Betrayed by Time
Time can betray individuals and churches, causing spiritual growth to stagnate and our relationship with God to grow fainter.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that the stagnation of churches is a reflection of individual believers who find themselves in spiritual ruts. He warns that as time passes, many Christians mistakenly believe they will naturally grow in holiness, only to realize that time has betrayed them, leading to indifference rather than spiritual growth. Tozer highlights the danger of relying on time as a means of spiritual improvement, noting that individuals often become older without becoming holier. He calls for self-examination and a renewed commitment to spiritual vitality, as the fading signal of God's voice becomes harder to hear amidst complacency.
Text
Churches get in ruts only because individuals get in ruts. It is impossible that the church should do anything that individuals do not do. It is impossible that we should make any progress except as made by individuals. It is impossible there should be any regress unless individual Christians go backward. Think about people who find themselves in religious ruts. They discover a number ot things about themselves. They will find that they are getting older but not getting any holier. Time is their enemy, not their friend. The time they trusted and looked to is betraying them, for they often said to themselves, "The passing of time will help me.
I know some good old saints, so as I get older I'll get holier and better.
Time will help me, purify me and revive me." They said that the year before last, but they were not helped any last year. Time betrayed them. They were not any better last year than they had been the year before. . . . I say to you that the people in the religious rut are getting older, but they are not getting any holier. Time, which they have trusted to be their friend, is betraying them and proving to be their enemy. Time is doing something else to them: it is increasing their indifference to spiritual things. The signal that God used to be able to get through to them easily is now getting fainter and fading away. Once in a while on good days they can still hear it.
Sermon Outline
- The Church's Rut is a Reflection of the Individual's Rut
- The Betrayal of Time
- The Consequences of Time's Betrayal
- Spiritual growth stagnates
- The signal of God's presence grows fainter
Key Quotes
“Time is their enemy, not their friend.” — A.W. Tozer
“Time betrayed them. They were not any better last year than they had been the year before.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must make progress individually, seeking to grow in our relationship with God and stay spiritually vibrant.
- Time is not a friend to those in spiritual ruts, and we must not rely on it to help us spiritually.
- We must stay spiritually active and engaged, seeking to deepen our relationship with God and avoid spiritual stagnation.