Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Simple Truth

Chris·ti·an·i·ty (krsch-n-t, krst-) n. 1. The Christian religion, founded on the life and teachings of Jesus.  

A barely serviceable, largely inadequate definition. It is more of what it is, as opposed to what it is supposed to be.

A "Christian", a "Christ-one," as my father once defined it in a sermon decades ago, is to be a disciple of the Christ; a follower of Jesus; which means being one who not only makes a meaningless claim of belonging to Jesus, but who in fact does what He says. 

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!" Luke 13:24-27

"When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host arrives, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:8-11

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13

    This cross section of verses, from only a few chapters of the gospel of Luke, are stark, clear messages on how to live as Jesus taught us; how in fact, all that fall under the umbrella of "Christianity" are to live. 

    The simple truth is, "Christianity" has completely compromised itself across centuries of choosing to create material wealth over permanent disciples of Christ. The majority of its members are so embracing of their own lusts, so desirous of the bait Satan crafted to hide the wickedly barbed hooks, that it now, on a whole, it fails to represent the Son of God and His mandate. 

    We must fill the breach.

    Don't be left standing outside when the narrow door is shut, and the owner of the house is heard to say from the other side, "I don't know you or where you came from." Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. If we are too engorged on our SELVES... too full of what WE want and what WE deserve and how WE think things should be regardless of the Truth, we will be unable to do so.

    We must yield ourselves and become living sacrifices to the Lord. We must take measure in the commitment to following Jesus and NOT COMPROMISE IT BECAUSE IT IS POPULAR TO DO SO, ELSE WE FAIL. We must show people what it truly means to follow Jesus, and give them the chance to cut loose all their useless baggage; the very weight of which will deny them access through the narrow door and destroy them.

    We are either living it, *as it is written,* or we are not. There is no middle ground; no "I'll do some of this, but I won't do any of that over there." It is all or nothing.

    *That* is the Simple Truth of how Christianity should be defined.

    Some whom I love will never speak to me again, should they read this before I am done. Those same people whom I have not yet addressed, let me say this now, on the off-chance that you recall it once my choice to speak the truth has severed you from me... being a servant of God takes courage. It requires the courage to speak the Simple Truth, when it is inconvenient, painful, and convicts us.


    May the Lord in His mercy empty me of myself, and fill me with His Spirit. May anyone who reads this be drawn closer to the Lord, and His will be done in our lives.


    So be it.



    2 comments:

    1. So Be It...

      10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul;then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

      11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought,and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

      12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places:thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. -Isaiah 58:10-12 (KJV)

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    2. Cyril... I did not even know a verse existed with those very words; repairer of the breach. The Lord is merciful to me, in spite of my unworthiness.

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