Answering Our Culture #9: "I Don't Want To Change My Lifestyle" Series

Answering Our Culture

#9 – I Don’t Want to Change My Lifestyle; What if Christianity is Wrong?

Various Scriptures

September 29, 2002

Introduction

Today we look at our last main message on reasons people give for not becoming Christians.

We have spent the better part of the last 3 months looking at what I have called “The Top 10 Reasons to Not Be a Christian.”

In doing that, I combined some of the reasons, such as Jesus not being the only way, and sincerity as the main requirement of making heaven.

Today we look at the last couple reasons, and they are what I consider the rock bottom issues in considering the truth of the Bible and Christianity in particular.

I hope that as I discuss these last questions or objections, that those of you listening on the tape or CD will give honest consideration to what I have to say, and will take what is offered here today and go through an intensive self-examination.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

The first objection we will look at today is that…

I. I don’t want to change my lifestyle.

To me, this is such a huge thing. When a person gives their life to Christ, Jesus makes the demand that we are to love Him and follow Him in all things, not just some things, and we are to put away our past sinful lifestyles and put our primary devotion on Him.

Too many times Christians tell about the love of God and how to go to heaven, but they leave out the parts where Jesus demands total obedience and loyalty, in exchange for a full and satisfying life.

We’re afraid that we’ll scare them away from Jesus.

Well, friend, if you have not been told about the holy demands of Jesus, then let me apologize for you only getting part of the message.

God is totally loving – and He sent His Son to die for you, but He wants you heart, soul, mind, and body.

One time a fella was hanging out in the lobby at the Brookings Wesleyan Church just after one of the services had begun. He was invited by another guy, but this guy could not force himself to go into the service.

I asked him what he thought about Jesus, and the claims He made to be God, and His desire to see this guy go to heaven.

He answered that he liked what he heard, but was not ready to take Him as his Savior. When I asked why, he replied, “because I’m not ready to give myself to Him totally. He is demanding too much of me, and I’m not ready to give to Him.”

At least he was honest.

There have been times when I have confronted someone with the claims of Jesus, and asked them what would prevent them from taking Jesus as their Lord and Savior right then.

Generally I get answers along the lines of not trusting whether the Bible is true, or whatever.

Then I ask them a simple question: if I could prove to you that the Bible is true and that Jesus was who He said He was, would that make a difference?

Many times it won’t make a difference. Why? Because the issue is not really truth, or faith. The issue is the will. They choose to not believe or choose to ignore the truth, because to acknowledge the truth would mean to acknowledge that God has a legitimate claim on them. And that would mean they recognize the need to submit to Him. And that’s just too hard for some people.

Why should you live for God instead of yourself? Why should you live a life of loving obedience to God?

I have five reasons to give you today. Your outline only shows four, but another came after I printed the bulletin.

A. He knows everything about you.

Did you know that God knows everything about you? He knows your needs. He knows your thoughts. He knows when you get up and go somewhere.

He knows how many hairs are on your head. (Pause) That’s pretty easy in my case!

He knows everything you go through. He knows the tendencies of man.

Listen to some of what Psalm 139 says:

PS 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

This psalm also says that no matter where we go, He’s there, too. There’s no getting away from Him.

While that might seem scary, it can also bring great comfort, because it means that no matter how far in the depths of trouble I might go, I can call on Him to get me out of there, and He will hear and rescue me.