Why not follow Christ?

Why would someone not follow Christ?

Four broad categories help me understand where people are with their understanding of faith in God.  It takes time to listen to people to know what they are thinking.  It might be more important to listen than talking too much.  If you are sharing your faith, make sure you do this with gentleness and respect.  Here are four people to whom I like to talk.

1.  Intellectual- some have heard something that they believe to be true that contradicts the teachings of Christ and the Bible.  All of us have had to wrestle with what we believe as well as why we believe the things we do.  What convinced us that there is a God?  Why do we believe the Bible to be true?  As we care for people we must take on their questions as well.  For the informational roadblock, give answers and invite them to trust Christ.  

2.  Willful- some do not want to follow Christ.  If I surrender my ways to God I would have to change. Some people do not believe in God because they do not want God in their life.  Answers do not help if a person will only do what they want.  Many atheist have no reason for their belief.  It just fits what they want to believe.  For the willful, pray for them and give them time.  

3.  Informational- This person is usually more open to answers.  It is possible that no one has shared what the Bible teaches about how to have a right relationship with God.  For the informational roadblock, simply share how they can receive God's gift of eternal life.

4.  Religious- This person would feel they are good with God.  Likely a religious person told them if they keep some church rules that they would be ok with God. The religious person might compare themselves with others and hope that God will grade on a curve.  For the religious, invite them to trust in Christ and Christ alone for eternal life.  


If you are sharing Christ with people that you care about, ask them what would keep them from trusting Christ to lead their life?  Listen, care and yes you should share the truth about Christ.  

Help, I need somebody!

Paul talked about how the results of being in Christ will produce a life that gives to others expecting nothing in return.  That is love defined.  Love is the result of living a life surrendered to God.  Those who live their lives surrendered to God will help others.  

If you are spiritual, you can help someone who is stuck in a self destructive behavior.  You should make sure they want help.  You should consider if helping them will tempt you into self destruction.  You can not help everyone.  You can find people that you can help.  If you are in Christ, you will naturally find people so that you can help them.  

Have you grown in life through seeking God and letting God and others help you in the challenges of life?  If you are able to walk in a right relationship in trusting God, then you will be able to help others.  As you mature in your walk with God you will help others.

If you are not helping others then you are not mature in how you walk with God.  If you are growing in living right before God you will come to a point where you want to start helping people.  

So, who are you helping?  How are you helping others?  Where are you in public so that you can find people that you can help?  

How to know what is on the inside

How to tell what kind of citrus tree you have.  I am sure there are some who can tell what the fruit will be by looking at the leaves.  But for a rookie like me, just wait till you can taste the fruit.  When you see the fruit you can always tell what is inside of the tree.

So it is with people.  Keeping rules works on the outside.  But the most important thing is faith expressing itself through love. Those who put their faith in Christ have the Holy Spirit living inside.  If they are healthy, there will be fruit.  If the fruit is not right, then check on what is inside.

A person who follows Christ has a capacity to do right with God's help.  They still have a capacity to live sinful.  But, the sin is taken care of at the cross.  Picture this; our sin has been nailed to the cross.  Take your sin that keeps getting back into your life and picture it nailed to the cross.

Now you can bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness are the result of trusting God today.  I hope my life today will bear the fruit of living a surrendered life to God.  

Not by human effort

It is not by human effort.  Salvation.  Made right with God.  Living to follow Christ.  All this is by faith.    Not by my works.  

I like this because everyone is able.  If it is not from my effort, it is not my ability.  Some have learned structure and discipline.  These are good things.  But, any that were not raised with this can still be right with God.  Some with less ability are still able to be made right with God.  It is more like giving up, surrendering and trusting what God has provided.  

I like this because there cannot be a list.  When there is a list of things I do to be right with God, it becomes about me.  It is not my performance.  I cannot brag about what I have done.  When someone comes up with a list of what I do to get grace or what I do to see God work in my life they are wrong.  

The person who misses out is the one who feels they are good enough.  Some who might compare them selves with others and feel if God grades on a curve might think they are ok with God.  

But didn't God give a list?  A list of commandments?  Like about 10?  To Moses? Why did God give a list?  To show us that we do things that are wrong.  We all sin.  The list that God gave us is to show us that we have missed the mark.  We all fall short of God's standards.  See verses below.

