I am consumed these days with figuring out how to be a "real" Christian. Not one who just goes to church every Sunday, and doesn't swear, and runs the church fundraisers every now and then, and goes to youth camps in the summer. I mean a real, legitimate Christian.
But how do you do that? How do you know what to do, in order to best serve Christ? How do you obey Jesus when you can't hear Him? Maybe there just seem to be no opportunities to serve Him. Or maybe you've got many great opportunities - how do you decide which one is best?
The crux of the matter....is that I can't tell you. That's not something that anyone can tell you other than yourself. Christianity is many things, but a cookie-cutter religion it most certainly is not. Oswals Chambers writes, "Never make a principle out of your own experience; let God be as original with other people as He is with you." To that, Francis Chan has added, "Be careful not to turn others' lives into the mold for your own. Allow God to be as creative with you as He is with each of us."
God has called us each to a life of serving Him - but we have all been called to different types of service. Maybe you should sell all your things and move to the other side of the world. Maybe you should stay exactly where you are. Maybe you should quietly work behind the scenes of your local soup kitchen or other similar institution. The point is, that I cannot tell you. It is something that you must discern for yourself.
I know for some of you that may be disappointing to hear. So many of us - myself included - want to be told exactly what to do to be a "good" Christian. So then we go and do that checklist, content in the knowledge that we have done our duty, and are safe. But God wants us to be sold out for Him. Passionate obsession and dry checklists have no place with each other.
The only thing that I can tell you is this: live your life in the light of eternity. Love others and love God in everything that you do. Ask yourself, "Will this benefit those around me? Will this glorify God?" All of us, even Christians, will be called to give an account of our lives to the Most High God after we die. Are you doing things that you will be proud to tell God about? Or do they fill you with shame? Live your life in the light of eternity, and all of the confusing little incidentals will naturally fall into place.
But how do you do that? How do you know what to do, in order to best serve Christ? How do you obey Jesus when you can't hear Him? Maybe there just seem to be no opportunities to serve Him. Or maybe you've got many great opportunities - how do you decide which one is best?
The crux of the matter....is that I can't tell you. That's not something that anyone can tell you other than yourself. Christianity is many things, but a cookie-cutter religion it most certainly is not. Oswals Chambers writes, "Never make a principle out of your own experience; let God be as original with other people as He is with you." To that, Francis Chan has added, "Be careful not to turn others' lives into the mold for your own. Allow God to be as creative with you as He is with each of us."
God has called us each to a life of serving Him - but we have all been called to different types of service. Maybe you should sell all your things and move to the other side of the world. Maybe you should stay exactly where you are. Maybe you should quietly work behind the scenes of your local soup kitchen or other similar institution. The point is, that I cannot tell you. It is something that you must discern for yourself.
I know for some of you that may be disappointing to hear. So many of us - myself included - want to be told exactly what to do to be a "good" Christian. So then we go and do that checklist, content in the knowledge that we have done our duty, and are safe. But God wants us to be sold out for Him. Passionate obsession and dry checklists have no place with each other.
The only thing that I can tell you is this: live your life in the light of eternity. Love others and love God in everything that you do. Ask yourself, "Will this benefit those around me? Will this glorify God?" All of us, even Christians, will be called to give an account of our lives to the Most High God after we die. Are you doing things that you will be proud to tell God about? Or do they fill you with shame? Live your life in the light of eternity, and all of the confusing little incidentals will naturally fall into place.
Romans 14:10-19
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
It is written:“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.
If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.
Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
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