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The world is watching Christians... looking for anything they can find to criticize and condemn our conduct and behavior. They look for differences in what we say and preach and how we then live our lives.
Sadly, hypocrisy is the main cause of people abandoning their faith and church fellowship, and it’s the primary barrier to non-believers willingness to consider Christianity and accept Chrtist as their personal Savior. Hypocrisy destroys the Church from inside and from the outside. Hypocrisy can be a real faith killer!
A dictionary definition says that a hypocrite is “a person who pretends to have beliefs or practices which he or she does not actually possess.” Therefore, if the beliefs one claims are actually not possessed, then they would have little influence over one's conduct, actions and choices. The behavior witnessed by an observer.... a person who says one thing but does the opposite... a hypocrite.
The unbeliever criticizes the church for its hypocrisy and so-called Christians for hypocritical behavior. There is no question that hypocrisy exists in the church. Many people professing to be Christians are simply not! There are some people sitting in pews on Sunday, wearing crosses around their necks, or preaching loudly on TV that are counterfeits... genuine hypocrites. They are participating outwardly for reasons other than a saving relationship with Christ as their Lord and Master. Many have allowed the culture to mold them, rather than allowing Christ to transform them from the inside out.
What the unbeliever and critics of the church don't understand is that hypocrisy goes hand-in-hand with being a Christian. The church is made up of imperfect humans. Christians with imperfections reinforce the important truth of the biblical message about man's sinful nature. Being a sinner is, you might say, a requirement for being a Christian!
That being said, there is a critically important distinction between a hypocrite and a sinner. The word hypocrite applies to a person who pretends to be something he is not. However, a Christian recognizes his sinful nature, acknowledges it, and repents of it daily, for some of us even hourly. All hypocrites are sinners, but not all sinners are hypocrites.
Christian hypocrisy does not deny the existence of God or the truth of the Bible. It does, however, prove that each and every one of us is a sinner in need of a Savior. Christians should not condone hypocrisy, but accept that it is part of living in a fallen imperfect world. The Church exists in the fallen world, occupied by imperfect people. Therefore we can expect to see and experience the pains of hypocrisy.
Our challenge... and one we have not been very successful at achieving, is to help the unbeliever see the Church as a place where all people have an opportunity to avail themselves of God's saving grace and transforming power. How do we help the critics and nay-sayers who look for every little thing they can find to condemn the “body of Christ”?
I am convinced that many of those who nit-pick at the Church, are really crying out for someone to help them understand what is really going on with God's body of imperfect humans. These critics are, in fact, seekers, and our job is to help them understand what's really going on.
How do we Help the Critics?
First we all need to acknowledge that simply going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going into a garage makes you a car.
There is a critically important soul searching question for anyone who has turned away from the church or never considered Christianity because of what they see as hypocritical conduct among its members... Christians behaving badly, living not according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The question..... Since when do you allow hypocrisy to determine your affiliation and participation in the “things of God”?
No one should be confused by the assumption that because God founded the Church and is involved, that His “body of believers” is somehow going to be the perfect reflection of Him-the Church is not perfect. It is impossible... and the lack of “perfection in the church” as critics would charge, is proof that Christianity is nothing more than a man-made institution and there is no God involved. It's actually just the opposite. The fact that imperfection and hypocrisy do exist in the church is monumental proof that the God of the Bible, the living God, the Creator of heaven and earth has created this assembly of believers as His ordained body... the Church.
This should take some pressure off anyone investigating Christianity. What we have in the church is not an “idea of man”, but a concept fully vetted and ordained by God.
As the imperfect Christians who make up the “body of Christ” we have to live with the possibility that what some people perceive as hypocrisy in the church is in fact, the result of mistaken identity or simply convenience rhetoric for attacking Christians.
Genuine Christians stumble and make mistakes... say things to family members they regret, get frustrated with coworkers, at times act foolishly, and react negatively to stress and anxiety. You get the idea... Christians are imperfect humans and we act and react that way. When we act badly, we're cut to the heart and deeply troubled by our behavior. We know the consequences of our actions will be damaging and detrimental to others. We're embarrassed and ashamed by our actions and our words. We seek God's forgiveness.
The Christian hypocrite doesn't think they've done or said anything wrong. They don't think their words are hurtful or their conduct out of line. They justify their actions by worldly ungodly standards and don't comprehend the damaging impressions they're leaving on “observers” who are watching their every move and hearing every word out of their mouths.
The difference? The genuine Christian is remorseful for bad conduct and heart broken for sinning against the leading of the Holy Spirit who is working to transform a genuine Christian. The false hypocritical Christian doesn't think there's any problem at all. Therein lies the problem and proof positive that the so-called Christian is in fact not a Christian at all.
We know that some people in the church are not really Christians, and simply don't exhibit Christ-like conduct and behavior. This leads to another question.... Why does it appear that so many genuine Christians are hypocrites? I think it results from some confusion about what a real Christian is. In fact, as we better understand what a true Christian is, we'll have a better understanding of what a hypocrite really is. Consider the following clarifications.....
Genuine Christians are forgiven sinners. The Bible never says that Christ followers are perfect. It does say that those who surrender their lives to Him will be perfectly forgiven. There's a difference between being a sinner and being a hypocrite. There's an unspoken assumption that a Christian is someone who doesn't sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, it's just the opposite. Remember what John 1:8 very clearly says: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” A hypocrite, claims to be free from faults, or pride and arrogance have blinded he or she to their ungodly conduct. A Christian, on the other hand, freely admits the fact that he or she is a sinner. A forgiven sinner consistently seeks cleansing from sin.
Genuine Christians are not what they once were. Some of you may look at a Christian and wonder why they behave a certain way. After all, a real Christian shouldn't lose his temper, shouldn't struggle with alcohol and shouldn't swear, right? You might even think to yourself, “If that's the best God can do with so-called Christians, forget it. I expect more out of Christians.” Instead of focusing on how far people fall short, why not think about how far they've come?
God is renovating the heart and mind and observers can't really see what going on there. What the critics see, is the visible stumbling and occasional mistakes Christians make. No one but God can see how changed the heart and mind of a real Christian has become through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit working in a Christians life. Critics see the outward signs of our sinful natures and judge us by our stumbling, not the transformation that God is performing.
Genuine Christians are a work in progress. A real Christian will continue to be transformed by God throughout their lives... slowly and steadily becoming a reflection of Christ in conduct, attitude and love. That transformation is not going to happen in this life, but at death, when we will be radically changed and spend eternity with Christ. Our living “in Christ” is a lifelong process of renovation by the Holy Spirit making us a dwelling suitable for God to be within us. When we mess up, He prompts us to confess it, to work through it with those we've hurt. He gives us the courage and humility to ask for forgiveness of those we have hurt. He gives us the power to live the way the Bible teaches.
Throughout a Christian's life you can expect to observe a certain level of immaturity and imperfection, including occasional hypocrisy. While regrettable, it's expected. We believers spend a lifetime struggling, not to gain freedom from sin's penalty, but rather to gain freedom from sin's power over our attitudes and actions. The ultimate transformation, of course, awaits the Christian only in the eternal age to come.
The Answer to Hypocrisy.... Christ
Maybe you've heard people say that they'd be more interested in following Christ if there weren't so many hypocrites. They don't seem to realize that if a hypocrite is standing between them and God, then the hypocrite is closer to God than they are!
Because of His grace, we can admit both to God and to fellow humans when our actions are hypocritical. There is no better place for hypocrites to be than in church where the transforming power of God can continually convict, forgive, and renew us day by day. Only one person who can affect that kind of change. His name is Jesus Christ.
Christians are not perfect and never will be... but Christ is. Fix your eyes on Him.... focus on Him and the turmoil within the Church will be less troublesome to you. Living focused on Christ is the surest way of overcoming hypocrisy and its negative effects on those who watch Christians and judge God's grace and offer of salvation by imperfect human standards.
Christianity stands or falls on the person of Jesus Christ, not the performance of Christians. We worship the perfect Christ, not imperfect Christians.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The World is watching us!
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In counseling the Christians in Corinth, as recorded in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, the Apostle Paul had one of his most challenging assignments. The Corinthian church had a lot of problems and for the most part, they themselves did not see or understand what they were doing wrong. So Paul identifies the issues, offers solutions and works diligently teaching the believers in Corinth how to live "in Christ" and "for Christ" in a corrupt society.
The troubles of the Christians in Corinth are not all that dissimilar to the challenges Christians face today in far more corrupt societies. Paul confronted the Corinthians about their sins and shortcomings, they listened. He warns them not blend in with the world around them and accept its values and life-styles. It was no small challenge given the culture of the times and the highly charged city of Corinth.
