as they look down on any display of emotion 2. Can we have emotion without succumbing to emotionalism? I believe we must! a. Emotions have a scriptural role in the life of the Christian b. Yet when emotions become emotionalism, there is a grave danger [How can we have emotion without emotionalism? Let's first consider that there are...] I. TWO EXTREMES TO AVOID A. EMOTIONALISM... 1. That "better felt than told" sort of religion a. Where people depend more on what they feel in their heart b. Rather than on what they read in their Bible 2. Where worship is characterized by unrestrained outbreaks of emotion a. E.g., rolling in the aisles b. E.g., bursting out in unintelligible words 3. Such emotionalism... a. Disobeys the scriptural admonition for worship in a decent and orderly fashion - cf. 1 Co 14:40 b. Overlooks the warning: "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool..." - Pro 28:26 B. FORMALISM... 1. In which there is a complete lack of emotion in worship and service a. Perhaps in reacting against emotionalism b. Resulting in a "dead pan" attitude c. Where songs are sung and sermons preached with little reaction by those engaged 2. Such lack of "heartfelt" religion is contrary to what Jesus taught a. Condemning a religion in which one's heart is far removed from Him - Mt 15:7-8 b. Commending a love for God that involves the whole heart - Mt 22:37-38 [The tendency is to go from one extreme to another. Formalism can be avoided by remembering...] II. EMOTION HAS A PROPER PLACE A. EMOTION IS NECESSARY... 1. There is to be the emotion of love - 1 Pe 4:8; 1 Co 16:22 2. There is to be the emotion of hope - Ro 12:12 3. There is to be the emotion of joy - Ph 4:4 4. There is to be the emotion of sorrow - 2 Co 7:10 5. There is to be the emotion of hate - Pro 8:13 6. There is to be the emotion of fear - Mt 10:28 -- There is a place for emotion in the life of the Christian! B. EMOTION MUST BE ROOTED IN THE WORD... 1. Scriptural emotions must be rooted in faith a. Such faith comes by hearing the Word of God b. This requires the use of our intellectual faculties 2. Notice how the Word of God is designed to stimulate emotion: a. Reading of God's love, we should be moved to love - 1 Jn 4:9-11 b. Told of promises awaiting us, we are motivated to hope - 1 Pe 1:3-4,13 c. Informed of Jesus' reconciling work, we are moved to rejoice - Ro 5:10-11 d. Rebuked by the Word, it produces sorrow - 2 Co 7:8 e. Filled with knowledge, we come to hate certain things - Pro 1:7; 8:13 f. Reading of the warnings in Scriptures, we are moved to fear - He 10:25-27 -- Scriptural emotions are based upon the Word of God C. EMOTION MUST PRODUCE THE PROPER FRUIT... 1. Scriptural emotions must bear fruit a. The emotions evoked by Scripture are there for a purpose b. Unless the proper fruit is borne, it is simply emotionalism 2. Notice the kind of fruit borne by scriptural emotions: a. The emotion of love bears fruit in obedience - Jn 14:15; 1 Jn 5:3 b. The emotion of hope bears fruit in patience - Ro 8:24-25 c. The emotion of joy bears fruit in sacrifice - 2 Co 8:2-5 d. The emotion of sorrow bears fruit in repentance - 2 Co 7:10 e. The emotion of hate bears fruit in rejecting error - Psa 119:127-128 f. The emotion of fear bears fruit in departing from evil - Pro 16:6 -- Scriptural emotions will produce fruit in the life of the Christian! [While formalism can be avoided by understanding the necessary and proper for emotion in the life of the Christian, how does one avoid emotionalism? One way is to remember...] III. WHEN EMOTION BECOMES EMOTIONALISM A. WHEN EMOTION BECOMES AN END TO ITSELF... 1. When people stress emotion for emotion's sake 2. When people forget that emotions are a means to an end a. To motivate one to produce the proper fruit b. The goal is not the emotions, but the fruit they are intended to produce -- If all we display is emotion, not bearing the proper fruit, we are guilty of emotionalism! B. WHEN EMOTION IS NOT BASED ON GOD'S WORD... 1. When one is led by the thoughts and intents of one's heart a. Remember the warning of Pro 28:26 b. Consider also these warnings - Jer 17:9; Mk 7:21-23 2. Our emotions must be rooted in God's Word - cf. Pro 3:5 -- If our emotions are based upon anything other than the Word of God, we are guilty of emotionalism! C. WHEN EMOTION IS THE BASIS FOR YOUR FAITH... 1. When we allow feelings to dictate what we believe 2. Such as when a person... a. Refuses to obey what we read in the Scriptures, because he "feels" it should be different b. Tries to change the meaning of a passage to support what he "feels" is right -- If our faith is based upon emotions, we are guilty of emotionalism! CONCLUSION 1. The capacity to feel and express emotions is a wonderful gift from God... a. It allows us to respond to the wonderful truths found in God's Word b. It motivates to higher levels of service in response to God's Will -- But like all good things, the capacity of emotion must be properly used 2. To avoid both extremes of emotionalism and formalism... a. Let our hearts be deeply moved by the Word of God b. Let such emotion provoke us to bear the proper fruit God desires "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Ro 15:13<< Previous | Index | Next>>
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