As Christians we've been given freedom at great cost. The cross was nothing short of guaranteed liberty to please God. However in intentionally seeking to please God, many set unreasonable standards by which they and others will please God, leading an unbelieving world to see Christianity as cold religion and not life-changing relationship. Brought into freedom in Christ, it is tempting to not see freedom in Christ for how full-orbed it is. It's not just freedom to fulfill Christ's demands but freedom to relish life in its beauty and fulness, freedom to know blessing and bless others as we live "under rank," in allegiance to our Master. Many Christians cross the line of faith having endured hard lives in unbelief, where they craved the drunk state, gambled till they lost much, and lived for fallen fantasies. On getting saved, these people are candidates for lives defined by their personal preferences. Instead of being advocates for godly balance, they tend to impose strict codes on themselves and others. Though their life rules may be reasonable for them because of their personal weaknesses, those life rules may not be best for everyone. Too often people in the world look at the fabricated codes of believers, which may frown on social drinking, fun dancing, light gambling and wonder who wrote the rules, us or God. Our featuring our brand of Christianity and our powerlessness to Scripturally excoriate these practices make us law-givers in the minds of unbelievers or attune young Christians. The time has come for discipleship to be more organic. It's high time people are led to God rather than "accepted Christian norms." Our focus needs to be compelling people in our sphere of their appointment with Christ beyond the grave. The reality of seeing Christ after death and His grand design to make hearts His home are real time catalysts, stirring people to ponder their relationship with God. Our lives need to effervesce "truth, beauty, justice, community." If we're to win others to faith in Christ; it'll not be by our rigid code of conduct; rather it'll be by living lives enlivened by active relationship with Christ. People don't care for your code, they care for your fulfillment Source. Our faith is the envy of our neighbors, when it makes us more neighborly, not elusive. My neighbor, who lives for drugs won't be drawn to Christ by what I do or don't do but by how the Christ I possess changes my way with him. Too often we placate others by our commitment to our own "right regimen," which many times is of our own making, not God's. People out there have a misconstrued concept of what Christianity is many times because Christianity is often misrepresented as a list of "do's" and "dont's." We have a responsibility as Christians to represent the true heart change Christ brings when He enters the heart at salvation. He enlivens the heart filling it with heavenly desires and a built-in Control, His Spirit, Who moves us down paths best for us. In love with Christ, we'll have no heart for fallen addictions; we'll be the story of hearts with crowded space, hearts full of who Christ is and beating with Kingdom desire, hearts which enjoy responsibly things in this world, for while they relish this world's good they wait longingly for another World. Don't force your rules for living onto others; instead lead them into the good life, the life which embraces in trust the work Christ did on Calvary with a spirit of love and personal duty. The love of Christ and what it does in one's heart has a way of leading people into lives which live to honor it. Transformation by Christ's selfless work on Calvary alone is the way to lead a life holy, alive and transported, in His eyes.
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you - 1 Pet. 2:9 MSG
His inside-out difference runs deeper than what we do or don't do. Its all about the privilege of daily dates with Him, a lifestyle of true union with Him which is lifestyle transforming.
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you - 1 Pet. 2:9 MSG
His inside-out difference runs deeper than what we do or don't do. Its all about the privilege of daily dates with Him, a lifestyle of true union with Him which is lifestyle transforming.
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