The Corinthians, like we Christians today, are constantly challenged by the great deceiver, Satan. He has been slithering through the centuries, whispering his smooth-tongued promises, beguiling, deceiving, and tempting... urging men and women to reject God and enjoy themselves, immersed in the pursuits and pleasures of this fallen world. The church at Corinth was spiritually weak. The Corinthian believers were surrounded by idolatry and immorality... and they struggled with their faith and life-styles.
Take a look around where you are living.... and you see a modern replica of ancient Corinth. We are the Christians of now, and Satan continues to tempt us to cast God aside and embrace all this sin-filled world has to offer. Hey, if you look at all this world has to offer... the lures of pleasure, self-indulgences, lusts of many sorts, pursuit of wealth and power... it's all very tempting.
The world of unbelievers, who mock God, Christianity and believers are watching our every move. In the balance... sometimes hanging by a thread, is our commitment to God and His requirement that we live Christ-centered, blameless, loving, caring lives that can make a difference for Him. Our lives as Christians and the way we live them... have an enormous impact on the minds and hopefully the hearts of the unbeliever. How we live... can save lives... for eternity!
I recently heard a fine sermon that really brought home the impact of living our lives as a genuine Christian. David White, an elder and minister at North Penn Church of Christ (North Wales PA) presented the challenge of living as Christians in these two questions....
1. What is the greatest proof for the existence of the God of the Bible?
2. What is the greatest proof against the existence of the God of the Bible?
THE ANSWER: A Christian
Consider these two scriptures as you ponder these questions and your personal impact on the live of countless people you know and may never know, but they know who you claim to be... a Christian.
Psalm 139:23-24; “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Paul said these words to the Corinthians and he says them to us now... “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Corinthians 13:5
There is no question about it... our conduct is having an impact on people around us. If we claim to be in Christ, our failings and shortcomings, our hypocrisy, become magnified in the eyes of those who seek to mock God and condemn Christianity.
Followers of Christ are new creations, born from above and changed from within, with new values and new life-styles that confront and condemn the permissiveness of the world and clash with accepted morality. True believers don't blend in very well... in fact we should sick out like a sore thumb! That's why the unbeliever can see us so easily and clearly... we should be noticeably different from unbelievers.
Are you noticeably different? Do you feel uncomfortable around the corrupting influences of the world? Or... do you blend in, fit in, and find comfort in going with the flow of the world? If you feel like the world fits you pretty well... then it's time to allow God to help you begin a complete makeover... "renovation" of your heart and mind. The Corinthians were able to do it with the Holy Spirit and Paul's counsel... and so can you.
In counseling the Christians in Corinth, as recorded in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, the Apostle Paul had one of his most challenging assignments. The Corinthian church had a lot of problems and for the most part, they themselves did not see or understand what they were doing wrong. So Paul identifies the issues, offers solutions and works diligently teaching the believers in Corinth how to live "in Christ" and "for Christ" in a corrupt society.
The troubles of the Christians in Corinth are not all that dissimilar to the challenges Christians face today in far more corrupt societies. Paul confronted the Corinthians about their sins and shortcomings, they listened. He warns them not blend in with the world around them and accept its values and life-styles. It was no small challenge given the culture of the times and the highly charged city of Corinth.
The Corinthians, like we Christians today, are constantly challenged by the great deceiver, Satan. He has been slithering through the centuries, whispering his smooth-tongued promises, beguiling, deceiving, and tempting... urging men and women to reject God and enjoy themselves, immersed in the pursuits and pleasures of this fallen world. The church at Corinth was spiritually weak. The Corinthian believers were surrounded by idolatry and immorality... and they struggled with their faith and life-styles.
Take a look around where you are living.... and you see a modern replica of ancient Corinth. We are the Christians of now, and Satan continues to tempt us to cast God aside and embrace all this sin-filled world has to offer. Hey, if you look at all this world has to offer... the lures of pleasure, self-indulgences, lusts of many sorts, pursuit of wealth and power... it's all very tempting.
The world of unbelievers, who mock God, Christianity and believers are watching our every move. In the balance... sometimes hanging by a thread, is our commitment to God and His requirement that we live Christ-centered, blameless, loving, caring lives that can make a difference for Him. Our lives as Christians and the way we live them... have an enormous impact on the minds and hopefully the hearts of the unbeliever. How we live... can save lives... for eternity!
I recently heard a fine sermon that really brought home the impact of living our lives as a genuine Christian. David White, an elder and minister at North Penn Church of Christ (North Wales PA) presented the challenge of living as Christians in these two questions....
1. What is the greatest proof for the existence of the God of the Bible?
2. What is the greatest proof against the existence of the God of the Bible?
THE ANSWER: A Christian
Consider these two scriptures as you ponder these questions and your personal impact on the live of countless people you know and may never know, but they know who you claim to be... a Christian.
Psalm 139:23-24; “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Paul said these words to the Corinthians and he says them to us now... “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Corinthians 13:5
There is no question about it... our conduct is having an impact on people around us. If we claim to be in Christ, our failings and shortcomings, our hypocrisy, become magnified in the eyes of those who seek to mock God and condemn Christianity.
Followers of Christ are new creations, born from above and changed from within, with new values and new life-styles that confront and condemn the permissiveness of the world and clash with accepted morality. True believers don't blend in very well... in fact we should sick out like a sore thumb! That's why the unbeliever can see us so easily and clearly... we should be noticeably different from unbelievers.
Are you noticeably different? Do you feel uncomfortable around the corrupting influences of the world? Or... do you blend in, fit in, and find comfort in going with the flow of the world? If you feel like the world fits you pretty well... then it's time to allow God to help you begin a complete makeover... "renovation" of your heart and mind. The Corinthians were able to do it with the Holy Spirit and Paul's counsel... and so can you.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Bearing grudges, harboring Bitterness?
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Are you one of those Christians carrying around a spirit of unforgiveness? It could be monumental, the anger and bitterness you’re toting around. Most likely, directed towards some church member who may have acted with malice toward you, or may have said something unkind or just plain stupid. This sort of thing happens with us humans you know. Maybe you’re angry at some group that makes your life miserable, maybe even a former church that left a deep wound on your spirit?
When we committed our lives to Christ and His Kingdom, we were promised “freedom” because in Christ, we gain freedom from the burdens of our old self and how we perceive and interact with this selfish unkind world. Commitment to Christ, does not leave us much wiggle room when it comes to harboring bitterness towards others.
Make no mistake about it.... If you can’t forgive, you’re not free of your old self and this world’s influences. No way can you claim to be “in Christ” . You are not only disobeying God’s Word, you are mostly wasting your time being a Christian! You’re certainly not happy and never will be as long as you are mired in the quicksand of bitterness, resentment and anger. You need to seek help.
If you persist in an unforgiving spirit, the consequences are far-reaching. Many destructive divisions are created in the body of Christ. The church becomes like a country engaged in civil war; no wonder the world is not impressed by our testimony. Christians suffer from heartache, anger and bitterness within their families, which are supposed to be models of harmony and unity. The name of Christ is thus reproached because of quarrelsome attitudes, divisions and hypocrisy among those who profess to be His disciples.
Being imperfect human beings, most of us are quick to anger, quick to blame, slow to forgive, and even slower to forget. Yet as Christians, we are commanded to forgive others, just as we, too have been forgiven.
Why should it be so difficult for a Christian to ask for forgiveness from his heart? Or for his fellow-Christian to tell him, “I forgive you”? Christians should be experts in forgiveness! We rejoice that God forgave us freely, according to the riches of His goodness and grace. In spite of this tremendous reality, Christians often allow the sun to set on their anger and are slow to forgive one another. They ignore the Word and honor of their Lord, and allow themselves to be engulfed in bitterness towards their fellow Christians. Every sin thus becomes another brick to strengthen the "dividing wall" between us.
If there exists even one person against whom you hold bitter feelings, it’s time to forgive. Let it go. Ask God in prayer to help you let the hurt and anger go. If you are angry with yourself for some past mistake or shortcoming, it’s time to forgive yourself and move on.
Ephesians 4:31 says very clearly.... "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." No Christian has any justifiable excuse to be bitter against anyone, because bitterness has no forgiveness in it. The Christian is to forgive anyone and everyone, just as Christ Jesus has forgiven them.
Knowing what the Bible says and doing, are two very different realities. Christians will moan and complain: “I simply can’t forgive him; I feel hurt so much!”
