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.
4 comments:
it is much easier to notice a falling short in a friend or family member, or to whisper quietly to others about their casual Christianity. but the moment i look outward first, without an honest look at myself, i would do better to condemn my own casual Christianity...for that is what I am guilty of.
I praise God that He has given us the oxygen masks, when what we really deserve is plummet to the earth and die in a fiery crash.
Paul is the guy in Scripture who is a real "mile marker" for me. As I grow in faith, time after time the light bulb goes off and things he said suddenly make sense; things I thought I had understood for years. I realize now that I was wrong when I thought I understood what he meant when he said, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" I still don't get it when it comes to my sin. I am so sick that I actually take pride in admitting my depravity! I too am surrounded by casual Christianity, but at this particular moment I don't so strongly desire to go to heaven to get away from them, but to leave my own body of sin. I am not suffering from condemnation, because I trust and believe God when He tells me there is none coming from Him. However, at this time I am not well. I know it is Jesus who will, "...rescue me from this body of death..." but it sure feels like it will take my literal/physical death. I don't feel condemned - I guess I would say I feel disqualified. With our understanding of the phrase I believe it would be accurate to say I am "further along in my faith" than many others, and therefore have things to share with them and speak into their lives. But with this knowledge comes the additional enlightenment that I am not living out what I am teaching. There is absolutely no solace in believing I am better comparatively. I am only called to compare myself to Jesus Christ, and this morning I can't think of anything I would rather do than throw dust on myself and weep; not because I finally understand what a wretched man that I am, but because I finally understand that I don't get it yet."
Le (dry and parched) Bear
February 2, 2009 9:45 AM
Hmmmm.... So, can we ever NOT be "casual Christians," then? Is it possible in this life to reach that point? Somewhat rhetorical because I know it is not if it is dependent on killing our flesh completely. However, we must always start with ourselves. Just the other day, I found myself thinking that someone I thought was possibly a Christian was not because he blatantly used the "s" word in conversation with me. I thought, "Hmmmm, maybe he's not a Christian because he cussed and didn't think a thing about it." Then I go around cussing a blue streak when I loose my temper - hypocrite! Thank God that it is his son he sees when he looks at us. Thanks for sharing, Rocket.
I like how you roll, kk.
I have been thinking lately about a quote I heard that gave me an unthought of perspective. It said that hell is our rejection of the presence of God. Not looking at it like the Lord punished me and I'm in hell, but in the way that we had a choice to be in the Lord's presence. We have a choice to be lukewarm or not. We have a choice to fight the flesh. Oddly, my flesh has been in overdrive as I've been pondering such things. But I believe that even that internal fight can somehow plow and stir the soil of my heart...if I am begging for the Lord. It also can harden the soil if I turn to my lusts and passions.
Both hands on the plow of sanctification. Lord break my pride to make it possible!
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