Monday, April 7, 2008
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;
prove your own selves.
Know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 2ND CORINTHIANS 13:5
Good Morning!
The first week of June, I’ll celebrate my 25th Anniversary in the ministry. Over the years it has
been my privilege to knock on thousands of doors and to talk to hundreds of people about their
relationship with Christ and His Church.
I’ve often asked those I meet on the streets: “Are you a Christian?” Rarely does anyone offer an
outright “No.” Most say “yes” and then offer the name of a church they attend. Of course, what I
mean by “Christian” is a lot more about “being” than it is about anything else.
All this has got me to thinking about the different kinds of Christians I’ve met. Although there
are some people who may fit into more than one group, I believe there are generally seven groups.
Do you consider yourself a Christian because so many people in your community are Christians
or because so many people in your family are Christians? Then you may be what we will call a
COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN. For you Christianity is a matter of civic identity or family
heritage, not a matter of personal commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. This kind of civic faith
was popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
Do you think of yourself as a Christian because you believe in helping the poor and you like
Christianity’s emphasis upon love, and forgiveness, and compassion? Then you’re an
IDEOLOGICAL CHRISTIAN. The grand ideas of the faith are attractive to you. Loving God
and loving your neighbor sound like good concepts to you, though like the Community Christian
you would not consider yourself personally committed to Christ.
Do you think of yourself as a Christian because you religiously follow the rituals of your
particular Christian church? The RITUAL CHRISTIAN finds security in the forms of worship
and in careful attention to the church calendar (i.e. Easter and Christmas Services). Some Ritual
Christians believe that the rite of baptism is what secures their salvation. Others may cling to
one or several other Christian rituals (i.e. Observing the Lord’s Supper, Church membership, etc)
as proofs of their Christianity.
Do you think of yourself as a Christian because you enjoy your Christian friends and the
excitement of your church experience? SOCIAL CHRISTIANS are Christians because of the
strong social network they have in the Christian community. Their attraction to a church is
often based on the programs, opportunities for social interaction, and the kinds of people who
attend.
Are you a Christian because Christianity works for you? Does it meet a need you have? For some
it may be a system that brings order to life. For others, Christian faith is a means to better health
or financial gain. PRAGMATIC CHRISTIANS say, “Christianity works for me, so it must be
the way to live!” If it is not working as well as they expect, they are likely to see themselves as
the obstacle.
Do you think of yourself as a Christian because you believe that God’s Word is true? Are you
firmly convinced that God’s will is revealed in the Bible, that God’s will is logical, and that God’s
will is always best? Then you are a BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN. Your Christian faith rests on your
unshakable conviction that the Bible is the Word of God, and you seek to order your life
according to the Word of God. You will not make any major decisions without first consulting
the Bible for guidance.
I have come to see that there is one other kind of Christian. This is the Christian who not only
understands the Word of God, but truthfully loves what Jesus loves and hates what He hates.
Their lives are an expression of pure love for their Savior. We will call these HEART
CHRISTIANS.
…If no-one in their community or family were Christian, they would still be Christian.
…If the ideas of Christianity were challenging and hard to receive, even countercultural,
they would still be Christian.
…If there were no rituals or Church membership they would still consider themselves
to be Christian.
…If there were no churches, no concerts, no great church theatrical productions, no
special programs, church dinners or coffee and donuts, they would still be
Christian.
…If Christianity cost them their fortune or was hazardous to their life, or if they spent
their entire lives struggling in pain or in poverty, they would still be Christian.
…If the Bible required great faith and tremendous sacrifice, they would still be Christian.
These are the people who take seriously the Great Commandments of the Lord Jesus:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:
this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
MARK 12:30,31
Jesus was talking to a Scribe when He spoke these widely quoted words. When the Scribe heard
our Lord’s answer, he agreed! Read his reply to the Lord, and pay close attention to the Lord’s
conclusion:
And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth:
for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding,
and with all the soul, and with all the strength,
and to love his neighbor as himself,
is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
MARK 12:32-34
Did you see it? Here was a man who affirmed all that we would affirm as Christians. There is
one God. We must love him with all our heart, understanding, soul, and strength. We are to
love our neighbor as ourselves. And loving God and our neighbor is far more important than
burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Why then, did Jesus say to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God?”
It is because believing spiritual truth is not what saves us. It is receiving Christ. It is identifying
ourselves with Him. It is loving what and who He loved. It is detesting what He abhorred. It is
casting ourselves into His loving arms. It is our will agreeing with His will in everything. It is
our complete confidence that His sacrifice and His resurrection are sufficient to wash, to
sanctify, and to justify our souls. (1st Corinthians 6:11).
This is what I meant in the third paragraph of this letter. Christianity is more about “being” than
anything else. Being His!
It is our prayer that everyone reading this letter will today determine to BE CHRIST’S. That all
who are “not far from the Kingdom” will right now come into the Kingdom. And that the
Community of Faith we call FCC, would be known as a place where real people found real
salvation through real faith in our real Savior.
We are looking forward to seeing you this weekend at FCC! We will be having a special time of
prayer for those who are seeking Salvation, God’s healing touch, or God’s special guidance. If you
have a special request, and cannot be in the service, please give us a call or send us an e-mail or
letter. We will remember your need as we pray.
THIS SUNDAY WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS!
Don’t miss this exciting message. We believe that God is raising up 1ST CENTURY
CHRISTIANS IN THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH!
Onward!
Pastor Richard M. Jones
FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH
2969 North Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri 63074
Church Phone (314) 298-5840 - Home Phone (314) 291-4332
Personal Cell Phone (314) 607-1424 - Fax (314) 298-7442
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