But you can forgive! You cannot ignore the fact that our Lord commands you to forgive. No exceptions! In fact you simply cannot ask God to forgive you if you yourself don’t forgive your brother, your neighbor. The Lord Jesus taught us to pray in this manner: “Our Father who art in heaven... forgive us our trespasses as we also forgive those who trespass against us.” If you are stubborn enough as to withhold forgiveness you will be inviting God’s displeasure upon yourself. You will effectively be inviting God to deal with you in the same way you are dealing with others. Harshly. You will be depriving yourself of God’s forgiveness and the freedom that we should enjoy from such emotional stresses. When our Lord taught us how to pray, He added an important comment on the prescribed prayer: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14,15).
Hatred, bitterness, and regret are not part of God’s plan for your life. If such works of the flesh are part of you, then you cannot be part of His Kingdom. Sounds harsh, but it is a Biblical fact! It's time to ask Jesus to help you "renovate your heart" rooting out the bitterness that is spoiling your journey with Him.
As brothers in Christ, be at peace with everybody, and the blessing of Christ will rest upon you. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” There is no time like "now" to renovate your heart.
Are you one of those Christians carrying around a spirit of unforgiveness? It could be monumental, the anger and bitterness you’re toting around. Most likely, directed towards some church member who may have acted with malice toward you, or may have said something unkind or just plain stupid. This sort of thing happens with us humans you know. Maybe you’re angry at some group that makes your life miserable, maybe even a former church that left a deep wound on your spirit?
When we committed our lives to Christ and His Kingdom, we were promised “freedom” because in Christ, we gain freedom from the burdens of our old self and how we perceive and interact with this selfish unkind world. Commitment to Christ, does not leave us much wiggle room when it comes to harboring bitterness towards others.
Make no mistake about it.... If you can’t forgive, you’re not free of your old self and this world’s influences. No way can you claim to be “in Christ” . You are not only disobeying God’s Word, you are mostly wasting your time being a Christian! You’re certainly not happy and never will be as long as you are mired in the quicksand of bitterness, resentment and anger. You need to seek help.
If you persist in an unforgiving spirit, the consequences are far-reaching. Many destructive divisions are created in the body of Christ. The church becomes like a country engaged in civil war; no wonder the world is not impressed by our testimony. Christians suffer from heartache, anger and bitterness within their families, which are supposed to be models of harmony and unity. The name of Christ is thus reproached because of quarrelsome attitudes, divisions and hypocrisy among those who profess to be His disciples.
Being imperfect human beings, most of us are quick to anger, quick to blame, slow to forgive, and even slower to forget. Yet as Christians, we are commanded to forgive others, just as we, too have been forgiven.
Why should it be so difficult for a Christian to ask for forgiveness from his heart? Or for his fellow-Christian to tell him, “I forgive you”? Christians should be experts in forgiveness! We rejoice that God forgave us freely, according to the riches of His goodness and grace. In spite of this tremendous reality, Christians often allow the sun to set on their anger and are slow to forgive one another. They ignore the Word and honor of their Lord, and allow themselves to be engulfed in bitterness towards their fellow Christians. Every sin thus becomes another brick to strengthen the "dividing wall" between us.
If there exists even one person against whom you hold bitter feelings, it’s time to forgive. Let it go. Ask God in prayer to help you let the hurt and anger go. If you are angry with yourself for some past mistake or shortcoming, it’s time to forgive yourself and move on.
Ephesians 4:31 says very clearly.... "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." No Christian has any justifiable excuse to be bitter against anyone, because bitterness has no forgiveness in it. The Christian is to forgive anyone and everyone, just as Christ Jesus has forgiven them.
Knowing what the Bible says and doing, are two very different realities. Christians will moan and complain: “I simply can’t forgive him; I feel hurt so much!”
But you can forgive! You cannot ignore the fact that our Lord commands you to forgive. No exceptions! In fact you simply cannot ask God to forgive you if you yourself don’t forgive your brother, your neighbor. The Lord Jesus taught us to pray in this manner: “Our Father who art in heaven... forgive us our trespasses as we also forgive those who trespass against us.” If you are stubborn enough as to withhold forgiveness you will be inviting God’s displeasure upon yourself. You will effectively be inviting God to deal with you in the same way you are dealing with others. Harshly. You will be depriving yourself of God’s forgiveness and the freedom that we should enjoy from such emotional stresses. When our Lord taught us how to pray, He added an important comment on the prescribed prayer: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14,15).
Hatred, bitterness, and regret are not part of God’s plan for your life. If such works of the flesh are part of you, then you cannot be part of His Kingdom. Sounds harsh, but it is a Biblical fact! It's time to ask Jesus to help you "renovate your heart" rooting out the bitterness that is spoiling your journey with Him.
As brothers in Christ, be at peace with everybody, and the blessing of Christ will rest upon you. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” There is no time like "now" to renovate your heart.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Random Thoughts about Important Things
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Cell Phone vs The Bible
There is probably not a single human anywhere on this planet who is not at least familiar with a mobile communication device... commonly referred to as the Cell Phone. In developing nations of the third world, it is one of the fastest growing components for building economic capacity. In America and developed cultures, the cell phone is an integral part of life. There are people who would give up many things, do without many creature comforts... but no way, no how, would they ever agree to part with their cell phones! During this economic crisis, cell phone sales and the monthly billings that go hand-in-hand with their use will likely grow rather than decline. Based on simple observation... humans can't live without their cell phones!
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets like we do our cell phone? What if we flipped through it several time a day reading verses and passages like we read text messages on our cell phone? What if we stopped everything we might be doing and turned back to go get it if we forgot it? Would we do that for our Bible... go searching for it if we misplaced it? What if we used the Bible in the same was we use the cell phone to text family and friends... constantly discussing Bible texts with each other, with close friends, with our pastor? What if the Bible was the center-piece in our communication with one another... like the cell phone?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it like most people treat their cell phone? What if we gave it to our kids as gifts.. like we gave them cell phones? What if we used it when we traveled like we do our cell phone? Travelers have their phones literally stuck in their ears continuously.... almost surgically implanted! What would an airport gate area look like if everyone was reading a Bible with the same intensity as talking, texting and surfing with their cell phones? Hard to imagine that picture isn't it. What if we used the Bible in case of an emergency like we do our cell phone?
Being a Christian and living each and every day with Jesus at the center of your life should be obvious to everyone around you... just as noticeable as business people constantly talking or texting on their cell phones. What is really important to you in your life as a Christian? The cell phone is very important to all of us.. we view it as an indispensable tool for living. But all it does is connect you to another human... while the Bible connects you to God, to His plan and purpose for your life. The cell phone might help save a life... you can call 911 and alert authorities to a crisis. But only the Bible can guide you on a path, your life's journey that leads to eternal life.
How often do you feel stress, almost panic, when you forget where your cell phone is? How often do you stop everything you’re doing and wonder.... "where is my Bible"?
Oh, and one more thing about how important or unimportant your cell phone really is in the scales of life.... think about this..... Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible and its message being disconnected.... because Jesus has already paid the bill in full forever! And... no dropped calls, no out-of-service areas! Jesus has covered everyone with his love and grace.
It’s the little things we take for granted, that seem so important in our lives, things we are so sure we could never live without that makes us stop and think where our my priorities really are.... and where they need to be... centered in Christ.
Cell Phone vs The Bible
There is probably not a single human anywhere on this planet who is not at least familiar with a mobile communication device... commonly referred to as the Cell Phone. In developing nations of the third world, it is one of the fastest growing components for building economic capacity. In America and developed cultures, the cell phone is an integral part of life. There are people who would give up many things, do without many creature comforts... but no way, no how, would they ever agree to part with their cell phones! During this economic crisis, cell phone sales and the monthly billings that go hand-in-hand with their use will likely grow rather than decline. Based on simple observation... humans can't live without their cell phones!
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets like we do our cell phone? What if we flipped through it several time a day reading verses and passages like we read text messages on our cell phone? What if we stopped everything we might be doing and turned back to go get it if we forgot it? Would we do that for our Bible... go searching for it if we misplaced it? What if we used the Bible in the same was we use the cell phone to text family and friends... constantly discussing Bible texts with each other, with close friends, with our pastor? What if the Bible was the center-piece in our communication with one another... like the cell phone?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it like most people treat their cell phone? What if we gave it to our kids as gifts.. like we gave them cell phones? What if we used it when we traveled like we do our cell phone? Travelers have their phones literally stuck in their ears continuously.... almost surgically implanted! What would an airport gate area look like if everyone was reading a Bible with the same intensity as talking, texting and surfing with their cell phones? Hard to imagine that picture isn't it. What if we used the Bible in case of an emergency like we do our cell phone?
