The Puritans and us!

What did the Puritans have that we lack today?  This is a question that is not being asked, and which must be asked by Christians today.  The answer is in two words - spiritual maturity!  In comparison, we are spiritual dwarfs.  The Protestantism of today is hopelessly man-centred, and manipulative, is success-oriented, self- indulgent, and sentimental.  One writer put it like this: it is 3000 miles wide and half an inch deep. 

The Puritans by contrast were spiritual giants - Dr Jim Packer referred to them as "God's Giants."  They served a great God and had a passion for personal and social godliness. Their Christian experience was natural and unselfconscious, while ours is often artificial, extremely superficial and boastful. They were committed to spiritual integrity, and had a real fear of hypocrisy. These great men of God were committed to the Gospel of grace.

Look at your own life, and then tell me which of these describes you?  Are you a contemporary Christian (with all that that entails), or are you following in the footsteps of the Puritans?  Let a man examine himself!