J
As a teen, I found myself struggling to understand what a Christian was. I was raised in the church and I knew that it didn't make me a Christian anymore than hanging out in a chicken coop makes me a chicken. However, my whole family was convinced they were Christians when all they did was spout defensively, "hey I go to church." When there religion was questioned. Otherwise there were no outward signs of an inward dwelling God. I never saw them pray. I never saw a bible at their homes. They drank excessively, did drugs, were gossips, abusive, etc.
When I finally found Jesus amongst religion, I was 14 yrs old. I became a quick Jesus freak and my family either tried to prove they were just like me because they were convinced they were Christians, or nothing like me because they were convinced I was crazy. It was very difficult to figure out who was true. My own mother who at one time was devout by outward standards, left the church and slowly abandoned all of her morals. I knew she had a real life spiritual experience at one point, but all revelation seemed to have left her at some point. She walked right back into her bitterness.
The polls always hold up some ridiculous percentage of people claim to be Chrisitians in the US. At one time it was around 95%. Currently it's around 80%. Still, it's sad to me. I wonder how many of that 80% are people like thise in my family who profess Jesus because its part of their culture. Jesus isn't just the thing to do. He's not the latest fad and how dare we treat him as such. I love my family and I pray one day they will find Jesus and not religion. But for now I wonder how many people of that 80% have truly experience Jesus and chose to follow him. I don't mean legalistically, but choose to get back up and keep going when they get knocked down. None of us will be close to perfect, but there is a difference between one who wears Jesus like a badge when thy want to hang around the club, and one who truly aims to please Him. My pastor made a good point this last Sunday: there are onły 3 types of people...period... Those that aren't converted. Those that are converted. And those that think they're converted. Sadly, I think too many in that 80% are in the latter. They have given their lives over to The Lord to be changed. Instead, they have latched onto a cultural identity which will only leave them deceived.
These 3 groups are everywhere. They are on the streets, in the church, and in our jobs. Hiw many times have we been in a conversation with someone who mentions they go to church and our first thought it "phew... They're in. Let me find someone who really needs Jesus." How do we know if they are the one who thinks they're converted rather than the one who truly is being changed by Jesus?
When I finally found Jesus amongst religion, I was 14 yrs old. I became a quick Jesus freak and my family either tried to prove they were just like me because they were convinced they were Christians, or nothing like me because they were convinced I was crazy. It was very difficult to figure out who was true. My own mother who at one time was devout by outward standards, left the church and slowly abandoned all of her morals. I knew she had a real life spiritual experience at one point, but all revelation seemed to have left her at some point. She walked right back into her bitterness.
The polls always hold up some ridiculous percentage of people claim to be Chrisitians in the US. At one time it was around 95%. Currently it's around 80%. Still, it's sad to me. I wonder how many of that 80% are people like thise in my family who profess Jesus because its part of their culture. Jesus isn't just the thing to do. He's not the latest fad and how dare we treat him as such. I love my family and I pray one day they will find Jesus and not religion. But for now I wonder how many people of that 80% have truly experience Jesus and chose to follow him. I don't mean legalistically, but choose to get back up and keep going when they get knocked down. None of us will be close to perfect, but there is a difference between one who wears Jesus like a badge when thy want to hang around the club, and one who truly aims to please Him. My pastor made a good point this last Sunday: there are onły 3 types of people...period... Those that aren't converted. Those that are converted. And those that think they're converted. Sadly, I think too many in that 80% are in the latter. They have given their lives over to The Lord to be changed. Instead, they have latched onto a cultural identity which will only leave them deceived.
These 3 groups are everywhere. They are on the streets, in the church, and in our jobs. Hiw many times have we been in a conversation with someone who mentions they go to church and our first thought it "phew... They're in. Let me find someone who really needs Jesus." How do we know if they are the one who thinks they're converted rather than the one who truly is being changed by Jesus?