Being a Christian and living each and every day with Jesus at the center of your life should be obvious to everyone around you... just as noticeable as business people constantly talking or texting on their cell phones. What is really important to you in your life as a Christian? The cell phone is very important to all of us.. we view it as an indispensable tool for living. But all it does is connect you to another human... while the Bible connects you to God, to His plan and purpose for your life. The cell phone might help save a life... you can call 911 and alert authorities to a crisis. But only the Bible can guide you on a path, your life's journey that leads to eternal life.
How often do you feel stress, almost panic, when you forget where your cell phone is? How often do you stop everything you’re doing and wonder.... "where is my Bible"?
Oh, and one more thing about how important or unimportant your cell phone really is in the scales of life.... think about this..... Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible and its message being disconnected.... because Jesus has already paid the bill in full forever! And... no dropped calls, no out-of-service areas! Jesus has covered everyone with his love and grace.
It’s the little things we take for granted, that seem so important in our lives, things we are so sure we could never live without that makes us stop and think where our my priorities really are.... and where they need to be... centered in Christ.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Embracing the God-Inspired Plan for your Life
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There is no magic in small plans. When you consider the ministry opportunities that exist in your neighborhood, your community and even your own family, you must think of the world. Each opportunity is connected to the other. Anything less than that would not be worthy of Christ nor His will for the life of one of His followers. (Acts 1:8) Our Lord and Savior thinks we’re capable of doing big things. So... why aren’t we able to see our own potential in and through Him?
Fear runs rampant when the economy takes a downturn. Everywhere we turn, we encounter bad economic news. The tendency is to hunker down, play it safe, and think small. Pursuing dreams is something one does only in good economic times.
We need to be wise, not foolish, in the life choices we make. And yet, we must resist the temptation to think that God and His unlimited resources are in some way affected by the mortgage industry, the rising unemployment rate, and the stock market. God is sovereign, all-powerful, and completely capable of supplying us with all we need to do what He calls us to do. Perhaps what we need is a fresh invitation to pursue a God-sized vision for our lives.
What is a “Christian Vision”?
Think of vision for this discussion, as our God-given ability to picture things in our minds that are not yet reality. For example, a couple envisions opening their home to foster children. A medical student visualizes treating patients after completing education to become a doctor. You get the idea. Your dreams and the process of preparation to acquire the needed skills are envisioned in a future reality. A vision is a picture or idea of how God could use your gifts and your life to meet needs and accomplish his purposes. His purpose for all of his followers is no secret and everyone qualifies to participate. (Matthew 28:19-20; James 1:27)
Unlike a purely secular play in ones personal vision of dreams for the future, a Christian vision is inspired directly or indirectly by the call of God to embrace his commands, which is our ultimate work in His purpose. Christian vision is a combination of imaginative seeing that combines the insight of faith, which goes to the core of things below surface reality to the depths of our hearts, and the foresight of faith, which transcends the present with the power of a possible future. There’s the dream... as if co-authored by “you and God”. This combining of the not-yet-combined is the secret of visionary faith.... Dreamers come into their own and stay on course when they follow the calling of Christ.
There is no magic formula, no specialized calling from God other than what He has explained to all of us through his Word. Everyone can dream big dreams, accomplish great things for the Lord... because out of an honest and pure heart, he will empower and equip each one of us by the Holy Spirit to preach salvation in favorable times and bring honor and glory to Him through our faithful steadfastness, obedience and perseverance. In short... keep on keepin’ on!
Unleash the Vision within You!
In the secular world of business, career driven professionals have a vision for their lives and live by a preprogrammed plan that moves them towards achieving their ultimate goal––usually fame, or fortune or financial prosperity or all of these things. In contrast, Christians will often have no compelling vision of what God is calling them to do with the time He has given them on this earth. The business professional is driven by a vision, fraught at best with uncertainty, but driven they are to succeed. Christians who already know the outcome of God’s eternal plan, know the power and resources at their disposal and know how to tap this vast unlimited power, can’t seem to craft a vision consistent with God’s purpose. Many reasons... they may feel stagnant, frustrated, depressed, bored, underutilized and purposeless. So how can you move toward a purposeful life that uses your gifts to make a difference in this world?
The first essential is to risk enlarging your perspective of how God wants to use your life. Allow yourself to envision a “God-sized” response to what you already know and understand about your relationship with Him. Such a response, while certainly in the context of your “personal choice” is one that you cannot accomplish with your own power and resources. A God-sized response, by definition, requires God’s power and resources to succeed. He has chosen to only respond through each one of individually based on our willingness to allow Him to influence our life vision. God has given you gifts and abilities to be used in your family, your neighborhood, your career, your church, your community, and the world at large. He expects you to join Him in arranging to deploy those talents and capabilities to accomplish great things for Him.
The visions that God creates in our hearts and minds are always beyond what we feel is possible. Our first reaction and one that usually sustains our thinking, is the task always appears to be out of reach and beyond our ability. Why do we think that? It’s because the vision is beyond our ability. God-ordained, God-inspired visions are always too big for us to handle. The problem for us... we stop and don’t move ahead because we don’t “trust God” enough to be our source of strength and power in unfolding His vision into Our reality. Don’t be too quick to disagree with that statement. Think about your own life experiences and see if the “trust” factor [in God] is as strong as you think it is or it should be. Your honest assessment on this point will likely disappoint you.
The second essential is to risk taking a few steps in faith to fully discover how God’s vision for your life, the one you and He have crafted together can begin to unfold. Many of us live as though we are waiting for God to send us his vision for our life via fax, e-mail, or some supernatural revelation—spelling out the actions we are to take in step-by-step detail. We also may want this divine message to include an ironclad guarantee that we will be safe from risk, financially secure, and successful in the eyes of all onlookers as we carry out this heavenly plan for our lives. Not, I say not going to happen. God does not work that way with us. Remember that “trust factor”? This lack of trust and fear is why countless visions born in the hearts of Christians never come to reality.
God gives us enough to work with him in faith. God help us to create the mental images, the vision, along with compelling ideas of how our gifts can be used to meet needs in the world. The vision gives us enough direction to step out in obedience and faith, but it doesn’t give all the details or any guarantees about the outcome.
God’s Plan for Your Life... get on with it!
God-sized visions can be of differing dimensions and degrees of visibility. God might call one person to develop a global worldwide evangelism ministry that has an impact on millions; he might call another to start an outreach Bible study in a neighborhood. In one person God might instill a vision that uses innovative ways to collect food in the community and distribute it through local ministries. In another person, the vision God plants may be one of making his church’s food bank more organized, efficient, and effective. You know what God wants... He has clearly spelled out our mission through His admonishments and commands in the New Testament. The specific details of a God-sized vision are not always so easily discerned... that takes trust and faith. You have to start the journey before you will know the details. Know this.... God wants you to trust him and He wants you to do great things for His Kingdom! Really, what more could you ask or hope for in your life?
Most of us will never be called to develop and lead an international organization. Maybe not, but you will never discover how God has created you to be used in this world, until you step out in faith to pursue a God-given dream. But how do you know if your dream is from the Lord?
One test... is that all God-inspired visions of your calling always involve doing the work of God’s kingdom as the ultimate goal. God-inspired visions bring glory to God... not you. God's ultimate plan for your life reaches beyond the visions He's given you for your family, business, ministry, and finances. He has positioned you in your culture as a singular point of light. A beacon in a world that desperately needs to see something divine, something that is clearly not of this world. Until you allow your God-inspired vision to unfold... it is nothing more than "potential" light with potential to reflect the power and glory of the Divine. It’s your choice... your trust... your faith... that makes it happen.
Risk Trusting God
From our human perspective, stepping out in faith to work at a God-given calling feels like a risk beyond our comprehension. From God’s perspective, trusting Him in faith is the only way to live our lives. You will only discover what God has created you to do when you “risk” following Him rather than playing it safe.
God is faithful, and He is creative, often surprising us in how He works in our lives. As workers for God we have to learn to make room for Him—to give God elbow room. How? Keep your life so constant in its contact with God that His surprising power may break out on the right hand and on the left. Trust him... you’ll be the first to know where, when and what He’s doing. Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that you leave room for God to come in as He likes and when He choses.
When the world is in a state of flux, as it is now... remember to trust Scripture instead of the news you read about the state of the world. Remember that you have been designed for a purpose. And, remember that “with God, nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37). In spite of the economy or your circumstances, you can discover and live your God-given calling, and experience the purposefulness and joy that comes from doing the things you were created to do. God must do the marketing for Nike.... “just do it”!
There is no magic in small plans. When you consider the ministry opportunities that exist in your neighborhood, your community and even your own family, you must think of the world. Each opportunity is connected to the other. Anything less than that would not be worthy of Christ nor His will for the life of one of His followers. (Acts 1:8) Our Lord and Savior thinks we’re capable of doing big things. So... why aren’t we able to see our own potential in and through Him?
