WARNING: As Christians we often encounter Truths that we don’t want to hear, but need to hear. It may come from a close friend who tells us we need to stop using profanity because it is not Christ-like and hurts our testimony. It could be a plethora of other things.
The truth is,
Following Jesus means we will frequently have to deny our own desires and feelings, and even our own “rights” at times.
Jesus and the first century Christians were falsely accused, arrested, tortured, imprisoned, and even killed for remaining faithful to the teachings of Christ. Somewhere over the past few decades there has been a major shift in the Christian perspective of following Jesus in the United States. It has become, “I’m a Christian and will do what the Bible says, as long as I am comfortable with it and I can have my way.” The term “comfortable Christianity” emerged from this shift in Christian behavior, but the reality is that the phrase “comfortable Christianity” is an oxymoron. If you are not sure what that means, it simply means the two words “comfortable” and “Christianity” are not compatible. There is no such thing.
At the risk of sounding insensitive to anyone, I would remind anyone reading this that my life, and yours if you are a Christian, is commanded in Scripture to be fully submitted to the Lordship of Christ. By default, that will cause us great discomfort at times in our lives. That is true because our natural desire is to live our lives in a way that we see fit (in the flesh). But, living a life fully submitted to Christ and being led by the Spirit will cause us to have to deny ourselves, our feelings, and our perspective even, as we take up our cross and follow Him. The cross is an instrument of death used figuratively here to help us understand the cost of following Jesus. Consider these verses:
- “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.‘” (Matthew 16:24-25)
- “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Neither Jesus, nor Paul, were saying that you will have to physically lose your life to follow Jesus and His teachings (although some Christians will). They were speaking of dying to our “rights” to make decisions on our own apart from Him and His teachings. Jesus and Paul were speaking to that sinful disposition we each have inside of us that drives us to do things that are contrary to Christian behavior. In fact, Paul had the same struggle and explained it like this:
- “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:15-20)
The Good News about this struggle is that we have access to the power needed to overcome this struggle that leads us into sinful behavior and speech. Paul went on to say:
- “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24)
Now that we understand what God’s Word says about submitting to Christ and denying ourselves, I want to ask you a question.
Are you a Christian?
If you said yes, then it is time to heed the Apostle Paul’s words to us:
- “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and SLANDER as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31)
Have we forgotten that we live in a fallen world and everyone is loved by God and deserves our prayers and Grace?
Have we forgotten that such were we at one time (and often still are)?
- BUT, God demonstrated His love for US that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)
I am convinced that if Christians would stop spending so much time trolling Facebook for more “news” to “share” that is slanderous and promotes more division, and spend that time meditating on God’s word and reacting to God’s Word accordingly, then the Church would bring about the needed change we are longing for. Being Social Media activists, and coffee shop slanderers are not part of the Great Commission or the Sermon on the Mount taught by Jesus (which teaches us how we should respond in these times of turmoil).
There is no way to justify our behavior when it is in direct contradiction to the Word of God. Our feelings will be hurt many times throughout our lifetime. Jesus experienced it as well as the disciples.
We are called to rise above offenses and be people of Grace, Forgiveness, and Prayer, and speakers of life-giving words that build up rather than tear down. The Church in America is losing its voice because we will not practice what we preach. We want forgiveness when we offend, but don’t want to extend forgiveness when we are offended. We want grace when we sin, but don’t want to extend grace when others sin. May God help us all when we allow our feelings dictate our actions instead of the Holy Spirit guiding us as Christians according to the “code of conduct” found in the New Testament.
Now is the time for Christians to recapture a true commitment to the Lordship of Christ if we are to ever make a difference in our world and fulfill the Great Commission. Let’s pray for one another, and let’s begin to walk in accordance with the teachings of the Lord we say we follow: Jesus.
May the Lord keep you and sustain you as you follow Him.
-Pastor C.
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