It has been quite some time since I have written something, ideas have been brewing inside my head, but sometimes it is tough to just sit down and let those ideas flow from my mind and into notepad. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the question: Who do you follow? Who do I follow? Who are we following as Christians? At first glance the answer seems clear, obviously Jesus, right? But is it really that obvious? Do others really get the impression from how we live that we are followers of Christ Jesus?
Last night at my small group we were looking at Colossians 1:15-22 and description of Christ. Along the way a question was asked, and it was so simple yet so complex: Does Christ make a difference in your life? Then, it led to some other questions: Can you imagine life without Christ? Are the good things we do and who we are from experience and our self or because of the reflection and change in our life that stems from Christ? These are very thought-provoking questions.
Honestly, I was saved at a very young age, so I have never known what life, my life, would be like if I had not been saved. Of course, I would not really want to know what my life would be apart from Christ. I do believe there is some goodness, some of the original image of God left on humanity; however, sin has smudged, it has distorted and perverted that image, so our natural tendency is to sin. Therefore, even if I might still struggle with types of temptations and sins now, how much worse would it be if I was never saved? I shudder to think of it.
Still, even as we say Christ has so changed our lives, sometimes I wonder if it is not so much the actual change, as in action, so much as the idea of change and goodness that excite us. We are saved from hell, which is great, but what about all the other scriptures that speak of the growing Kingdom of God (MK 4:26-34; LK 13:18-21), the renewing of our minds (Heb. 12:2), and the ongoing transformation and pursuit of holiness that disciples of Christ should be pursuing (1 Cor. 1:2; Rom. 12:1).
Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1st Thessalonians 5:19-23
One example of how this plays out is in the realms of our government (politics) and churches (pastors). The last four years I have heard those on the right "preach" that those who are true Christians are republicans and follow Bush, watch Fox News, and support Glen Beck. On the left, the argument comes that if we care about the poor like Jesus then one is to be a Democrat, support Obama, and agree with Universal Healthcare. All of these situations are so very complex, we try to fit faith into nice boxes so often and we think we have to agree with those people and hate the others. Being a Moderate, I see both sides clamoring for power, and as I see the status updates on fb, the people joining groups on either front, I find myself asking the question: where is Jesus in all of this?
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul? - 1st Corinthians 1:10-13
For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. - 1st Corinthians 3:4-11
Christ called us to a new life, to be something different, something rebellious to the system of this world. We are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Mt 5:43-48); yet often I do not see love but just hate. I know some of us are well meaning, but who are we really following? Is it Christ or is it some politician, talk show host, preacher, minister, author, writer? Do we follow frail and flawed human beings or the infinite and holy Son of God, Jesus Christ? How often do we spend time wrapped up in politics or reading books by mankind; yet we fail to devote our time to prayerfully communicating with God, reading scripture, being transformed by Christ, and rallying for the cause of the Kingdom of God?
~ Boldness & Compassion
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