Thankful for the freedom we have in Christ.  We come to Christ by faith.  We live a life following Christ by faith.

Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins.  Galatians 3:19

3How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

5I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.  Galatians 3:3-5

Free from old rules

Sent home from church? I some how missed the new rules on dress code for any who would stand up on the platform. So I drove home in my 1960 Ford Falcon to put on a coat and tie, then back to church, to be allowed to play my trumpet for special music.

The year was about 1980 and the pastor was a new seminary grad.  He was trying hard, but making a bunch of rookie mistakes.  I am sure he has changed by now. 

I am thankful for many changes in current churches. I showed a video from Steve Fee last Sunday.  He broke a bunch of the old rules.  His hair was too long, drums on the stage, forgot his coat and tie.  But there is a new emphasis on leading people into the presence of God. We need that.

Some of this is just a better fit for our culture.  But, some of this is better fitting to the teachings of the Bible.

Back in the first century, some religious people were putting rules in place.  They taught that salvation even depended on keeping their rules.  Paul makes a stand to keep the gospel straight.  He said; "They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations." Galatians 2:4

The Bible is not about a bunch of rules. Following Christ is not just keeping a code of laws. Those who teach a list of rules as a means of Grace are false teachers.  

Living by faith in God is the answer.  It was the answer before and after Christ dying on the cross.  So thankful for the freedom that we have in Christ.  So, I am working on memorizing these verses.  And planning to let Christ way show through in how I live today.  Not rules but living for Christ in everything I do. 

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law--I stopped trying to meet all its requirements--so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in the is earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20.

I could have no greater JOY

What happens when a 15 year old is moved away from his home.  He was a royal descendant or from nobility.  He is taken 500 miles from home and likely walked as a prisoner of war.  Because he is smart and good looking he is offered the best of food and wine to go with training for a job in a palace.  

Some teens might see this as a chance to do whatever they like.  

Would he remember who he is?  Would he hold to values that really matter?  Would he live by truth?  

The man is Daniel.  He passes the test.  We do not even know  who his parents are.  Possible they could have even been killed during the besiege of Jerusalem under the reign of King Jehoiakim.  Daniel is offered things that were wrong according to the God of Israel.  He risked his life to object.  He asked permission to hold to these values.  He requested a test in consideration of those who were training him.  He watched God protect him.  

This might be the whole goal of parenting.  This fits the purpose of making disciples.  

I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.  III John 1:4

All the conditions can change.  Roles, jobs, finances can all change in life.  Almost a for sure thing is that everything will not go the way you think it will.  But will you know who you are no matter what changes around you?

So many teenagers crash.  Too many step into patterns of self destruction.   

Making disciples includes helping our children to be able to stand.  It also must go beyond our family to offer help to people outside of our church and family.  We should do this in the way that Jesus did.  Helping people be able to walk in a way pleasing to God.  

Looking to make disciple makers, this week.  

Can we really ask for anything?

You can quote Jesus on this.   Yes ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  John 14:14

What great news.  Because I saw this really nice red muscle car the other day.  I don't have the money for it.  I can just ask Jesus for the new car.

Right?

If you have been studying the Bible for long, you have learned some rules of interpreting literature.  Read the context.  If you quote the president out of context you could make him look better or worse than he actually is.  You could do the same with the Bible.

Jesus did not say this in the temple.  There were many religious leaders in the temple.  Most of them were out of touch with God.  They were better at teaching rules, traditions and keeping their success in religion.  

Jesus did not teach this to the crowds.  He did tell the crowds to bring requests to God.  He told them how God cared like a father cares for his children.  

But, the Bible teaches that selfish prayers are not answered.  And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure.  James 4:3

Jesus told his disciples to ask for anything.  In John 14, this is the night before Jesus dies on the cross.  The disciples would take on the work that they had been doing, but without Jesus leading them.  Most of them would die for declaring the truth about God.  In prayer they would still have everything they need to do the work that God wanted them to do.  

You can ask Jesus for anything if you are living in the way of the disciples.  If you have decided to walk in the ways of Christ.  If you live life to help people the way that Jesus did.  

When I go out to help people the way Jesus did, I need his help.  I need an understanding to know how God sees people around me.  And yes resources as I sacrifice what I have to live on this mission.  

Working to live this out today.