As I continue to do my coffee house reading, the more my heart is burdened for the so called Christian's and the church across the world. The further I read through "Follow Me", the more I realize how far off Christianity is from who God's people ought to be. Are we just another religion or are we a people with a direct relationship with our savior? Let me say this, when we are truly saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, we must be compelled to pursue Christ's calling and follow him. We cannot sit back and allow Christianity to become a mere religion. We must be active, as disciples of Christ, and go out making disciples of Christ. If this does not happen, we fall back in line with every other religion! "I realized that they all shared one common denominator: in every religion, a teacher (or series of teachers) prescribes certain paths to follow in order to honor God (or different gods) and experience salvation (however that is described)."
The only aspect that sets us apart from every other religion is this: "When Jesus came on the scene in human history and began calling his followers to himself, he did not say, Follow certain rules. Observe specific regulations. Perform ritual duties. Pursue a particular path. Instead, he said, Follow me". What we have different, we have a savior who came to be human, to call us, invite us into a personal and saving relationship with him, not on our own merit, but all based upon his love and mercy. He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. The call of Jesus was, Come to me. Find rest for your souls in me. Find joy in your heart from me. Find meaning in your life through me." Matthew 11: 58-60: "all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
As it seems, we have let Christianity become a mere religion. Superficial religion consists of only believing certain truths and doing certain things. The curse of this religion is the constant attempt to do outward things apart from inward transformation. You desire to do good, live a solid life according to these rules, but it has no affect on your heart. "Jesus did not come so that we might live a life of superficial religion. He came so that we might receive new life through super natural regeneration." To do this, we have one great need: A new heart, which is only provided through salvation. "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3,5). "This new heart would first and foremost be cleansed of sin, (cleansed) from all your impurities" (Jer. 31:33-34; Mt. 1:21; Jn. 1:29; Is. 1:18; Ps. 51:2; 1Cor. 6:11; 1 Jn. 1:9). Such cleansing as this is a gift from God not based on your merit, but soley upon God's mercy. "As we turn from our sin to trust in Christ, we receive a new, clean heart, and God in his grace remembers our sins no more".
With this new heart, comes a new spirit, the spirit that dwells with our Savior. Ezekiel 36:26-27: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.... I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." When you are saved, when you come to follow Jesus, he put the source of his life inn the center of your life. Romans 8:10-11: "If Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies though his Spirit, who lives in you."
Once you are save, you are given a new heart and spirit, you may now follow Christ as his disciple, but it doesn't stop there. Your growth and life as a disciple is vital, but you must turnaround and begin making disciples of Christ.
It's funny, if you notice, in Jesus' invitation to follow him, he does not tell his disciples what he will call them to do. Instead, "Jesus tells them what he will cause them to do. The commands he would give to them could only be accomplished by the work that he would do in them. As these disciples followed Jesus, he would transform everything about their lives: their thoughts, their desires, their wills, their relationships, and ultimately the very purpose for which they lived." As a result of being a disciple, they would make disciple of Jesus. For every one of these disciples, following Jesus would lead to fishing for men. "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Mt. 28:19-20).
"Having been forgiven of their sin and soon to be filled with God's Spirit, they would give their lives not simply to being disciples of Jesus, but sacrificially to making disciples of Jesus." "The overflow of transformation in these disciples was multiplication through these disciples. As Jesus transformed their minds, they became convicted that people needed to hear the gospel. As Jesus transformed their desires, they longed for people to hear the gospel. As Jesus transformed their wills, they were compelled to give their lives to proclaiming the gospel. As Jesus transformed their relationships, they loved people enough to share the gospel with them, even though it cost them everything they had. Jesus had transformed their very purpose for living - every disciple was sacrificially committed to making disciples - and the trajectory of their lives was never the same."
Christianity cannot remain a mere religion for that is not it's purpose. It's purpose is to be a people of God in relationship with Himself and each other. Devoted as His disciples, devoted to making disciples. "If you are truly a disciple of Jesus, you will be supernaturally compelled to make disciples of Jesus. True followers of Jesus do not need to be convinced, cajoled, persuaded, or manipulated into making disciples of all nations. Everyone who follows Jesus biblically will fish for men globally."
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