I have been thinking lately about why people and myself have decided to call ourselves Christian? Is it the fear of (not) calling ourselves that and what might happen, or is it the comfort of having that safety net so we can excuse our choices when we are selfish? Or is it just because that is what our family has always called themselves? Hopefully it is because we have decided to believe and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
As I prayed about why I call myself a Christian I found that it's a new way of life that is full of peace and devotion towards Jesus. I have seen people that truly believe that He came to show us how to live and love. It has been evident in the way they live and act and how they speak. I know we don't have to earn anything and we can't buy our way to Him but He does show us that we have a choice and that we must choose. Jesus shows us what our choices and action will get us in Matthew chapter 7 verses 7-8 Jesus says, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." I have loved these verses for a long time because they show how loving God is. He doesn't make it difficult to know Him, He has no agenda accept for us to glorify Him and choose Jesus. As I have grown and studied Gods word I have seen the desire for people not just to know Him but for them to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I have also seen people that just go through the motions and are not having any peace in their lives. If it is a narrow road that a few will find, everyone that calls themselves a Christian probably won't be there. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 21-23 Jesus says this, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws."
We can't just use Jesus as a get out of sin free card or an excuse to keep living the way we did, we must do the will of the Father in heaven. What does this look like as we wonder about Jesus? It is simply surrender control of our lives, and accept Jesus and believe in who He is. Then we can die to self and realize Gods will is not hard. He says ask and you will receive. Jesus shares about obeying in Matthew chapter 7 verse 26 "But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand." We can’t be smart enough to hear His teachings and then do nothing with them.
What do we do with the teachings that God has given us? To love, to give, to serve, these are all things that Jesus did but sometimes we take it as something He just said. Well I don't want to be foolish I want to learn and do what He has shown me. Do we really believe that Gods word is true and flawless because it is Christ? John chapter 1 shares that the word was with God and the word is God. So why is it so hard for us to believe it and obey it? I truly feel it is us not wanting to give up control of what we do in this earth because it might not be as fun. Jesus says in Matthew chapter 10 verse 39, "if you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it." Again something not tuff but challenging enough to keep us off the narrow road. When we give up our life we say not my will but yours. That is not earning that is choosing. We must give up something to get something, our words and going to church are not us giving up anything. So again I ask; why do we call ourselves Christian? Is there anything attached to our words? Here is another action that Jesus shows us that will help us surrender, but it will still take us choosing to make it happen. Matthew chapter 11 verses 28-29 which says; Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
As I study more and more I continue to see why Jesus said the narrow road is difficult, it is not because of God it is because of us. When we surrender the driver’s seat and ask, seek and knock we do the things that Jesus did; we love everyone not just our friends. We serve before we say we are too busy and we give before we look at our bills and say we don't have enough. Our joy builds and our excitement for Him grows. We pray and we learn and as we learn we do and the Spirit in us drives us not the other way. I ask again why do we call ourselves Christians? I say Pray about it and work on the self that is keeping us from doing all that God wants. It is not about perfection it is about loving God like He loves us. Amen