Fear runs rampant when the economy takes a downturn. Everywhere we turn, we encounter bad economic news. The tendency is to hunker down, play it safe, and think small. Pursuing dreams is something one does only in good economic times.
We need to be wise, not foolish, in the life choices we make. And yet, we must resist the temptation to think that God and His unlimited resources are in some way affected by the mortgage industry, the rising unemployment rate, and the stock market. God is sovereign, all-powerful, and completely capable of supplying us with all we need to do what He calls us to do. Perhaps what we need is a fresh invitation to pursue a God-sized vision for our lives.
What is a “Christian Vision”?
Think of vision for this discussion, as our God-given ability to picture things in our minds that are not yet reality. For example, a couple envisions opening their home to foster children. A medical student visualizes treating patients after completing education to become a doctor. You get the idea. Your dreams and the process of preparation to acquire the needed skills are envisioned in a future reality. A vision is a picture or idea of how God could use your gifts and your life to meet needs and accomplish his purposes. His purpose for all of his followers is no secret and everyone qualifies to participate. (Matthew 28:19-20; James 1:27)
Unlike a purely secular play in ones personal vision of dreams for the future, a Christian vision is inspired directly or indirectly by the call of God to embrace his commands, which is our ultimate work in His purpose. Christian vision is a combination of imaginative seeing that combines the insight of faith, which goes to the core of things below surface reality to the depths of our hearts, and the foresight of faith, which transcends the present with the power of a possible future. There’s the dream... as if co-authored by “you and God”. This combining of the not-yet-combined is the secret of visionary faith.... Dreamers come into their own and stay on course when they follow the calling of Christ.
There is no magic formula, no specialized calling from God other than what He has explained to all of us through his Word. Everyone can dream big dreams, accomplish great things for the Lord... because out of an honest and pure heart, he will empower and equip each one of us by the Holy Spirit to preach salvation in favorable times and bring honor and glory to Him through our faithful steadfastness, obedience and perseverance. In short... keep on keepin’ on!
Unleash the Vision within You!
In the secular world of business, career driven professionals have a vision for their lives and live by a preprogrammed plan that moves them towards achieving their ultimate goal––usually fame, or fortune or financial prosperity or all of these things. In contrast, Christians will often have no compelling vision of what God is calling them to do with the time He has given them on this earth. The business professional is driven by a vision, fraught at best with uncertainty, but driven they are to succeed. Christians who already know the outcome of God’s eternal plan, know the power and resources at their disposal and know how to tap this vast unlimited power, can’t seem to craft a vision consistent with God’s purpose. Many reasons... they may feel stagnant, frustrated, depressed, bored, underutilized and purposeless. So how can you move toward a purposeful life that uses your gifts to make a difference in this world?
The first essential is to risk enlarging your perspective of how God wants to use your life. Allow yourself to envision a “God-sized” response to what you already know and understand about your relationship with Him. Such a response, while certainly in the context of your “personal choice” is one that you cannot accomplish with your own power and resources. A God-sized response, by definition, requires God’s power and resources to succeed. He has chosen to only respond through each one of individually based on our willingness to allow Him to influence our life vision. God has given you gifts and abilities to be used in your family, your neighborhood, your career, your church, your community, and the world at large. He expects you to join Him in arranging to deploy those talents and capabilities to accomplish great things for Him.
The visions that God creates in our hearts and minds are always beyond what we feel is possible. Our first reaction and one that usually sustains our thinking, is the task always appears to be out of reach and beyond our ability. Why do we think that? It’s because the vision is beyond our ability. God-ordained, God-inspired visions are always too big for us to handle. The problem for us... we stop and don’t move ahead because we don’t “trust God” enough to be our source of strength and power in unfolding His vision into Our reality. Don’t be too quick to disagree with that statement. Think about your own life experiences and see if the “trust” factor [in God] is as strong as you think it is or it should be. Your honest assessment on this point will likely disappoint you.
The second essential is to risk taking a few steps in faith to fully discover how God’s vision for your life, the one you and He have crafted together can begin to unfold. Many of us live as though we are waiting for God to send us his vision for our life via fax, e-mail, or some supernatural revelation—spelling out the actions we are to take in step-by-step detail. We also may want this divine message to include an ironclad guarantee that we will be safe from risk, financially secure, and successful in the eyes of all onlookers as we carry out this heavenly plan for our lives. Not, I say not going to happen. God does not work that way with us. Remember that “trust factor”? This lack of trust and fear is why countless visions born in the hearts of Christians never come to reality.
God gives us enough to work with him in faith. God help us to create the mental images, the vision, along with compelling ideas of how our gifts can be used to meet needs in the world. The vision gives us enough direction to step out in obedience and faith, but it doesn’t give all the details or any guarantees about the outcome.
God’s Plan for Your Life... get on with it!
God-sized visions can be of differing dimensions and degrees of visibility. God might call one person to develop a global worldwide evangelism ministry that has an impact on millions; he might call another to start an outreach Bible study in a neighborhood. In one person God might instill a vision that uses innovative ways to collect food in the community and distribute it through local ministries. In another person, the vision God plants may be one of making his church’s food bank more organized, efficient, and effective. You know what God wants... He has clearly spelled out our mission through His admonishments and commands in the New Testament. The specific details of a God-sized vision are not always so easily discerned... that takes trust and faith. You have to start the journey before you will know the details. Know this.... God wants you to trust him and He wants you to do great things for His Kingdom! Really, what more could you ask or hope for in your life?
Most of us will never be called to develop and lead an international organization. Maybe not, but you will never discover how God has created you to be used in this world, until you step out in faith to pursue a God-given dream. But how do you know if your dream is from the Lord?
One test... is that all God-inspired visions of your calling always involve doing the work of God’s kingdom as the ultimate goal. God-inspired visions bring glory to God... not you. God's ultimate plan for your life reaches beyond the visions He's given you for your family, business, ministry, and finances. He has positioned you in your culture as a singular point of light. A beacon in a world that desperately needs to see something divine, something that is clearly not of this world. Until you allow your God-inspired vision to unfold... it is nothing more than "potential" light with potential to reflect the power and glory of the Divine. It’s your choice... your trust... your faith... that makes it happen.
Risk Trusting God
From our human perspective, stepping out in faith to work at a God-given calling feels like a risk beyond our comprehension. From God’s perspective, trusting Him in faith is the only way to live our lives. You will only discover what God has created you to do when you “risk” following Him rather than playing it safe.
God is faithful, and He is creative, often surprising us in how He works in our lives. As workers for God we have to learn to make room for Him—to give God elbow room. How? Keep your life so constant in its contact with God that His surprising power may break out on the right hand and on the left. Trust him... you’ll be the first to know where, when and what He’s doing. Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that you leave room for God to come in as He likes and when He choses.
When the world is in a state of flux, as it is now... remember to trust Scripture instead of the news you read about the state of the world. Remember that you have been designed for a purpose. And, remember that “with God, nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37). In spite of the economy or your circumstances, you can discover and live your God-given calling, and experience the purposefulness and joy that comes from doing the things you were created to do. God must do the marketing for Nike.... “just do it”!
Twenty-Two reasons why you Must be in Fellowship with the Body of Christ... YES, that means if you call yourself a Christian, then you gotta be active
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When you become a Christian, you are called into a relationship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). But I John 1:3 makes it clear that we enter a fellowship that goes two ways: with God and with other Christians.
The New Testament never speaks of Christians existing in isolation. All the way through, it assumes that everybody participates in their local assembly. It gives no examples of Christians who belong to the "universal church" but have no link with a local body of believers. Wherever and whenever Christians are within range of each other in the New Testament, they would meet with one another. Every time the apostle Paul comes to a town where there were no Christians, he wins a few converts and immediately organizes them into a small group - a small body of new believers, a little church.
Acts 20:7 reveals the practice of the early church.... "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them." For Christians in every location, regular gathering was a normal, expected and highly anticipated part of life.
It's illogical to say that anyone professing Christ can be merely part of the worldwide, universal church, yet refuse to gather with the segment of that universal church that exists in your geographical area. It would be like claiming you have a car, when the right fender is in Boston, the engine is in Paris, and the wheels are in Rangoon! You don't have a car; you have the beginning of the inventory for a junkyard. It just won't function until the pieces are put together in one place. The church is the same... it must be together to carry out many of its purposes.
Today however, many Christians are frustrated with the Church and rightfully so. The Church today is full of problems... front and center is wide spread hypocrisy among its so-called members.
