WHO'S IN? There are a lot of questionable boundary markers for the Christian faith.
- If you read the obituary page, you will discover some marvelous realities. Among them:
a. Upwards of 90% of people are going to heaven.
b. People are members of church despite the fact that they haven’t been in that church for decades.
- Needless to say, there are some questionable boundary markers for the Christian faith.
- What are some of the false boundary markers that we put up?
a. Praying a certain prayer.
b. Walking an aisle.
c. Having an emotional experience in church.
d. Feeling convicted of sin.
e. Getting baptized.
f. Attending church.
g. Trying to lead a moral life.
h. Knowing facts about Jesus.
- I have preached extensively on the failure of the conservative Christian church to preach the whole gospel for salvation. Instead, so many churches preach that you simply need to “believe in Jesus,” with that being defined as making a public statement without needing any change to your life.
PAUL'S ENCOURAGEMENT: Examine your faith.
- 2 Corinthians 13:5.
- Job 31:4-6; Psalm 17:3; Psalm 26:2; Psalm 139:23-24; Lamentations 3:40; Haggai 1:5, 7; 1 Corinthians 11:28, 31; Hebrews 2:1-3.
- This is a provocative statement from Paul. Examine your life to see if you are in the faith.
- Part of this flows from Paul’s discussion of how the Corinthians were trashing him. Here he replies: instead of accusing me, examine yourselves.
- There are a number of other passages that speak to self-evaluation: Job 31:4-6; Psalm 17:3; Psalm 26:2; Psalm 139:23-24; Lamentations 3:40; Haggai 1:5, 7; 1 Corinthians 11:28, 31; Hebrews 2:1-3.
- Why should we examine our faith?
a. The Bible is replete with false belief.
b. We can just do what those around us do.
c. We need to have a Biblical faith.
- This injunction is a clarion call to us that the Christian faith is not an inscrutable mystery.
- Dallas Willard spoke how making the question of whether you’re a Christian into some ponderous question is to completely misunderstanding Jesus and His call. Have a believed in Jesus and am I following Him? It’s straightforward.
- He wrote, “First of all, we should not that being a disciple, or apprentice, of Jesus is a quite definite and obvious kind of thing. To make a mystery of it is to misunderstand it. There is no good reason why people should ever be in doubt as to whether they themselves are His students or not.”
- Ok then, if I am going to examine my faith, what should I look for? Let’s look at a few initial questions.
SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
- There are a number ways to approach this idea, since there is not a definitive Biblical list that says, “Here are the defining characteristics of the Christian life!”
- A helpful resource can be found in John, where in three places Jesus says, “If you’re really My disciple, here is a sign of that.” These three places provide a helpful framework for us.
- It is worth noting that these are questions to push us in the right general direction. I am not arguing that these are the full and only definers of true faith. Rather, I am throwing out some questions that touch on a key element that the three passages in John talk about.
1. What have you done because Jesus commanded it that you wouldn’t have otherwise?
- John 8:31-32.
- This passage speaks of the essential importance of holding to the teaching of Jesus. Jesus also talks about this in the Sermon on the Mount when He makes His “Lord, Lord” statement as well as the “solid rock” parable.
- We are to obey the teaching of Christ and not just say we have a vague “belief” in Him.
- One mark of that (not the only one, but an important one) is looking at what you have done only because Jesus commanded it.
- Jesus’ teaching is challenging and difficult at many points. It pushes us beyond our selfish, sinful ways. We must forgive even though we want revenge. We must deny ourselves even though we want to satisfy our desires. We must reject sexual sin even though we are tempted. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ even though they drive us crazy sometimes.
- All these are things we are called to do because of Jesus’ commands.
- An essential starting point for growing as a disciple of Jesus is realizing that Jesus’ teaching is wiser than my own thoughts and desires. And so, if I have to choose between what I want and what Jesus says, I choose what Jesus says.
- So let’s go back to the question: what have you done because Jesus commanded it that you wouldn’t have otherwise? If you can’t think of anything, that may well be a sign that you’re not obeying Him.
2. Who are the people your Christian life has impacted?
- John 13:34-35.
- 2 Corinthians 13:6.
- A second passage in John that says, “You’re My disciple if you do this” is in 13:34-35. Here we are told that our love for one another will show that we are disciples of Jesus.
- As with the last point, there are number of ways this can play out in our lives, but let’s consider one. Who are the people your Christians life has impacted?
- We often substitute politeness for love within the church. We are polite with each other, but aren’t genuinely loving each other. We aren’t there for each other in moments of crisis. We aren’t sacrificing for each other. We aren’t helping each other with our struggles. We are close enough to know what those around us are going through.
- Jesus didn’t say His disciples would be polite to each other on Sunday morning; He said they would love each other.
- Who are the people who have been impacted by your Christian life? Put another way, who are the people you are investing your life in?
- Now, many will object at this point and say that there’s no way to know if you’re impacting those around you. It is true that we don’t know the hearts of others. But that is often an excuse for why we aren’t impacting anyone. Our objection is basically saying, “I’m not sure, but surely somewhere, somehow, I’ve impacted somebody.” That’s weak.
- The only thing that’s going to outlive this world are people. Our focus needs to be on investing in people to help them to know Jesus and to become like Jesus. Many of us are not doing that. Our hopes and focus lie elsewhere.
- One aspect of this issue that the American church is doing poorly right now is discipleship. Mature believers regularly sitting down with newer believers and encouraging them along the way.
- This should be regularly happening in every church, but it’s not. Why? Because it doesn’t fit in the model of how we normally do church (mass gatherings, sit and soak).
- That’s not the only way, of course – there are many other ways of pouring ourselves into those around us.
3. Are you eager to serve?
- John 15:8.
- The third statement concerns bearing fruit. Although it’s multi-faceted, one of the most essential parts of bearing fruit is serving.
- In serving, we cease to be a consumer and we become a contributor.
- Some of us wonder what we are spiritually gifted at, but that’s not the question I’m asking. That would be, “Have you found the most effective place for you to serve?” That’s a good question, but not the one I’m asking this evening.
- I’m asking if you’re eager to serve. Do you want to work for the Kingdom? Or are you willing to help if someone comes and begs you to? Ask anyone who has led, for instance, a VBS and they’ll tell you that there are a bunch of people who are willing to grudgingly help if they are directly asked and can’t think of a good excuse. But then there are people who are eager to serve.
- To go back to the John 15:8 passage, one of the proofs of genuine faith is fruitfulness.
- This is more than just what we often call “faithfulness,” which we define as just showing up occasionally and sitting. God does not merely call us to be faithful Christians, but to be fruitful Christians.
- With the time we have on earth, God expects us to bear fruit for the Kingdom and make a difference for Jesus. One of the primary ways we do that is serving.
