Living consistently inconsistent prevents authenticity, self-honesty, integrity and growth. For the consistently inconsistent church, John Wesley’s prophetic words near the end of his life, beyond Methodism remind us the death of the church in general is not the worst thing that can happen. The worst thing that can happen is the church’s sin of inconsistencies thereby loosing its vitality by, “having the form of religion without power.” Wesley’s words are sober consistent reminder and challenge to consistently “hold fast both the doctrine, spirit and discipline which (we) first set out” as the Church. Quality discipleship is shaped to follow Jesus, lead the church and change the world (Jn 10). When we do not follow Jesus, the church becomes “Non-discipleship” and what Pope Francis called “altar boys to the State.”

We live in an increasingly inconsistent world shaped by inconsistent human beings with a different behind closed doors and public acts. We are living in a world where a citizen can wake up the next morning to become a refuge in his/her own country, due to wars. The price of gas or bread, the cost of buying a new car, meaning of family, marriage or sex can change day to day. While the world remain inconsistent, Christianity and the Church are called to be a holy temple as we consistently preach and proclaim a God that is Holy who never changes (Heb 13:8). In a world where everything that has the ability to change, will change, Jesus’ life sets us on a path towards authenticity. Christianity or the church has never been given that calling or opportunity to be inconsistent as the world. The sad new today is that, the church’s inconsistencies are obvious to the world. Beyond going back and forth on rules and theology created on its own, ‘the church is inconsistent because it turns away from the word of God.’ The church’s inconsistencies relates to its disobedience and incompatibility with God’s Word and standard.

The minister or leader who serves only to earn a living or to gain honour or admiration from others is the “hired hand,” hireling and inconsistent (Jn 10:12). Jesus Christ’s distinctive consistent characteristic as the ultimate Good Shepherd is His willingness to die for His sheep. His death on the cross spiritually rescues and saves those who choose to follow Him (Isa 53:12; Matt 20:28; Mk 10:45). Jesus’ tender and devoted care for His sheep, that is, His follower calls for the sheep to be consistent- “listen to” and “follow” Him because His sheep hear His voice. The duty of the sheep to “listen to” and “follow” Jesus, the Good Shepherd are in present tense, indicating ongoing and consistent mission and activity. There are benefits for those who continue to follow Jesus consistently. There is promise of eternal life. They will not perish, cease to life, even physical death becomes a transition to eternal life.

In our Gospel reading from John 10, those who surrounded Jesus in the temple try to arrest Jesus. Indeed, the greatest opposition to Jesus is in the church. The people started by questioning Jesus, saying “How long do thou make us to doubts, If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly” (Jn 10:24). The question reveals to us the most dangerous people and influence to be feared in the church. There are negative influences of open opposers and blasphemers to watch out for in the church. The question points to the reality of inconsistency in the church, a changing church and an unchanging God. The church’s inconsistencies ‘come not from a fault within the nature of God, but from the man’s sinfulness. The natural result of suppressing the truth of God is that man will become conceited and foolish. Therefore, God hands them over to the lusts of their hearts.’ The inconsistencies of those who surrounded Jesus in the temple started in their hearts just as our personal inconsistencies are directly related to the inconsistencies in our churches. This is where the vision and agenda of quality discipleship becomes imperative.

Those who surrounded Jesus in the temple represents “inconsistent professors of Christ” who failed to recognise, believe and obey Jesus’ voice and follow His direction. They remain inconsistent, even in there prideful and doubtful statement, they failed to recognise Jesus as the Good Shepherd. They were not consistent in recognising and listening to Jesus’ voice. They were no consistent in following Jesus’ guidance by practising what He tells them and by acknowledging many of His good works (v 32). The book of Romans describe the downward and declining course of inconsistency, spiritual rebellion, and moral corruption in the church today are a direct result of the inconsistencies in our personal lives just because we do not follow God. Inconsistency thrives through ‘all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness … For even though they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonoured among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Rom 1: 18-25). Inconsistency makes people to stubbornly press on in their own independent ideas and practices, while denying and defying God’s truth and ways.

Church’s inconsistencies keep back the blessings of God and bring weakness upon His people and decline in His church. Incon­sistencies always restrict the influence of God in our lives and in our mission. Inconsistent attitudes, theology, and leadership keeps back the out­pouring of God’s Spirit upon the church. Inconsistency suggests expression of ‘a theological intellectualism while … spirituality is sterile.’ Human and church’s inconsistencies open ways for Satan to take the initiative thereby delay the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the church. Leadership inconsistencies promotes delusion, errors, and deception for the world. Moral and theological inconsistencies in the church calls for a return and obedience to God’s word. The Oxford service of repentance for 800 years old anti-semitic rules “can be traced back to distorted Christian teaching” and inconsistency. According to the Bishop of Lichfield, Dr Michael Ipgrave, Christians needed to repent of our “painful and shameful history” and disobedient actions against God’s word. After the discriminatory decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, they Synod, first held at Osney Abbey in 1222 added a range of anti-Jewish measures and laws that negates God’s Word. It is possible to calendar God out of our lives by being too busy with Synod and committee decisions. God is displease with church’s inconsistencies and this call for repentance by being faithful, available and teachable. To avoid being a hypocrite is being consistently authentic. Oxford service of repentance sets an example of how to remove a dissonance, by owing our faults, our flaws and remove our masks of pride. Jesus is able to forgive and heal us of our inconsistencies as we repent and follow Him is His ongoing and consistent mission till the crown be won.

Let us prayerfully sing this song together:

I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.

                             
The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me,
No turning back, no turning back.


Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
No turning back, no turning back.