Is there such a thing as being a mediocre christian?

MaggieMye · Apr 28, 2013

PS "The word I often hear is 'nominal Christians' which would mean a Christian in name only."

I agree! CHRISTIANS are SUPPOSED to be OF GOD...who is SUPERnatural. IF you are not operating in the SUPERnaturalness of God, you are not a Christian, Biblically. You cannot simply reiterate the little "come into my heart' prayer and think that you are 'in'. You are not. Everyone of you knows someone that has said the little prayer and they go on living their lives according to their own ways. They are not saved!!
Suffice it to say...and many of you will not like this... traditional denominations and Evangelicals, as well as far too many Pentecostals that are not operating in the Spiritual realm, led by the Spirit, obedient to the Spirit's counsel, DOing the spiritual things that the apostles in the Bible did, are not Born of God...not born again....not saved.
Why??? Because IF you are born of God you will be doing what He did when He was upon the earth AND MORE!
Mt 11:5 "[SUP]5 [/SUP]The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them." THIS is the KINGDOM OF GOD that Every Christian is to carry IN THEM (Christ is the Kingdom and He within us). If you are not doing what Christ did, there is no way you can claim to be 'born of God." IF you are of the Kingdom, you are doing Kingdom things!! Sunday school is not it; going to church is not it; and sad to say, most times for most calling themselves 'Christian', even praying is not a Kingdom thing because they pray without power and authority. Mostly they beg God to do what THEY want Him to do.
~to be "in the Spirit", which cannot be done without doing the things Christ did. Likewise, Vice versa, one cannot do the things Christ did without being in the Spirit.

ALL is spiritual. ALL. That God SPOKE us into existence is spiritual. Everything else falls under that.
Maggie

Bookends · Apr 28, 2013

Mooky said:

We can't work for our salvation, nor can we work to maintain our salvation, but we can work from our salvation, which is to say that what we do with our time and money, the resources and gifts God has given us matters in this our life time. In the end when we are judged for what we had done on earth to further God's kingdom. What we have done will either stand and prove valuable (gold, silver, and precious stones) for His Kingdom or it won't and those invaluable works will be burned up as wood, hay and stubble.

So for example, if God has giving you riches, but you fall to use them in such a way to further along His Kingdom, then the work you did in your life time will be burned up. So say a rich man put more emphasis on his house, cars, and material things in which we all know we can't take to heaven with us, all those things are meaningless in the heavenly realm. But if the rich man used His money and resources in evangelism for Christ, those works will prove valuable for the advancement of God's Kingdom and this man would be rewarded accordingly.

I'm concerned I maybe one who has wasted lot of the resources God has entrusted me with. The fact that I'm concerned about this is a good thing. I think I have enough understanding of God's plan of redemption in order to make it in and genuinely want to please the Lord, but in many times I feel I have failed. I ask my commander in chief to help me every day that I would die to self and pick up my cross and follow Him. I think those who claim to be Christian but have a pseudo faith absolutely no growth, no works, no obedience may find themselves on the other side of the gate, BUT is not for me point my finger and judge someones position in Christ.

Bookends · Apr 28, 2013

sinless said:

Well maybe we aught to look like the Christians in the middle ages huh? You know, the ones who burned or drowned other believers because of their doctrinal differences, doesn't matter if you claimed to by an atheist or not, they were ok and still free game to evangelize. I don't sense any love in you at all Sinlessless.

MaggieMye · Apr 28, 2013

I'm concerned I maybe one who has wasted lot of the resources God has entrusted me with. The fact that I'm concerned about this is a good thing. I think I have enough understanding of God's plan of redemption in order to make it in and genuinely want to please the Lord, but in many times I feel I have failed. "Fail" is not in the Bible. Neither is "failed" When we refuse to obey (for whatever reason) it simply reveals how much more training we need...that or our character. I ask my commander in chief to help me every day that I would die to self and pick up my cross and follow Him. I think those who claim to be Christian but have a pseudo faith absolutely no growth, no works, no obedience may find themselves on the other side of the gate, BUT is not for me point my finger and judge someones position in Christ.But it is! We ARE our brothers keeper and we are to hold each other accountable....whether they like it or not because we cannot keep silent for our own comfort. Agree?

