The Icing Issue

Imagine you have a cake; it’s wonderful, chocolaty, moist goodness. It tastes really great! And then you add creamy, rich icing. That simple addition takes it from wonderful to amazing!! 

Icing. It’s pretty good stuff. Especially when paired with a great foundation. But what happens when you take a burned, nasty cake and cover it with icing? Is it the same as the first cake? No, of course not! If the cake tastes burned, icing isn’t going to cover that up one you slice into it and take a bit.  It might look pretty, but it’s basically worthless. 

So how does this apply to us as Christians? It’s pretty simple. The church should be a great moist yummy cake, it should be able to stand on its own in flavor and texture, but with the addition of icing it should be even better.  So what’s a good cake batter (foundation) and what’s an icing issue? 

A great church foundation is doing the three things that Christ commanded us to do.  First we are told to follow Him, and love Him.  Secondly we are commanded to teach others to follow and love Him (i.e. discipleship, the great commission). Lastly we are told to care for other people’s needs (widows and orphans) this doesn’t mean just give them a track, but to reach into their lives and help them.

Everything else is icing. I’m not going to make a list, but anything that isn’t the three commands Christ gave us is icing. It’s for after we have a great foundation.  If a church spends all it’s time and resources on icing issues, it’s not being a true church of Christ’s calling, and it’s not helping anyone, even the church members. (verse reference at end of article)

We as individuals do this to, we get so caught up in making sure that our icing looks and tastes good that we neglect the cake underneath.  Worrying about appearance or fighting over petty issues is not a mark of a good Christian foundation.

So finally, are you in a great cake church with some yummy icing? Or are in in a burned church, all smothered in icing hoping to cover up the stench? 

James 1:27  Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.