I grew up the son of a preacher. I have heard stories of my childhood, shaking everyone’s hand and wearing a suit and tie. As long as I can remember, I have been taught God‘s word, and I love to joke when I say that growing up in my father’s home, I received sermons every day of the week, not just on Sundays and Wednesdays. By the time I was converted at the age of 20, I had a treasure trove of biblical knowledge.
I love the story in Matthew 15, where the woman tells Jesus that if she were a dog, she would leave with her crumb from the Master’s table. She comes desperately but expectantly. Unfortunately, I resemble the disciples who are satisfied and guilty of little faith while we’re blessed to be seated at that table.
Like the disciples, there are times when we realize that we are guilty of being satisfied with good gifts and forgetful of the Giver. Somehow, over the last several generations, I believe we American evangelicals have morphed the Christian life into something that falls extremely short of the lived experience that the early church had in the New Testament.
Have you read your Bible, encountered the life of Paul or another old saint, and asked yourself, “I wish my life could be like that”? You probably weren’t thinking of their trials or suffering, but when we look at their lives and then glance over our own, are we left with the sense that something is missing. The Saints in the Bible seem to have a strength that has somehow evaded the church today. Since the local church is only as strong as its members, it stands to reason that we, as individual Christians, have lost something vitally important. Without even realizing it, we exchanged the biblical description of being a disciple of Jesus, keeping a list of religious expectations, and growing in biblical knowledge. No one would say this out loud, but it’s almost as if we don’t care if the content doesn’t drastically change our lives over time; just as long as we are growing in some knowledge and I’m checking off religious boxes, then I am doing my Christian duty. We do the best we can just as we would do anything else, and then go day after day just to wake up with the reality of going through the motions and no heavenly reality lingering in our daily lives. We go to church week after week, trying to act like we have it all figured out and all together, not realizing that most of what we do is powered by self. We say that we are walking with Jesus, but the dust on our Bibles grows thicker, and if we pray, we don’t expect our requests to go any farther than our breath may take them.
After being saved for almost 20 years now, I can tell you that I have learned a very valuable lesson that all of us, as born-again believers, must learn. This lesson shows that there is a difference between religion and relationship. Is it important to grow in our knowledge of God’s word? Of course, it is. But what good is it if it just stays between your ears and never finds its way to your heart, where it changes you inside and out? It would be like a married couple who speak to each other if necessary and don’t spend much time together, wake up one day, and are very unsatisfied with their marriage. But friend, is this what you and I do to our Savior? We may do many religious things and think we are walking with Jesus, but are we experiencing Him in our lives as we would experience any other human relationship? Are Christians new creatures? Yes. Are we a new man? Yes. Has our criminal record been made clean by the blood of Christ? Yes. Are we perfect immediately after being born again? No. As the old song goes, “He is still working on me” because I don’t always act like Jesus. Even though my heart has changed and I will never be the same, my flesh must be reprogrammed.
Oh, brother and sister, we cannot afford to let the devil ensnare us to go about our daily lives like the rest of the world. We are so busy doing this and going there and working a job that can hopefully provide for our families and grab our piece of the American Dream. This is a worldly mindset that cannot please God. 1 Cor. 3: 1-3, I believe, really makes this as plain as possible.
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
There must come a time in the lives of believers when we must, with intention and perseverance, take God’s sharp sword and put to death our flesh. Maybe the fact is that we spend so much energy trying to be comfortable and ensure smooth sailing that we are never able to let ourselves feel the desperation that would drive us to wrestle with God as Jacob of old. I want to be liked and have as few problems as anyone else may, but if that causes us to never take a stand for Christ, then we will fall for anything the world dangles in front of us.
Oh, brother and sister, it is time for us to listen to the rumbling of our souls and stir up a desire to grow spiritually until we reach the full measure of Christ. We need to see God move in our lives and churches with the power to save lost souls and perfect the saint. It’s time that we turn the TV off, put the phone down, clear out the rooms of our hearts filled with entertainment, hobbies, and frivolous things galore, and throw them away so that Christ may have more room. May He increase in our hearts for the sake of those around us. But may He also increase in our hearts as a husband and wife grow in the depths of their love for one another. May we increasingly want Christ Himself more. May He be the treasure that we sell all to obtain. Do not settle for just forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternity one day. You were made to live for more.
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