M~

MaggieMye · Apr 28, 2013

Well maybe we aught to look like the Christians in the middle ages huh? You know, the ones who burned or drowned other believers because of their doctrinal differences, doesn't matter if you claimed to by an atheist or not, they were ok and still free game to evangelize. Yeah...THAT shows the love of Christ!! not

Bookends · Apr 28, 2013

Satan is also spiritual and posses as an angel of light.

sinless · Apr 28, 2013

Bookends said:

People who burned and drowned people were not Christians

You need to discern the difference between me not loving you, and you being offended at the truth. One doesn't equal the other

RedTent · Apr 28, 2013

This is all so very true. It is only through grace that we have salvation. And God does see what we do.

But what makes us valuable in the kingdom is not our great works at all, it is the consistent everyday mediocre things we do. We become mediocre when we ignore the minute by minute living with Christ that is asked of us. The things we consider mediocre.

Bookends · Apr 28, 2013

MaggieMye said:

I'm concerned I maybe one who has wasted lot of the resources God has entrusted me with. The fact that I'm concerned about this is a good thing. I think I have enough understanding of God's plan of redemption in order to make it in and genuinely want to please the Lord, but in many times I feel I have failed. "Fail" is not in the Bible. Neither is "failed" When we refuse to obey (for whatever reason) it simply reveals how much more training we need...that or our character. I ask my commander in chief to help me every day that I would die to self and pick up my cross and follow Him. I think those who claim to be Christian but have a pseudo faith absolutely no growth, no works, no obedience may find themselves on the other side of the gate, BUT is not for me point my finger and judge someones position in Christ.But it is! We ARE our brothers keeper and we are to hold each other accountable....whether they like it or not because we cannot keep silent for our own comfort. Agree?

M~

My bible is full of characters who had epic "failures" in their lives, and they still made it in. Oh thank you Lord for be merciful to those who trust in you.

PS · Apr 28, 2013

MaggieMye said:

PS "The word I often hear is 'nominal Christians' which would mean a Christian in name only."

I agree! CHRISTIANS are SUPPOSED to be OF GOD...who is SUPERnatural. IF you are not operating in the SUPERnaturalness of God, you are not a Christian, Biblically. You cannot simply reiterate the little "come into my heart' prayer and think that you are 'in'. You are not. Everyone of you knows someone that has said the little prayer and they go on living their lives according to their own ways. They are not saved!!
Suffice it to say...and many of you will not like this... traditional denominations and Evangelicals, as well as far too many Pentecostals that are not operating in the Spiritual realm, led by the Spirit, obedient to the Spirit's counsel, DOing the spiritual things that the apostles in the Bible did, are not Born of God...not born again....not saved.
Why??? Because IF you are born of God you will be doing what He did when He was upon the earth AND MORE!
Mt 11:5 "[SUP]5 [/SUP]The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them." THIS is the KINGDOM OF GOD that Every Christian is to carry IN THEM (Christ is the Kingdom and He within us). If you are not doing what Christ did, there is no way you can claim to be 'born of God." IF you are of the Kingdom, you are doing Kingdom things!! Sunday school is not it; going to church is not it; and sad to say, most times for most calling themselves 'Christian', even praying is not a Kingdom thing because they pray without power and authority. Mostly they beg God to do what THEY want Him to do.
~to be "in the Spirit", which cannot be done without doing the things Christ did. Likewise, Vice versa, one cannot do the things Christ did without being in the Spirit.

ALL is spiritual. ALL. That God SPOKE us into existence is spiritual. Everything else falls under that.
Maggie

In the spirit, "Be still, and know that I am God: I WILL be exalted among the heathen, I WILL be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

Trust God

Porthos · Apr 28, 2013

sinless said:

Bookends is saying that having the title 'christian' applied to oneself does not necessarily make one a God-person in character.

And I'm saying that 'mediocrity' is a box we all fall into.

'None are good'.

'Your deeds are as filthy rags'.

it doesn't matter what we profess or do, or live by, or ritualize, or believe, the end result is that humanity falls short, but living in a life where a person tries to be loving and kind, is as far as we can go and is a better aim in fact.

Most Christians have a hard time accepting the fact that they aren't much better than their atheist brothers and sisters, albeit in different ways and through other traits.

Bookends · Apr 28, 2013

sinless said:

When and how did you become an authority on who is and isn't a Christian, can you look back in time and look at the human heart? I never said you didn't love me. Seem like you can discern between "thou shalt not murder" and "it's ok to murder because someone or you views and labels them a heretic."

coconut · Apr 28, 2013

starfield said:

Five of the churches in Revelation were on the path of mediocrity. To ensure that we aren't on that path, we should be in constant communion with God through daily reading of His word and praying which will enable us to grow, as well as focusing on Christ where our assurance of faith lies.
2 Cor. 13:5 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?
Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Do you think is a direct correlation between mediocrity and being carnally minded? Perhaps they are close first cousins?

