Comfortable Christianity Is Compromised Christianity

"Unfortunately too many of us are known more by our politics than by our Christianity." - www.defendingcontending.com

As we enter a major political season I consider how much each decision matters, how much a vote matters. I once held a more firm belief that lack of voting for a "lesser of evils" was, in fact, voting for the greater evil; conceding a vote if you will. I still hold, as most do, that our "right" to vote is a privilege not to be discarded. There are nations who long for such a privilege.

But is choosing a lesser of two evils a choice which God would have us make, as followers of Christ? This question is valid in political choice and with all decisions in life. Consider this question as well.

"Do you vote for the candidate that will best help you to achieve the American dream or preserve your current prosperous economic status? If so, I have to ask a serious question of you: Has the American dream been a help or a hindrance to your faith?"

- www.defendingcontending.com

"14 "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

(Joshua 24:14-15)

Doesn't that broaden our focus a bit? Consider, also, this..... "if the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, then the luxury and security of the churchgoer is certainly the death of it."

- www.defendingcontending.com

We DO have a better choice still to contend with. A choice that requires faith, which I believe clears the fog of our political landscape and our lifescape. Consider this.....

1. Choose Whom You Will Serve

"And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word." (1 Kings 18:21 ESV)

"Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;

I hate every false way." (Psalm 119:128 ESV)

"Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." (John 8:47 ESV)

2. Serve Faithfully And Without Apology

"You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you." (Deuteronomy 4:2 ESV)

"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!" (Revelation 3:15 ESV)

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8 ESV)

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." (Revelation 22:18, 19 ESV)

3. Serve Him With Gladness

"Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."  (Deuteronomy 8:11-14)

Christian, do not be fearful, as The Lord has not given you such a mind. But be bold, with all graciousness, empathy, and love, based upon the foundations of your faith.

Unbeliever, forget about the hypocrisy of the Christian or the so-called. The mere realization of another's lack of genuineness won't alter your own eternal decision.

Choose, this day, whom you will serve. Be sincere. Then don't look back.

Another Perspective

Instead of searching God for what he can do for me ...what if I search him out for what he has already done? I wonder how that might change my perspective in regard to what we deal with in "life", and how we deal with it. I've heard that stated another way I guess. "If God never did another thing for me beyond what He has already done I would have already gotten more than I deserve." I agree with that too. If I were less self-centered I would believe that and live that way more consistently I imagine. But honestly, the statement terrifies me! What "if" God decided to do nothing further for me? What if he left me completely to my own devices, left me to simply die here?

His sovereign, yet loving and ever mindful of me, graceful, merciful "being" not only "has" done more for me than I could ever deserve ...it continues to provide life more abundant! Recognizing that he "could" drop me like a hot potato, while also recognizing that he has NOT done so ...brings me to the question I started with... instead of searching for God for what he can do for me ...what if I search him out for what he HAS done for me ...long before I was born or thought of, long before I rebelled against his will, and I have a strong belief that he WILL CONTINUE to bless me in ways that the world may not count as blessing. So I am humbled to take another perspective. His.

Focus on Christ, Not Compensation

The highway to heaven will not, cannot, detour the cross of Christ. Our knowledge of scripture, or debate of canonicity, nor any pursuits of proof alone will replace the requirement for our own sanctification. All may be very intriguing and even edifying, yet it cannot replace what Christ did on the cross. "We" cannot replace what Christ did on the cross. This is a roster upon which no Christ-follower can ever find himself on game-day. Only one pitcher on the mound, and no reliever. He did what you or I cannot do, are not equipped to do, were never designed to do.

For a moment of clarity put down your discipleship and pick up the only cross you can ever carry; the cross of followship and dying to self; reclaiming and re-stating Christianity; genuine Christianity ...not support groups, causes, or boycotts which make us feel more Christian, and look more Christian with our Christian clubs. In striving for a likeness of Christ let us not dismiss the cross of Christ; the one only He could carry, and chose to carry so that you don't have to. Indeed, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It is written... He [God] will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning, He will thwart. (1 Corinthians 1:18-19) The only substitution we should consider is the one Christ made for our atonement, and our at-One-ment.

Focus On Christ, Not Sacrifice

"If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." (John 12:26)

Will anyone follow Jesus? That is the real question of life, eternal and here on Earth. Intellectualize any way you want it, it comes down to your will or His.

