Character
Just a short note as I contemplate much today. I am preparing the final touches on Sunday mornings sermon out of Acts 6 & 7 looking at the Character of a Christian based on the life of Stephen. It has been compelling to me as it has caused me to look at my own life. Do I truly reflect Christ in Scripture, I mean truly reflect Him; not my opinion of Him, not what I think others see Him as, not what I want Him to be, but who He truly is in Scripture? As I have prepared I have read through a book written by Dan Crawford about the Wedgwood Church shootings in 1999. What a remarkable read, you can read it for free - http://www.wedgwoodbc.org/files/NightOfTragedy_ADawningOfLight.pdf (I would encourage you to take some time and read this - full of many who reflect Christlike Character.)
I have also been pursuing the web and looking at how the world views Christians and also how Christians themselves view their character, it has been disturbing to say the least. One of the most troubling things that I find is most Christians, like most Americans, will jump on any cause without really knowing or understanding it, even knowing the whole story. Many times this action has been devastating to the cause of Christ making Christians look ignorant, maybe even stupid at best. We look more like a club of hate mongers than reconcilers of sinners to our Savior.
Now let me be clear, we live in a depraved world FULL of sin in many forms. This sin will not be allowed into heaven and the only means to rid ourselves of sin is to turn to Christ, to repent, to mourn our sin, and follow Him fully. But what is happening instead of engaging a culture, a sin, a person (you fill in the blank) we mass attack and spew hate towards the lost and drive them further away from the cross. Sin must be dealt with but does yelling hate and acting foolish truly draw sinners to salvation? Perhaps you should read this - http://www.esvbible.org/search/John+4%3A1-29/, as well as this - http://www.esvbible.org/Mark+2.13-17/. Perhaps we should take another look at how we are reaching a lost world and maybe even, maybe even, we should look at how we are revealing the character of Christ to the lost.
As Christians we are not called to become lifeless zombies, but passionate pursuers of Christ. When we repent of sin and the Holy Spirit indwells us it is a call to complete and total transformation of who we once were into who God calls us to be in Christ Jesus. Make no mistake, this call is not a simple ask Jesus into your heart moment as we have made it in a culture of easily believism, it is a call to die to self. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+2%3A20&version=ESV, http://www.esvbible.org/Matthew+16.24-26/) Read the passage in Luke 14 http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+14.25-33/, the call to Christ is one that calls us to His priority, to His word, to His kingdom, to His righteousness, to His works and away from our kingdom we were building. Give this thought before you jump on a cause you know nothing about. Think about what Your relationship with Christ is supposed to be versus where it is today.
Have you given your life in totality to Christ. What does the world see you as? Do they see a risen Savior who reconciles all things to Himself, Who died that we may have life, Who beckons us to come and follow Him - have you counted the cost? If so, act like it. ("because it is written 'You shall be shall be Holy for I Am Holy.'" 1 Peter 1:16, NASB)
I have also been pursuing the web and looking at how the world views Christians and also how Christians themselves view their character, it has been disturbing to say the least. One of the most troubling things that I find is most Christians, like most Americans, will jump on any cause without really knowing or understanding it, even knowing the whole story. Many times this action has been devastating to the cause of Christ making Christians look ignorant, maybe even stupid at best. We look more like a club of hate mongers than reconcilers of sinners to our Savior.
Now let me be clear, we live in a depraved world FULL of sin in many forms. This sin will not be allowed into heaven and the only means to rid ourselves of sin is to turn to Christ, to repent, to mourn our sin, and follow Him fully. But what is happening instead of engaging a culture, a sin, a person (you fill in the blank) we mass attack and spew hate towards the lost and drive them further away from the cross. Sin must be dealt with but does yelling hate and acting foolish truly draw sinners to salvation? Perhaps you should read this - http://www.esvbible.org/search/John+4%3A1-29/, as well as this - http://www.esvbible.org/Mark+2.13-17/. Perhaps we should take another look at how we are reaching a lost world and maybe even, maybe even, we should look at how we are revealing the character of Christ to the lost.
As Christians we are not called to become lifeless zombies, but passionate pursuers of Christ. When we repent of sin and the Holy Spirit indwells us it is a call to complete and total transformation of who we once were into who God calls us to be in Christ Jesus. Make no mistake, this call is not a simple ask Jesus into your heart moment as we have made it in a culture of easily believism, it is a call to die to self. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+2%3A20&version=ESV, http://www.esvbible.org/Matthew+16.24-26/) Read the passage in Luke 14 http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+14.25-33/, the call to Christ is one that calls us to His priority, to His word, to His kingdom, to His righteousness, to His works and away from our kingdom we were building. Give this thought before you jump on a cause you know nothing about. Think about what Your relationship with Christ is supposed to be versus where it is today.
Have you given your life in totality to Christ. What does the world see you as? Do they see a risen Savior who reconciles all things to Himself, Who died that we may have life, Who beckons us to come and follow Him - have you counted the cost? If so, act like it. ("because it is written 'You shall be shall be Holy for I Am Holy.'" 1 Peter 1:16, NASB)
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