Can a Christian survive apart from the church? Probably not. That’s the short answer and maybe not the one you wanted to hear. The purpose of this article is not to rehash all the reasons why people want to be known as a Christian but want to avoid today’s Church. It is however going to explain why being an active and engaged part of the “body of Christ” is essential to your eternal salvation. The body of Christ, the church is part of how God is working out our salvation, collectively, all together. God has provided us with twenty-two reasons why being together in assembly is essential for our spiritual growth.
Remember, our spiritual growth is part of preparing to live in brotherhood and fellowship for eternity. Spiritual formation takes place in the imperfect Church, in fellowship with a bunch of other imperfect, grumbling, nit-picking folks just like you. Here and now, this side of eternity, is where we master the art of living together. That means we’re going to struggle together in frustration, sometimes combating heresy and sin, but all the while we are allowing God to refine us, to develop the fruits of the Spirit in us... all in the context of what He programmed... His organization of assembled believers – the Church.
Let’s begin by recalling what Jesus commanded..... “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
Can there be any doubt as to our Lord’s expectations for us? He expects us to develop deep and abiding relationships not only with Him, but equally important, with one another. Because without “one another” we can’t truly be “in Him”. There is a great deal of instruction in the New Testament about how we are to cultivate our interpersonal relationships with fellow believers. The formula for building successful relationships with “one another” is only achievable in following the advice of our Lord. The arena is the Church and we are the cast of characters living out a cosmic drama that will result in our eternal salvation or our eternal damnation.
Twenty-Two Reasons to be in Fellowship, in Church.
1. "Be at peace with one another" (Mark 9:50). "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18). "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). "So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another" (Romans 14:19). Jesus is our peace; He broke down all barriers that divide us and made us into ONE BODY, "thus establishing peace" (Ephesians 2:14-18). "Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).
2. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you" (John 13:14-15). Jesus did not intend here to institute a new symbolic rite/ritual or an actual sacrament, rather He showed that "He, their leader, had stooped to serve their needs, and that they should do the same for one another. The emphasis is on the inner attitude of humble and voluntary service for others" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary)
3. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. This I command you, that you love one another" (John 15:12, 17). See also: Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 2:9-11; 3:10-11, 14-15, 23; 4:7-21.
4. "For I long to see you in order that .... you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith" (Romans 1:11-12). "...not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:25). "Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
5. "For as each of us has one body with many members, and not all the members have the same function, so too we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. We have gifts (abilities, talents) that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us" (Romans 12:4-6). "We are members of one another" (Ephesians 4:25). See also: 1 Corinthians 12:4-30; Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Peter 4:10.
6. "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10). "Let each of you regard one another as more important than himself" (Philippians 2:3). "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another" (1 Peter 5:5). "Submit to (defer to, be subject to) one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21).
7. "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited" (Romans 12:16). The NIV phrases it this way: "Live in harmony with one another." The NAB says: "Have the same attitude toward all." "May God, the source of all patience and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the Spirit of Christ Jesus" (Romans 15:5, NAB).
8. "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:8, 10).
9. "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another" (Romans 14:19). "Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). When each member of the Body does its part in love, it "causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16).
10. "Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God" (Romans 15:7). See also: Romans 14:1-3.
11. "And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another" (Romans 15:14). This is the Greek word noutheteo which means: "to place within the mind; to instruct; warning based on instruction" (Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words). The NIV says: "Competent to instruct one another." The NAB & NEB say: "Able to give advice to one another."
12. "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12). "Greet one another with a kiss of love" (1 Peter 5:14). A visible, physical expression of love and fellowship.
13. "There should be no division (schism, dissension) in the body, but the members should have the same care (equally concerned) for one another. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members share its joy" (1 Corinthians 12:25-26). "Help carry (bear) one another's burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
14. "Through love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). "As each one has received a special gift (talent, ability), employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10).
15. "Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance (bearing with, endure patiently) to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3). "Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace" (Colossians 3:12-15). "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31-32). "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed" (James 5:16).
16. "May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men" (1 Thessalonians 3:12). "Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and this you are doing with respect to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more" (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10). "The love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
17. "Therefore comfort one another " (1 Thessalonians 4:18). This is from a Greek word which conveys the idea of calling someone to your side and placing an arm around them for the purpose of giving comfort, consolation and encouragement.
18. "See that no one repays another with evil for evil (or "wrong for wrong"–NIV), but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
19. "Let us consider how to stimulate (stir up, rouse, spur on) one another to love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24).
20. "Be hospitable to one another without complaining (grumbling)" (1 Peter 4:9). "Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13). "An overseer, then, must be .... hospitable" (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).
21. "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere (unhypocritical) love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22). "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
22. "For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (I John 3:11). "And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us" (1 John 3:23). "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:11-12). "If someone says 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also" (1 John 4:20-21). "And now I ask you, lady, not as writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another" (2 John 5).
All twenty-two of these character building principles must be cultivated in community, together in fellowship. The nature and quality of these attributes we are to develop in ourselves and in one another can be achieved alone. God has gifted each member of his church to serve one another, to sustain one another and to build one another up... we can’t do that solo. It is near impossible to live a Christian life alone, apart from brotherhood and fellowship. the very idea runs counter to everything God has done for us.
It does beg the question... Why in the world did Christ decide to build his “body of believers”, out of sinful people and leave us with what seems like unending problems? Because he loved us enough to die for us and he knows we can do great things if we but let him rule in our lives. Most of us don’t let him do that, at least not with any consistency. So God recognizes our natural tendency to be resistant and “miss the mark”, by giving us these twenty-two ways to build relationships in brotherhood and fellowship. If we take his advice seriously, He has promised to work within us in the person of the Holy Spirit to make us wholly acceptable and worthy of eternal salvation.
The Church is not perfect and never will be this side of heaven. But Christ is! So we fasten our eyes on Him. We all do one of two things... try to hide our bad sides or we try to make them look good. But deep inside we all know that we fall short of living the way we know we should. No one can escape the charge of "hypocrite"—no one except Jesus Himself. He is the only One who has lived up to God's standards; the only One who has perfectly lived what He preached. Only through…Christ can we escape the penalty due our hypocrisy… By living within the security of Christ's love, we are free to peel off masks and to become real, honest people.
How you see GOD... affects the way you see the Church
God means for the Church, the Body of Christ, to be viewed with an awe, and if we aren’t viewing it that way, then we aren’t seeing it properly. Think about that.... the Church is people, so God expects us to see one another with awe? How is that possible? In those who first saw the Church, there was a transition that took place. It was reported that those early believers "were filled with awe" when they saw the body of believers in fellowship assembled together. Something very dramatic happened in their lives to the extent that they all abandoned their separate lives and were together and had everything in common. It’s not just, "Yeah, yeah, I know. They loved Jesus. They gave their lives to the Lord. They repented and turned away from sin. Something else happened, too. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to prayer, and to the breaking of bread—all these things have to do with other people and have to do with the Church. They instantly had a regard for the Household of God as something much more than a loose-knit affiliation of people who each believed in God. It was not just about praying in their prayer closets and then acknowledging these other people, "Well, they are Christians, too. I'm going to live for God, and they are going to live for God. So, we ought to at least try to get along and attend something together regularly.” That isn't how the believers 2,000 years ago viewed the Church.
The way they viewed the Church affected every ounce of their being. When each one saw the assembled body of believers in Christ, something radical happened in the way they began to function with one another. They now saw their lives as actually belonging to each other, rather than themselves. It wasn't just simply, "I believe the Messiah had come.” Something happened in the way they viewed other people. Something about Christ with His Head in heaven and His feet on earth was awe-inspiring to them and had a dramatic effect on their lives. It was a powerful thing they experienced, something very awe-inspiring was happening as a result of the Holy Spirit. It was really very simple... they knew who Jesus was, what he did and they knew they were His People on this earth. They saw it, they felt it and they responded to it... together.
The church today, doesn’t feel that same way. It is clear and evident from the way she has drifted into “churchianity”, rather than staying focused on Jesus. But the Church today is just as capable of “seeing” the awe in one another as those first century Christians. It’s not complicated, but it does require a change in thinking and repentance from our self-centeredness.
What is Church? What is a Christian?
From Jesus’ standpoint, for us not to discern the Body, is also not to discern Christ. For us to ridicule the Church or minimize the Church or not esteem this thing called the Church is in turn doing the same to Christ. We may in fact have good cause not to be in awe of the institution of the church. It is an organization dominated more by the ways and means of men today than by focus on Christ. We know that many who profess Christ and claim to be Christians are not acting and living as Christians, if measured against the Bible's definition of what it means to be a Christian.
