LUKE 6:46 -KJV ” Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say? “
In today’s world there are millions of people who consider themselves to be Christians. But what does that really mean? What did Jesus have to say about the subject?
Of course the most basic and simple answer is that a Christian is a follower of Christ. Yet, in Luke 6:46 Jesus poses a question well worthy of note. It is such a simple question. If we claim to be a Christian and thereby accept His Lordship why do we not do that which Jesus says?
Notwithstanding salvation which is a gift from God and that the grace we receive is unmerited and freely given, should we not ask ourselves upon occasion, how deep does our commitment to the Lord go?
In other words, do you have a strong desire to be the finest example of a Christian as is possible in your life? Not because it can earn you entry into God’s kingdom; for it most certainly cannot. But, because you love Jesus so much, to do otherwise may cause you to weep. Do you love Him so much you are willing to surrender? Will you yield to The Holy Spirit more each day? I fully admit, there are days I sorrrowfully fall short of this lofty goal. Therefore, I do not seek herein to preach, but rather entreat you in posting this message.
Matthew 10:37 KJV. “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
I believe these words apply to us even as Christians today. I am aware that there were those during the ministry of Jesus who wanted to wait until after the passing of a parent before following Him. But, one only need to look at the Lord’s response.
Jesus is calling us to follow Him fully today and in a way that leaves no doubt we belong to Him. In other words, it should be obvious to those around us that we belong to Christ. In Matthew 7:20 we read we can learn by the fruits of others what kind of nature they have. Or, dare I say who they follow? In the preceding verses we are warned of false prophets and their fate. The principle is sound. What kind of fruit do we bear?
When I was a young man I had a sincere strong desire to get married and have a family. Certainly on the face of it, nothing wrong there. Yet, as I went along my path I erred in that, in some of lifes choices and at times somewhat unwittingly in my heart I put that desire before my Lord. I confess that in certain situations I was aware of a small feeling that nagged at me. The results would eventually lead me to great sorrow later in life. What I am talking about here is the benefits of total surrender to Christ in all things.
You see, as we mature as a Christian we should be applying more of God’s principles to our lives. The progression works something like this: We find salvation, and trust God. We learn and grow in the Word and learn Godly principles, literally ” putting on the mind of Christ”; we share our faith along the way and continue to grow. Eventually we gain wisdom and somewhere in this mix we begin to share Christ with others and in our sharing we bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
In this article I am asking you to engage in a bit of self examination. The steps are as follows. First, are we doing the things the Lord instructed us to do? (Luke 6:46). Secondly, are we worthy of Him? (Matthew 10:37). Third, are we bearing fruit? (Matthew 7:20 and others). These are some of the things I believe God has been asking me this past year. Would you consider asking those questions of yourself as well?
Sometimes it’s not always easy to spot the things in our lives that have crept in to push us farther away from the Lord. The odd thing is that often the most mundane things can do it. We must ask who sits on the throne of our hearts? Is your version of Christianity subjugated to your politics?That is to say that within your belief system which is predominantly affecting the things you do and say? To which do you yield in the event of ideological conflict? Or, maybe your love of sports is so great it precludes you from attending church regularly? Perhaps you have foolishly allowed yourself to become buried in debt? Did you reach for your credit card a time or two when you could have taken the need to God in prayer?I believe there are a multitude of practical ways we can and should apply God’s principles to our lives. However, in order to this we must keep God in the forefront of our daily lives. Don’t get me wrong, although I personally recommend the avoidance of debt when possible, I’m not suggesting that it’s a sin every time you use a credit card!
What I am saying is that we should involve our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in every part of our lives including the practical day to day things. In this way we avoid relegating our faith to the back burner. (No, I’m not saying we need to pray to know God’s will to pick what brand of toothpaste we use. We will get to that subject a bit later). Our faith, my faith, your faith must not be merely theoretical in nature. Let me say that again another way. You must not be a Christian purely in theory only! To do so would mean little or in some cases nothing at all. It would in essence dilute the faith and to some extent perhaps even weaken the church at large.
In closing I’d like to ask you, will you ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal to you any things that you haven’t surrendered to the Lordship of Christ? To His Spirit? And, in what practical ways you could apply your faith? Lastly, will you exhalt Jesus fully to his rightful place on the throne of your heart? Don’t just be a theoretical Christian. Involve Christ in all that you do in your life. Jesus is there to help and you can depend on Him and His love.
In Christ,
-Brother Bill
Christ Talk 