PS · Apr 28, 2013

"Not my will, but thy will be done."

[video=youtube;bI2wR2fsjhw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI2wR2fsjhw[/video]

zone · Apr 28, 2013

MaggieMye said:

maggie.
Jesus sent a message to imprisoned john the baptist who was doubting whether Jesus was the promised messiah.

Jesus' message was, go and tell john: "The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up..."

that was a fulfillment of this:

Isaiah 35
The Ransomed Shall Return
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,

Matthew 9:27
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

Matthew 20:30
Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

Mark 8:23
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"

Mark 10
46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Luke 7:21
At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.

Mark 7:32
32And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Mark 9:25
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

....

you're not raising the dead or working the supernatural miracles Jesus worked, maggie.
you just ain't.

this not enough for you?

"the poor have the gospel preached to them."

this:

"Suffice it to say...and many of you will not like this... traditional denominations and Evangelicals, as well as far too many Pentecostals that are not operating in the Spiritual realm, led by the Spirit, obedient to the Spirit's counsel, DOing the spiritual things that the apostles in the Bible did, are not Born of God...not born again....not saved."

who told you that?
C. Peter Wagner?

that's ridiculous maggie.
yawn.

Abiding · Apr 28, 2013

If i had spent one more year at being an "on fire" believer
the world would be in ruin.

kenisyes · Apr 28, 2013

That's okay. It's all going to get wrecked when He comes back anyway. Maybe you would have hastened the process.

zone · Apr 28, 2013

Abiding said:

MaggieMye · Apr 28, 2013

Bookends: "My bible is full of characters who had epic "failures" in their lives, and they still made it in. Really? Like whom for instance??
Zone: "Jesus sent a message to imprisoned john the baptist who was doubting whether Jesus was the promised messiah."
Jesus' message was, go and tell john: "The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up...
You are mistaken:
The verse below says NOTHING about John the Baptist DOUBTING. He had not yet met Christ. He had only HEARD and was asking if He WERE the Christ, or were they to expect another. You need to remember that it is highly unlike that Jesus and John, though cousins by blood, ever met each other. They were raised in difference cities (John in a city of Judah and Jesus in Nazareth of Galilee) and travel was difficult. Mary visited Elizabeth when Elizabeth was six months PG and Mary only 3 or less. (Luke 1)
Now when John, [SUP][c][/SUP]while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples[SUP]3 [/SUP]and said to Him, “Are You the [SUP][d][/SUP]Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”[SUP]4 [/SUP]Jesus answered and said to them,“Go and report to John what you hear and see:[SUP]5 [/SUP]the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the [SUP][e][/SUP]gospel preached to them.[SUP]6 [/SUP]And blessed is he [SUP][f][/SUP]who does not [SUP][g][/SUP]take offense at Me.”
In reading Mark 1, John the Baptist does not refer to Jesus as personally knowing Him, but only knowing OF Him for he announces His forthcoming. They are both grown men at this time!

zone · Apr 28, 2013

MaggieMye said:

ha?
they were cousins for one thing.

John had already announced his coming, was preparing the jews to come away from the Old Covenant, saw The Spirit descending on Him, had baptized Jesus...

what are you talkin' about, maggie?

John had been thrown in prison shortly after Jesus began His ministry.

we were just told about John's suffering.
then we are told John heard of Christ's deeds.

he asked for confirmation before his death that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
call it for comfort if you like; or recorded for us for another purpose...maybe for John's disciples' sake.
though this is less likely, as Jesus tells them specifically to go back and tell John what they saw and heard.

it says what it says.

there's no indication Jesus visited him, why we are not told.
John suffered in prison approx a year, maggie.
then he was beheaded, okay?

Jesus sent back words that confirmed what John didn't get a chance to see - this was The Messiah, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecies for Israel.

“Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepersa are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Matthew 1
Messengers from John the Baptist
1When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepersa are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

7As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8What then did you go out to see? A manb dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet?c Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’

11Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,d and the violent take it by force. 13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15He who has ears to hear,e let him hear.

16“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”f

am i losing it here?
or what?

Is there such a thing as being a mediocre christian?

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