Are You Worthy Of Being Called A Christian?
Good Morning Friends,
People waffle at the idea of going to church these days preferring a spiritual experience in isolation from what is often considered to be hypocritical, and to be honest the institutional church is sometimes just that. The Nones as they are now called, those religiously unaffiliated, still ask God for help, but get a bit angry with God for not making life easier and so find it more socially acceptable to be disconnected. I wonder if they see the bigger picture of the long-term effects of holiness in the growth of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps the idea of sanctification eludes them. Perhaps they do not understand that if we are followers of The Way we are baptized into Christ’s death as well as to new life… and as a spark and little light we are to fan the flames of our faith as a body of believers. Who knows, maybe God is doing something new. Salt is not always seen. But I wonder how the Nones will bear fruit and if they bear no fruit how they can be a follower of Jesus. You see, what makes an orange tree and orange tree is its oranges. What makes a Christian a Christian is bearing fruit for the faith. So, Are You Worthy Of Being Called A Christian?
Scripture: and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:5-11 (NRSV)
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
Romans 6:3-9 (NRSV)
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”
John 6:37-40 (NRSV)
Message: The widow’s mite, doubled every ten years over 2000 years becomes a lot of dough in the scope of holy history. A little yeast gives rise to bread in an unseen way. So too, a disciple that disciples others who in turn disciples can have similar multiplying effects. Such is the way of holiness for it spills over into the lives of others. That is kingdom stuff. So, I wonder if maybe the numbers of true believers are not dwindling even while those who are in the pews are declining. Small groups gathering in homes may well be the future of the faith. So, I wonder if some of these Nones are in Christ, as the invisible action of the faithful. Perhaps you have thought about how you profess being a Christian in this new dynamic. If I were to ask, it might be difficult for you to give a meaningful answer as to how accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior has positively affected you given our culture. So how do you share your faith with someone who is unchurched? I am not talking about a textbook or verse quoting response but something from the heart. Ok, maybe you are ready and maybe not. No guilt trip here. So, if you are having some difficulty in articulating the benefits of justification, know you are not alone. Many just do not care about being reconciled. Some water down the message to make it more palatable. But Paul in today’s text lays it all out and it may be helpful to you in personalizing an answer that affirms a positive response to today’s question. Friends, in telling our stories it comes down to simply telling others what Christ means to each of us. It is about our hopes and fears and how we experience God in all our little deaths and little resurrections all in a way that prepares us for Christ to be incarnate in each of us. If you are looking for a free lunch you may be disappointed with our faith. If you are looking for filled pews, perhaps you need to think again. Friends, this is emotionally hard work. Oh, there is amazing grace, but there is more too it, why we gather in worship and sing and pray. Churches are populated with sinners so the why of our choice of our belonging is sometimes not so easy to explain. But the purpose is to make disciples and if you cannot count yourself as one seeking to double the number though discipling others, whether in the seen or unseen church we all might be disappointed. Regardless, the reality and the effect ultimately need an outward sign.
Pray we realize that none of us are worthy without Christ in us. Pray we have a story to tell that glorifies God and demonstrates the changes in us made possible by God’s grace. Pray the accounts of our faith stir the hearts of unbelievers. Pray we are no longer tormented by questions about our relationship with God arising out of the fact that we are sinners. Pray we are at peace with God. Pray we have a healthy reverence for God. Pray we are justified and believe it. Pray we become sanctified enabling us to make disciples. Pray we experience God’s love and share the story of it in our lives so others might know why we are Christians. Pray we are immersed in the faith. Pray we walk with Jesus in the newness of this life in the Spirit. Pray we love in a way that produces fruit for the Kingdom.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 