Christian or Not?

I’ll be honest. I struggled with chapter five too. Francis brought up several issues that rubbed my Baptist upbringing the wrong way. First, I had issues with the concept that the “lukewarm Christian” is an oxymoron. “To put it plainly, churchgoers who are “lukewarm” are not Christians.” That’s a strong statement. Now, I think I was offended by this statement because in the previous chapter I identified with some of the examples of a “lukewarm Christian.” However, after thinking it over and studying the issue, I came to realize that as a child of God, saved and sealed until the day of redemption, I will fail to live up to God’s standards. Some of those failures look like the examples of a lukewarm person, but God’s grace is there for me in those areas that I fail.

Secondly, I’m curious to hear your conclusions on the sower and the seeds parable. Do you think the seeds that fell on rocky or thorny soil represent a believer or non-believer? I’ve read the parable many times this week. I can see Francis point, “Is this idea of the non-fruit-bearing Christians something that we have concocted in order to make Christianity “easier”?” Is it a feel-good philosophy that we are feed to explain why some people don’t bear fruit? Are there any examples of non-fruit-bearing Christians in scripture? Or are the people who fell among the thorn and rocky soil Christians that just didn’t continue to follow Christ their whole lives? Hummmm

I was raised on the belief that to “be saved” one must say a prayer and accept Christ as their personal savior. We’re told that upon doing so that we are forever saved and nothing can cause us to lose our salvation. But I’ve watch many people do this and then go on living their lives as if nothing ever happened. They seemed sincere at the time, honest with God, but failed to produce even the most basic fruit- church attendance or baptism. So are these people the seeds that feel on rocky and thorny soil? Are they just lukewarm, not really caring about living for Christ? Did they do “just enough” to achieve a home in heaven? Can they go to heaven without truly and faithfully loving Jesus?

This morning my devotion was on 1 John 2:3-4. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” So God says that if a person doesn’t keep his commandments, which will produce fruit, then he is a liar and the truth is not in him.

So I’m drawing some conclusion. First, I think the lukewarm mentioned in Rev. 3:16 and Christians are two separate types of people. The members of the church of Laodicea were more concerned with material things than with the things of God. They hadn’t put on the “white raiment” God was offering to them.  Their conversion wasn’t true. They were a church filled with people who claimed to be Christians, but were not. And for this reason they disgusted God.

As for the ones who “say the prayer” and accept Christ as their Savior but go on to live their lives as if nothing happened, I don’t see how they can claim to truly be Christian. I understand that some lack the discipleship that they needed and so they fall back into their normal lives. But even then, if the conversion was true, the Holy Spirit would lead them to the discipleship they needed. I was saved as a child at church camp. Upon returning home, I didn’t darken the door of a church for many, many years. I wasn’t taught how to seek God, but something in me knew I was made for more than I had at the time. Part of me longed each week to be in church. I remember hiding in my bedroom every Sunday morning, ashamed that I wasn’t in church. Even then I wanted more. True conversion will produce a desire for more of God.

As for the seeds… I’m still pondering it. I think I’ll ask Kenric what he believes.

So, hopeful I haven’t scared you off with all this heavy thinking. I’m looking so forward to our first meeting of 2011! Come prepared….. we’re going to have a blast!