Spiritual Inoculation

Amos 6

“1 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion,

and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria,

you notable men of the foremost nation,

to whom the people of Israel come!

2 Go to Kalneh and look at it;

go from there to great Hamath,

and then go down to Gath in Philistia.

Are they better off than your two kingdoms?

Is their land larger than yours?

3 You put off the day of disaster

and bring near a reign of terror.

4 You lie on beds adorned with ivory

and lounge on your couches.

You dine on choice lambs

and fattened calves.

5 You strum away on your harps like David

and improvise on musical instruments.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful

and use the finest lotions,

but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;

your feasting and lounging will end.”

As we read Amos, the prophet pronounces judgment on the surrounding nations of

Israel for their wickedness. But just as we’re thinking Israel is off the hook, Amos zeroes

in on God’s chosen. For what reason? Their pagan practices? No. Their willfully blind

eyes, complacent hearts, and numbed senses. The blessings they enjoyed made them

indifferent towards their God–indifferent towards the mercy he spared when other

nations lay in ruin. Like their father Adam, their punishment is exile because their hearts

have already fled from the God who loved them.

Today’s lectionary text ties into a concept I have been exploring recently. This is the idea

of spiritual inoculation, which may be the greatest danger to communities of faith. I’ve

experienced it, as have many others. Let’s first explore what we mean by the term,

“inoculation.”

The idea of inoculation was introduced to me by my first pastor, Dave Beelen.

Inoculation is a term from virology. It’s what happens after we immunize people against

diseases. By introducing an organism to a weakened or imitation form of a virus, our

immune systems then automatically train to detect and suppress the real deal. Once

inoculated, the virus has a weakened effect on the body. In fact, you might not even

notice the presence of a virus if inoculation has done its work.

While defending against pathogens is a wonderful gift, spiritual inoculation works the

other way around. Here’s a common story of how it plays out in the Church. A person is

introduced to Christianity in a weakened form. This form of Christianity could be

reinforced through Sermons, Sunday School, and Christian School. Years go by. And

even while exposed to gifted preachers, vibrant church programs, and a thriving

community, this person becomes numb to the living Word of God.

Spiritual inoculation is common. So don’t mistake it for ‘not being saved’. I’ve

experienced inoculation before, as have many. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous.

On one end, the inoculated could be simply indifferent to sound teaching. On the other

end, the Pharisees (polished on the outside, theologically orthodox, but dead inside).

For me, like many, I grew up in a Christian home. I went to church, Sunday school, and

Christian schools. Much of the time, I didn’t think anything of it. Being a Christian is so

“ordinary” after all, right?

Inoculation numbs our ability to recognize the unusual and fascinating nature of faith.

Moreover, it numbs our ability to see why we need faith in the first place. So we go

about business as usual “...but you do not grieve the ruin of Joseph” (v. 6).

A common way to spot inoculation is a faith that is only skin deep. “Faith” as agreeing to

a set of propositions (e.g.“Jesus died so I can go to heaven”, “The Bible is true”). It’s

much easier to adopt these statements than to let them change us. Over time these

propositions become familiar. Once familiar, they become tame, boring, and lifeless.

The inoculated Christian gets a pass for the modern definition of religion (holding to a

system of beliefs) but maybe not an older definition (zeal for God).

So how do we get out of the fog of spiritual inoculation? I’ll offer three things. First, we

need Christians who are steeped not only in God’s word but the practices the Spirit

uses to form our hearts. Spiritual disciplines work on our hearts to desire God more

when we struggle to feel his presence. Second is sharing spaces with non-Christians.

It’s easy for believers to create a bubble. Spending time with non-Christians can remind

us that faith is nothing ordinary but something worth sharing. Lastly, dive deep with

fellow disciples and leaders at church. Resources like theology books, videos, and

podcasts are great. But make sure you’re processing them with the wisdom of Christ’s

body.

Gifted teachers and a community of disciples helped reverse my inoculation. This is

what the Church is all about. It takes the Spirit of God working through Spirit-filled

followers of Jesus to shock the system out of spiritual inoculation. Without it, we risk the

indifference of Israel and become spiritually inoculated.

Lord, you are the one who awakens hearts. Like Israel, our hearts often grow

complacent. Forgive us when we wander. Send your Spirit to cultivate a desire for you

and your kingdom. In Christ, we pray. Amen.