Anyone

Anyone can serve. "For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:11-13 ESV)

SEE ALSO ACTS 2:21

Not everyone will serve - "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21 ESV)

So who will enter the Kingdom? - "....whoever does the will of my Father..." Jesus said.

Follow

Look before you leap. Jesus gives fair warning to those who open their mouths to follow Him. "Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." (Matthew 8:18-22 ESV)

Jesus

Jesus said... "and where I am, there will my servant be also." This wil surely mean a life of sacrifice, though the focus is on Christ, not sacrifice. Paul said it best. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21 ESV)

The reward for following Christ will come from the Father, to a true servant of Christ. As a merchant honors genuine cash money, so will the Father honor a genuine follower of the Son. Counterfeits will be discarded.

Don't get caught up in the sacrifice required to be a genuine Christ-follower. Trust Him to provide all your needs, according to His riches in glory. Put your focus on honoring and obeying Christ. The rest will work itself out. Yes, this requires "faith".

The Art of the Heart: Using the letter of God's law to fulfill the heart of God's law

"The heart" of man is a quandary to be sure. Untrustworthy, contradictory ....yet a very essential part of us, an element of our existence that could only be designed by God Himself. Perhaps we can parse this paradoxical thing by comparing it to other of God's creation.

Last Summer we spent a few days in south-central Texas; just in cactus ccountry apparently. Adam brought some cacti home to transplant. I've often thought that we do little to care for the plants. So far, they're alive. I was reading a story about another person who did manage to kill some plants she was given. As she mourned the fact that she was less nurturing than even the desert ....she began to learn that even the cactus needs more than just watering. It needs to be brought in on heavily rainy days, there are certain amounts of water it needs, even re-potting at times.

Even as Believers and Followers In today's world we often focus on not doing what is wrong, instead of focusing on what we need to do right.

As Christ-followers, it may be easier to avoid a sin of co-mission than to recognize our sins of o-mission. Practicing so hard to not do wrong ....we fail to do what is right; what Christ really desires of us with a changed heart.. We attempt to follow the letter of the law, missing the heart of the law. Jesus had thoughts on the matter.....

"As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:9-13 ESV)

1. Do the work of an evangelist

II Timothy 4:5 reminds us "...always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

While we are repeating, re-tweeting, and re-posting our favorite t-shirt slogans about being in the world, but not of the world .....let us recognize the fulness of what that means; considering that truth with what Jesus speaks according to Matthew's own recollection.

"But when He heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."

Folks need not only to know they are sinners, and that God hates sin,, but they need to hear the solution to the problem of sin. Be an evangelist! Preach sinners to repentance!

2. Study to show yourself approved

Again, as paralleled by Paul's admonishment to Timothy teaches..... 

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)

Jesus encouraged these otherwise learned men to "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." Jesus used His words wisely, with the right audience, and within the right context. We would do well to do likewise, with a heart desiring that other sinners come to repentance. He instructed these Phrisees to "Go and learn". This was a language, and phrasing, they used as they, themselves, taught. He cited the words of Hosea... "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6 ESV)" ....from the Old Covenant these men so rigidly followed.

3. Practice the art of having Christ' heart

As Jesus rightly handeled His Father's word of truth, citing this same truth from the book of Hosea, He continued to "fulfill" His work. He told us ,concerning the Law or the Prophets...... "I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17 ESV)". With complete consistency Christ teaches the heart of the law, which fulfills, completes, the letter of the law. 

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31 ESV)

With the confidence, and full backing, of Christ Himself ....we can boldly claim all of God's truths; truths that we are depraved, and all sinners who have come short of God's glorious standard. Yet let us never cite the problem without providing The Solution, and doing so with Christ-like love and empathy. Practice the art of having Christ' heart.

Believers.... let's first be Christ-like, and then be Christian. If we do the work of an evangelist, studying to gain God's certification, we'll come away with a heart that, like Jesus, desires mercy, not sacrifice.

Un-Believer / non-follower..... are you willing to recognize your sinful condition, laying aside blame or earthly cause, realizing you are estranged from your Creator, but now seeing that with a surrendered, and humbled, heart you can be reconciled. God always desires you. He craves you being with Him. But He will not contradict Himself. It is we who are the transgressors.