Christianity

I am overwhelmed at how many times I have to explain Christianity to Christians. We should be the ones that know the way, the truth and the life. We should know Jesus. We should know our Savior. We should know our God and Creator, but we don’t. The majority of those that call themselves the children of God don’t even know their own Father.

I am heart broken at how many lost people I speak with that tell me they have tried God and He failed them. God says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. God is a God that cannot lie. The reason the lost feel this way is because their god has failed them. The god that they served doesn’t exists. The god they embraced was the false god of the modern church. A god of no absolutes. A god with no requirements. A god that panders to the whim of evil men. A god that looks the other way when we sin. This god is easier to accept. This god doesn’t demand that we fear him. This god is okay with a perverted gospel and a cheap grace. This god would never say “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” That would be too radical. That would be asking too much.

I thought we were given the power of God at salvation. I thought that we are ambassadors and soldiers for Christ. I thought that we are no longer under sin. I thought that we became a new creature at the second birth. I thought that we were to forsake ALL in order to follow Him. I thought that we were to bear a cross. I thought that we were to be hated of all men. I thought that the joy of the Lord is our strength. I thought that that we could do all things through Christ. I thought that we were to care for the hungry and the homeless and the widows. I thought that we were to love the Lord with our WHOLE heart, soul, mind and strength. I thought that we were more than conquerors through Christ. I thought that we were to be partakers of His suffering. I thought that we were to preach the gospel to the whole world. I thought that we were to be set apart from the world. I thought that the whole duty of man was to fear God and keep His commandments.

By the evidence around me I would have to assume that I was wrong. The life you live, is the life you teach. Christians are teaching the world that Jesus didn’t really mean what He said. They apologize for God’s behavior in the Old Testament and make up for it with a seeker-friendly, worldly-lifestyle pleasing approach. The commands of God don’t mean anything anymore. I mean, we are under grace now, right?

When you join the Marines, you no longer belong to yourself. You have been bought with a price. You become a soldier. How ludicrous would it be to join and than assume that they would bend the rules for YOU! “Hey Sarge, I decided that the training is a bit too rigorous for me. I’m gonna take a nap while the more dedicated guys do push-ups and pull-ups. I’ll come back when the work out program is more convenient.” I wonder if that young recruit would get by with that. You think he would. If you didn’t you wouldn’t constantly try it on your Captain. We think that we can take advantage of His grace. That is repulsive. When did it become optional to obey God? Why did that foolish recruit join the Marines? Why did you join the army of God? Was it for the benefits and blessings?

I am disappointed at the nonchalant attitude of the church. This isn’t a game Christian. We are in a war and the enemy wins a battle every time a former “Christian” is tuned away from Christ by the pride, laziness, and disobedience of their fellow laborer. I have seen it too many times. Every time I go out to witness to the lost I meet yet another man or woman who grew up in church and never met God. If God isn’t in the church, if God isn’t in the Christian homes, if God isn’t flowing out of your and my actions, it is no wonder they don’t want anything to do with Christ. We like to leave the declaring of God’s handiwork to the stars. At least they obey the voice of their Master. Jesus said that the rocks would do it. They don’t know His love, they haven’t been saved from Hell and sin, they haven’t experienced His wondrous grace and mercy and yet all of creation sings His praise.

Why won’t you?

There are no more excuses left. If you have been bought with a price you are no longer your own. It is high time that we start obeying the voice of God. Get rid of the idols in your life. You know what they are. Get rid of your sin. It no longer has dominion over you like it once had. Nothing in this life is worth more than a relationship with God. And when I say relationship I mean truly knowing God. Be still and know God. Get a hold of God like Elijah did. He was a man subject to like passions as we are but he knew God. Elijah believed God enough to know that He would send fire from heaven when he called on Him. God desires true faith, not apathy. Apathy is a sin. Faith is a requirement of a believer.

Examine your life. What has replaced God? Something obviously has or there would be revival in your heart, you would desire to know Him, you would hate even the thought of sinning against a loving Savior. Living a life of reckless abandonment to God isn’t just for the few extra spiritual radicals out there, on fire for the Lord. That life is for you. That’s the life you signed up for at Calvary. You are that radical for Jesus…or at least you should be. Don’t be ashamed of your Savior. Don’t be ashamed of the new life He has called you to. Christianity isn’t a private faith. Hiding your faith is no longer an option. We can see the fruit of that kind of life. It is all around us. It is all of those hurting souls headed for Hell because they were told by the church down the street about the modern, American “jesus” that has infiltrated into the house of God.

Lets not continue to be a part of the problem. There are already enough Christians out there that do a great job at that. Rise to the occasion. Stop worrying about your next vacation. Stop relying on the wisdom of men. Stop wasting time in front of the television. God wants to know you. God wants a relationship with you. God desires that you love Him with your whole heart.

He’s done His part, it’s time we do ours.