The Bible defines Christians as ones who have forsaken all in order to be His disciple. They’ve lost their lives in order to find it. They’ve turned from sin and therefore can come to be called new creations because the old has been abandoned. They’ve died to sin and then they are buried it the water of baptism. With the exception of immersion, most people wouldn’t come anywhere near a description like that. Christians today look and act a lot like unbelievers... they want to live for themselves. The Scriptures say that such attitudes and lifestyle make them enemies of God. They love the world and have not died to sin, therefore they are children of the devil (1 John 3). So, most of what we’ve historically called “church” really isn’t Church, from a biblical standpoint. Remember, this is not judging... it’s simply an assessment of people who profess to be Christians, but display visible attitudes and actions contrary to a genuine profession of faith.
The Church and Christ are Inseparable
If you say you desperately love God, you cannot minimize or marginalize the relevance of loving the House of God, the body of Christ. We are the work of God's hands, the loving extension of God's heart... as Paul said in Colossians all who profess Christ are to be “loving the visible of the invisible God”.... one another.
It's essential that we see the connection between loving God and loving His Body... the Church. There is no concession that will allow us to think that we can love God, but loving His Body is secondary in importance. “I can be a Christian, but I don’t need the church.” Wrong thinking.
God in His infinite wisdom said that Jesus Christ is the head of the fullness of deity, and His Body, collectively, is the fullness of the authority and the power of Jesus. There is no authority and power apart from the Church!
Unless you are part of a local body of believers with God as part of what you are doing, Christ-honoring, Christ-centered, Bible-believing people who are walking in obedience to God—not just talking about it, but doing it, living it—then you are not in the fullness of deity and there is no power, no authority, no dominion.…none of those things exist in your life.
When you become a Christian, you are called into a relationship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). But I John 1:3 makes it clear that we enter a fellowship that goes two ways: with God and with other Christians.
The New Testament never speaks of Christians existing in isolation. All the way through, it assumes that everybody participates in their local assembly. It gives no examples of Christians who belong to the "universal church" but have no link with a local body of believers. Wherever and whenever Christians are within range of each other in the New Testament, they would meet with one another. Every time the apostle Paul comes to a town where there were no Christians, he wins a few converts and immediately organizes them into a small group - a small body of new believers, a little church.
Acts 20:7 reveals the practice of the early church.... "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them." For Christians in every location, regular gathering was a normal, expected and highly anticipated part of life.
It's illogical to say that anyone professing Christ can be merely part of the worldwide, universal church, yet refuse to gather with the segment of that universal church that exists in your geographical area. It would be like claiming you have a car, when the right fender is in Boston, the engine is in Paris, and the wheels are in Rangoon! You don't have a car; you have the beginning of the inventory for a junkyard. It just won't function until the pieces are put together in one place. The church is the same... it must be together to carry out many of its purposes.
Today however, many Christians are frustrated with the Church and rightfully so. The Church today is full of problems... front and center is wide spread hypocrisy among its so-called members.
Can a Christian survive apart from the church? Probably not. That’s the short answer and maybe not the one you wanted to hear. The purpose of this article is not to rehash all the reasons why people want to be known as a Christian but want to avoid today’s Church. It is however going to explain why being an active and engaged part of the “body of Christ” is essential to your eternal salvation. The body of Christ, the church is part of how God is working out our salvation, collectively, all together. God has provided us with twenty-two reasons why being together in assembly is essential for our spiritual growth.
Remember, our spiritual growth is part of preparing to live in brotherhood and fellowship for eternity. Spiritual formation takes place in the imperfect Church, in fellowship with a bunch of other imperfect, grumbling, nit-picking folks just like you. Here and now, this side of eternity, is where we master the art of living together. That means we’re going to struggle together in frustration, sometimes combating heresy and sin, but all the while we are allowing God to refine us, to develop the fruits of the Spirit in us... all in the context of what He programmed... His organization of assembled believers – the Church.
Let’s begin by recalling what Jesus commanded..... “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
Can there be any doubt as to our Lord’s expectations for us? He expects us to develop deep and abiding relationships not only with Him, but equally important, with one another. Because without “one another” we can’t truly be “in Him”. There is a great deal of instruction in the New Testament about how we are to cultivate our interpersonal relationships with fellow believers. The formula for building successful relationships with “one another” is only achievable in following the advice of our Lord. The arena is the Church and we are the cast of characters living out a cosmic drama that will result in our eternal salvation or our eternal damnation.
Twenty-Two Reasons to be in Fellowship, in Church.
1. "Be at peace with one another" (Mark 9:50). "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18). "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). "So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another" (Romans 14:19). Jesus is our peace; He broke down all barriers that divide us and made us into ONE BODY, "thus establishing peace" (Ephesians 2:14-18). "Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).
2. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you" (John 13:14-15). Jesus did not intend here to institute a new symbolic rite/ritual or an actual sacrament, rather He showed that "He, their leader, had stooped to serve their needs, and that they should do the same for one another. The emphasis is on the inner attitude of humble and voluntary service for others" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary)
3. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. This I command you, that you love one another" (John 15:12, 17). See also: Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 2:9-11; 3:10-11, 14-15, 23; 4:7-21.
4. "For I long to see you in order that .... you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith" (Romans 1:11-12). "...not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:25). "Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
5. "For as each of us has one body with many members, and not all the members have the same function, so too we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. We have gifts (abilities, talents) that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us" (Romans 12:4-6). "We are members of one another" (Ephesians 4:25). See also: 1 Corinthians 12:4-30; Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Peter 4:10.
6. "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10). "Let each of you regard one another as more important than himself" (Philippians 2:3). "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another" (1 Peter 5:5). "Submit to (defer to, be subject to) one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21).
7. "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited" (Romans 12:16). The NIV phrases it this way: "Live in harmony with one another." The NAB says: "Have the same attitude toward all." "May God, the source of all patience and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the Spirit of Christ Jesus" (Romans 15:5, NAB).
8. "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:8, 10).
9. "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another" (Romans 14:19). "Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). When each member of the Body does its part in love, it "causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16).
10. "Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God" (Romans 15:7). See also: Romans 14:1-3.
11. "And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another" (Romans 15:14). This is the Greek word noutheteo which means: "to place within the mind; to instruct; warning based on instruction" (Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words). The NIV says: "Competent to instruct one another." The NAB & NEB say: "Able to give advice to one another."
12. "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12). "Greet one another with a kiss of love" (1 Peter 5:14). A visible, physical expression of love and fellowship.
13. "There should be no division (schism, dissension) in the body, but the members should have the same care (equally concerned) for one another. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members share its joy" (1 Corinthians 12:25-26). "Help carry (bear) one another's burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
14. "Through love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). "As each one has received a special gift (talent, ability), employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10).
15. "Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance (bearing with, endure patiently) to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3). "Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace" (Colossians 3:12-15). "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31-32). "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed" (James 5:16).
16. "May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men" (1 Thessalonians 3:12). "Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and this you are doing with respect to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more" (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10). "The love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
17. "Therefore comfort one another " (1 Thessalonians 4:18). This is from a Greek word which conveys the idea of calling someone to your side and placing an arm around them for the purpose of giving comfort, consolation and encouragement.
18. "See that no one repays another with evil for evil (or "wrong for wrong"–NIV), but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
19. "Let us consider how to stimulate (stir up, rouse, spur on) one another to love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24).
20. "Be hospitable to one another without complaining (grumbling)" (1 Peter 4:9). "Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13). "An overseer, then, must be .... hospitable" (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).
21. "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere (unhypocritical) love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22). "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
22. "For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (I John 3:11). "And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us" (1 John 3:23). "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:11-12). "If someone says 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also" (1 John 4:20-21). "And now I ask you, lady, not as writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another" (2 John 5).
All twenty-two of these character building principles must be cultivated in community, together in fellowship. The nature and quality of these attributes we are to develop in ourselves and in one another can be achieved alone. God has gifted each member of his church to serve one another, to sustain one another and to build one another up... we can’t do that solo. It is near impossible to live a Christian life alone, apart from brotherhood and fellowship. the very idea runs counter to everything God has done for us.
It does beg the question... Why in the world did Christ decide to build his “body of believers”, out of sinful people and leave us with what seems like unending problems? Because he loved us enough to die for us and he knows we can do great things if we but let him rule in our lives. Most of us don’t let him do that, at least not with any consistency. So God recognizes our natural tendency to be resistant and “miss the mark”, by giving us these twenty-two ways to build relationships in brotherhood and fellowship. If we take his advice seriously, He has promised to work within us in the person of the Holy Spirit to make us wholly acceptable and worthy of eternal salvation.
