Casual Christianity is what I see ‘round about me and more importantly, all throughout me. As I read over the churches in Revelation 2 & 3 I saw how even the dearest churches still failed in some parts. As I look at my own life I wonder as the apostles did, “Who then can be saved?”, and more particularly, “How then can I be counted among those who are saved?”.
Even to the lukewarm church of Laodicea He gives a way out; “… therefore be zealous and repent.” But similarly to the church at Laodicea, Casual Christians should be spat out of the mouth of God. I still feel like … no, I still know I am holding back my full heart from God and holding on to my comforts ... which are really not comforts but hindrances and ‘the sin which so easily entangles’ me. My spirit desires to be zealous and holy in ever increasing measure but my flesh is strong. It is like when a young boy wrestles with his father; my flesh overpowers me. I doubt not the strength of God to hold me fast in His gift of salvation, but I see daily my frailties and my inability to stand strong against my darling lusts. I trust fully in His power to save, but I also trust fully I have not put both hands to the plow of sanctification; nor plowed over the fallow ground of my will. It seems too often to be hard clay. A farmer plows to churn and stir up the soil; to make it tender and receptive; to get it ready for new birth leading to vital growth and the bearing of much fruit. If I replace the word soil with heart, it works well.
I could go on (and I will, Deo Valente!), but I end this by saying I need much prayer and to pray much. I need to be zealous and repent. I need to put both hands to the plow of my sanctification and look not away from my darling sins and thus be lured in, but fix my eyes on the Author and Perfecter of my faith. Although I see Casual Christianity ‘round about me, I MUST be humble and look inward first. My analogy of the flight attendant’s instructions fits here. Her instruction on what to do if the plane should lose cabin pressure and the oxygen masks drop down … “Put your own mask on first, then you will be able to assist those who need help.” It isn’t that I need to become perfect before I can help others; it is that I need to be fully engaged with the depth of my own depravity before I can be of any good assistance.
