I found a blog today about a book R.C. Sproul has thought about writing on numerous occasions titled The Sensuous Christian. What is a sensuous Christian?
The sensuous Christian is one who lives by his feelings rather than through his understanding of the Word of God. The sensuous Christian cannot be moved to service, prayer or study unless he ‘feels like it.’ His Christian life is only as effective as the intensity of present feelings. When he experiences spiritual euphoria, he is a whirlwind of Godly activity; when he is depressed, he is a spiritual incompetent. He constantly seeks new and fresh spiritual experiences and uses them to determine the Word of God. His ‘inner feelings’ become the ultimate test of truth.
This could be true of so many people I have met, and myself through some periods of my life. Every relationship I’ve been a part of has involved work and sacrifice. It takes the daily discipline to give time to the relationship and effort on both sides to make it work. If one only spends time with someone when they “feel” like it, it’s not a true relationship. There are many times that I don’t “feel” like going to church, but I know I need to in order to spend time being encouraged by those around me and also for me to encourage and support them. Who do you know that is a sensuous Christian? Are you?
Pastor Mike's Musings 
Derrick Skoglund
/ May 24, 2013Hey Michael, I think there is room on both sides of the “sensuous/intellect” table for error. Too many of us believers know all the “right things” to do and piously do all the “right things” in our own estimation and interpretation all the while stating that we are being “Biblical” and we self righteously devalue others to make us feel better about ourselves and what we do. There is a real and present danger of pride that can quickly decieve us in this viewpoint. We can forsake experiences and feelings, given by God, because in our limited theological perspective (and we always are limited in our perspective whatever the relationship husband/wife, parent/child, Jew/Gentile) we can’t make sense of what the others are feeling and experiencing even though they are equally a brother or sister in The Lord in whom the Holy Spirit is working. And vice versa for those who live in their feelings and emotions, dismissing theology or sound teaching of the Word because we don’t understand the language or theological expressions used is just as wrong. Yeshua affirmed (Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18) and commanded us (Luke 10:27-28) to “Love The Lord our God with all our heart (our feelings, emotions, ect.), soul (our spirit), mind (our intellect, understanding, ect) and strength (our body and every life experience). To deny any aspect would be less than what God demands and to elevate one over the other would be to alter God’s intention.
At the heart of the matter is this: We need to learn how to be the church, not how to “do church better”; we need to learn how to live as the church in community and out in the community and not expect people to come to our brand of church and to act and be like us in order to be accepted into God’s church. Do we have to go to church to be encouraged or can we go and be an encouragement wherever we go and become the church Yeshua calls us to be when He calls us to go (Matthew 28:18-20).
Everyone wants to “feel” like they are doing the right thing (whether they are intellectual or sensual about their processing) regardless of the fact if they can admit it or not, one is not more right than the other. But not everyone wants to go and be the people who rightly reflect the character and nature of God to the nations or to their neighbor or to other believers whatever denomination, association or theological stream they affiliate with. We are too content feeling good about ourselves like we do all the right things in “our church” when that is often times the furthest thing from the truth. In this respect I hope the book isn’t written but rather I pray that we, all those who are true believers, who are intellectually duty bound to walk obediently to the Word would do it with so much sensual passion and compassion that we would become the church God wants, since we are His church, without the entrapments of another “best seller” which everyone can justify themselves by saying “I read it and loved it, he is so right on,” and then go on living as we already do, only doing the things we are comfortable with, never to do anything about truly living obediently according to God’s Word.
May The Lord bless you brother as you continue to stir right thinking about God according to His Word coupled with a driving and emotionally vested passion fueled by His relentless love for the world, for your neighbor, for the church and for your family. May His Spirit comtinue to mold and shape you into Messiahlikeness.
Pastor Derrick