The Church is not perfect and never will be this side of heaven. But Christ is! So we fasten our eyes on Him. We all do one of two things... try to hide our bad sides or we try to make them look good. But deep inside we all know that we fall short of living the way we know we should. No one can escape the charge of "hypocrite"—no one except Jesus Himself. He is the only One who has lived up to God's standards; the only One who has perfectly lived what He preached. Only through…Christ can we escape the penalty due our hypocrisy… By living within the security of Christ's love, we are free to peel off masks and to become real, honest people.
How you see GOD... affects the way you see the Church
God means for the Church, the Body of Christ, to be viewed with an awe, and if we aren’t viewing it that way, then we aren’t seeing it properly. Think about that.... the Church is people, so God expects us to see one another with awe? How is that possible? In those who first saw the Church, there was a transition that took place. It was reported that those early believers "were filled with awe" when they saw the body of believers in fellowship assembled together. Something very dramatic happened in their lives to the extent that they all abandoned their separate lives and were together and had everything in common. It’s not just, "Yeah, yeah, I know. They loved Jesus. They gave their lives to the Lord. They repented and turned away from sin. Something else happened, too. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to prayer, and to the breaking of bread—all these things have to do with other people and have to do with the Church. They instantly had a regard for the Household of God as something much more than a loose-knit affiliation of people who each believed in God. It was not just about praying in their prayer closets and then acknowledging these other people, "Well, they are Christians, too. I'm going to live for God, and they are going to live for God. So, we ought to at least try to get along and attend something together regularly.” That isn't how the believers 2,000 years ago viewed the Church.
The way they viewed the Church affected every ounce of their being. When each one saw the assembled body of believers in Christ, something radical happened in the way they began to function with one another. They now saw their lives as actually belonging to each other, rather than themselves. It wasn't just simply, "I believe the Messiah had come.” Something happened in the way they viewed other people. Something about Christ with His Head in heaven and His feet on earth was awe-inspiring to them and had a dramatic effect on their lives. It was a powerful thing they experienced, something very awe-inspiring was happening as a result of the Holy Spirit. It was really very simple... they knew who Jesus was, what he did and they knew they were His People on this earth. They saw it, they felt it and they responded to it... together.
The church today, doesn’t feel that same way. It is clear and evident from the way she has drifted into “churchianity”, rather than staying focused on Jesus. But the Church today is just as capable of “seeing” the awe in one another as those first century Christians. It’s not complicated, but it does require a change in thinking and repentance from our self-centeredness.
What is Church? What is a Christian?
From Jesus’ standpoint, for us not to discern the Body, is also not to discern Christ. For us to ridicule the Church or minimize the Church or not esteem this thing called the Church is in turn doing the same to Christ. We may in fact have good cause not to be in awe of the institution of the church. It is an organization dominated more by the ways and means of men today than by focus on Christ. We know that many who profess Christ and claim to be Christians are not acting and living as Christians, if measured against the Bible's definition of what it means to be a Christian.
The Bible defines Christians as ones who have forsaken all in order to be His disciple. They’ve lost their lives in order to find it. They’ve turned from sin and therefore can come to be called new creations because the old has been abandoned. They’ve died to sin and then they are buried it the water of baptism. With the exception of immersion, most people wouldn’t come anywhere near a description like that. Christians today look and act a lot like unbelievers... they want to live for themselves. The Scriptures say that such attitudes and lifestyle make them enemies of God. They love the world and have not died to sin, therefore they are children of the devil (1 John 3). So, most of what we’ve historically called “church” really isn’t Church, from a biblical standpoint. Remember, this is not judging... it’s simply an assessment of people who profess to be Christians, but display visible attitudes and actions contrary to a genuine profession of faith.
The Church and Christ are Inseparable
If you say you desperately love God, you cannot minimize or marginalize the relevance of loving the House of God, the body of Christ. We are the work of God's hands, the loving extension of God's heart... as Paul said in Colossians all who profess Christ are to be “loving the visible of the invisible God”.... one another.
It's essential that we see the connection between loving God and loving His Body... the Church. There is no concession that will allow us to think that we can love God, but loving His Body is secondary in importance. “I can be a Christian, but I don’t need the church.” Wrong thinking.
God in His infinite wisdom said that Jesus Christ is the head of the fullness of deity, and His Body, collectively, is the fullness of the authority and the power of Jesus. There is no authority and power apart from the Church!
Unless you are part of a local body of believers with God as part of what you are doing, Christ-honoring, Christ-centered, Bible-believing people who are walking in obedience to God—not just talking about it, but doing it, living it—then you are not in the fullness of deity and there is no power, no authority, no dominion.…none of those things exist in your life.
The Greatest Carpenter who ever lived wants to Renovate You!
In your Church experiences you may at times have wondered, “is this all there is”? “Isn’t there something more to being a Christian?” “This 'church thing’ is not at all fulfilling and I am not growing in Christ. What is the truth? Is there really anything that I could claim as truth, or is everything to be cast in relative shades of grey? There are so many churches and so many denominations. Is there any of them that really teach what the bible says? Even when I attend Church regularly and participate in ministries I never feel like its for me. Maybe I just don’t connect with God, or at least I don’t really understand how to connect with Him. I just feel that something is missing.” Have you ever experienced these thoughts? I think we all express similar feelings from time to time.
In deed there is much more to an abundant Christian life than the routines of weekly worship, occasional participation in ministry, quitting the big sins and trying to bear witness to our acquaintances about Jesus. We need more. Much more. Since the desire for more is within each of us, then it is surely God’s desire that we reach beyond ourselves and grow to deeper Christian maturity. We can’t do that alone, we need each other if we are to engage in intentional development of our relationship with God, in genuine Christian spiritual formation.
Christian spiritual formation is not simply improving the regularity of prayer or Bible study. It is not merely becoming personally accountable for our sins. Christian spiritual formation is the transformation of our spirit through the Spirit of Christ. As Christ-followers, our journey into spiritual formation has a clear destination: “until Christ is formed in you…” (Galatians 4:19)
Spiritual formation speaks of a shaping process of the spiritual dimensions of a person's life. We all have a spiritual dimension, a capacity to be in a relationship with the Living God. How do we accomplish this? It sounds like an almost impossible goal to attain! That is an all to often heard commentary from people who have become frustrated with the institutional church. Many feel disenfranchised, feeling like outsiders no matter how hard you’ve tried to fit in. Most likely the negative experiences you’ve had in the structured church are a result of not being taught how to focus on God and each other. God is more than ready to assist you in becoming just like His Son, Jesus! Wow! What an incredible prospect that exists for each one of us, to be “Christ-like”. I think you want that because there is an internal heart centered tugging that is pulling you to the Divine. We just have to be willing to engage with one another in the process, encouraging and stimulating one another to grow in Christ-like qualities and character.
Christlike spirituality is not a one-sided process. It involves both God and you working together to develop in you a desire and willing attitude if anything is to happen. We don't just get "zapped" into a new state of being without sinful desires and attitudes at our new birth into Christ. Spiritual formation is "a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the body of Christ, as well as those outside of the body.
Our loving God recognizes and appreciates the individual ways each of us approaches Him, and He encourages us to develop Christ-like characteristics to their fullest measure in our lives. He also challenges us to explore spiritual disciplines with which we are less comfortable as a way to add depth to our relationship with Him. This is where we need each other to grow. He gave us “fellowship” as His way of binding us together and nurturing our Christ-like potential. This doesn’t necessarily mean an organized “institutionalized church”. It means coming together because you want to be part of the “body of Christ”, in unity with others who have the same desire and the same life struggles we all experience.
Renovations4Living wants to add a little “salt and light” to your life, to your community. Far too many people today are giving up on God. Renovations understands how important it is to be a beacon of hope for those seeking to comprehend the troubled world we live in. To be “in Christ” and blessed by Him does not mean you need to be surrounded by the trappings of a church building with all of the structures that come with it. Spirituality, is to be lived and practiced in the lives of all believers. To accomplish that, we who are the body of Christ, need to grow in our personal spiritual formation, to be fully conformed to Christ-likeness.
I understand the cry of your hearts and the pain of feeling alienated by an unsatisfying church experience. I cannot mend the brokeness you may be feeling, only your willingness to yield to God, allowing Him to help you, will you experience the healing of a broken hear and spirit. Maybe through this blog, together we can discover that it's possible to know God deeply and discover the strength only He can provide to endure the challenging times we are living. Life in Christ is a continuous living journey of spiritual formation.
I invite you to engage with your friends and neighbors in making new friends through Renovations4Living. Share your thoughts, rediscover the path and rekindle the passion to a deeper relationship with God. If this small place opens the door for you to begin experiencing the kind of close connection to God you've longed for... and you discover the truly fulfilling Christian experience you've hoped for, then God will have done His work in transformation in your life!
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)
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