Q: I believe in God and prayed a prayer asking Jesus to come into my heart. Isn’t that how I get to heaven? How do I become a Christian? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?
A: There are many ways people think they can get to heaven, but just like only one key on your key ring can get you into your house, the Bible describes only one way to get to heaven. Let’s look at a couple ways people think they can go to heaven and the problems with them, then at what the Bible says is the only way to heaven.
Way#1- “Well, I believe God is real.”
Problem#1- Even Satan and demons (Satan’s followers who work evil in the world) believe in God and fear Him. “You believe there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble!” (James 2:19) So if you’re trusting your belief in God to get you to heaven, sorry, that isn’t going to work!
Way#2- “I try to live a good life the way I’m sure Jesus did.”
Problem#2- That’s great that you try to live right, but even if you sin just one time, you are a sinner! “For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles at just one point, he is guilty of breaking all of them.” (James 2:10) None of us is completely perfect. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned. That’s a huge problem, because the Bible says that God’s eyes are so holy, he cannot even look on sin. (Habakkuk 1:13) That means no one who sins can ever be allowed into heaven.
Way#3- “God is good! He will overlook my wrong things when he sees how many good things I’ve done. I really am a pretty good person!”
Problem#3- If a judge let a murderer go free because he was normally a pretty good person and was involved in all sorts of community service projects and loved his wife and kids and treated people with respect most of the time, would the judge really be a good judge? Absolutely not! In the same way, God cannot and will not overlook our wrong because of the good we have done. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)
Way#4- “I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I tell God so every night. Can’t he let me off the hook?”
Problem#4- Imagine if that same murderer stood before the judge and said he was sorry. Would the judge let him go? No! Justice has to be served! There must be punishment for wrongdoing. Maybe you’ve never murdered someone, but the Bible says hatred is as bad as murder. Lying, stealing, and dishonoring your parents is also just as bad. We all sin, and God’s goodness demands that justice must be done. Punishment must be given. What is the punishment that God’s law demands? “The soul that sins, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4) “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
So what now? Is there no way to heaven? Must we all die and be separated from life with God for eternity? What does the Bible say IS the only way to heaven?
The only true way- “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6) God’s justice and goodness demand that punishment must be given. I deserve death. You deserve death. The only way to avoid that would be if someone perfect could die, taking our punishment. He’d have to be perfect, because if he wasn’t, he would only be dying to pay for his own sins. Enter Jesus. He lived the perfect life we should’ve lived, then died, taking the punishment we deserved. That would be like if the judge was about to give that murderer the death penalty, but another innocent man stepped in and offered to die in his place. That’s crazy! But Jesus did that for us.
So then, does this mean we’re all going to heaven and we don’t have to worry about any of this after all? No! When we are born, we are born sinners, on our way to hell. Imagine a long line. At one end is heaven and at the other is hell. We are born walking straight towards hell. Unless we change directions, we will die and wake up in an eternity separated from God.
Let me repeat that to make sure you got it: Unless you have turned from living for yourself in sinful rebellion against God to becoming a follower of Jesus, you will die and wake up separated from God forever.
So is Salvation something we do, then? No! Please don’t misunderstand. Salvation is all about what Jesus has already done for us. He lovingly laid down his life for us so He could offer us the FREE gift of eternal life. “For by grace [God’s kindness] you have been saved through faith [trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice for your sin], and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God [we don’t save ourselves; He has already done all the work necessary for Salvation]-not of works lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Salvation is free, but we must accept the gift, and when we do, everything changes. We are no longer our own. We have a new master: God.
Listen to how David Platt explains this: “To be a follower of Christ means to come to an awareness of your sinful rebellion against God, and to see in Jesus the only substitute for your sins, and by His grace to turn from you rebellion against God and trust in him as the Lord and sovereign king over your life. And when that happens, then what Jesus says determines how you live. If you are a follower of Christ, living indifferent to the words of Christ is not an option. Some of you were told to pray a prayer and then you could live your life however you wanted and that’s what it means to be a Christian. If you came to Christ under that illusion, then biblically, you are not a Christian. You have not come to Christ at all. This is not what it means to be a follower of Christ. It is not possible to be a follower of Christ and be indifferent to what he says, because to be a follower of Christ, what he says determines how you live.”
Acknowledging Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life is not something to be entered lightly. Following Jesus is tough! “Jesus said to the crowds following Him, ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." Luke 14:25-33
Jesus told the crowds to count the cost BEFORE coming to him, because following him includes way more than praying a prayer and showing up at church on Sundays. True Christians obey the commands in Scripture which call us to live radical lives, pouring ourselves out to serve the poor and hurting and reaching out to the entire world with the amazing news of the gospel regardless of how difficult, uncomfortable, or dangerous that may be.
This naturally leads to a couple more questions: How can I know if I’m truly a Christian? and How can I live and grow as a Christian?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Questions Campers Ask
I’ve been thinking for a while about doing a series a blog posts on the good questions campers asked me this last summer and the great answers the Bible supplies, and I think I’m going to do it. No one (but me and the random people who get the ‘privilege’ of being told about my latest post that I think might actually pertain to them or who have the “luck” of clicking through the link I post on facebook) faithfully read this blog, so I think the real reason I need to do this is to keep myself accountable to keep writing and working on these questions.
I applied to counsel again this summer, and I have this crazy idea to make these into a booklet of questions and answers for reference, or to give campers. I want to somehow set it up so that, depending on your question, you jump in on a certain page. I want it to all run together and build on each other, but also have it separated by questions so you can read as little as you want. I still have to figure out the logical order for these questions. I think I want to end each question with options. Like, “the next questions this leads to are ________ and _________. Turn here to read _______ and here to read _____________. But each question would need at least one other question leading to it, and they’d still have to be in a logical order for those reading straight through. So yeah. I dunno. We shall see how it works out!
So for question number 1 (for now!):
Q: Once I’m a born again Christian, if I sin, will I still be a Christian, or should I pray to become a Christian again?
A: Once I’m born a human being, if I bark, will I become a dog and no longer a human being? No! That’s extremely silly!
If we look at what the Bible says about this question, we’ll find the same. I’ll type a few passages and a short explanation in brackets within the passage: “And I [Jesus] give them [believers] eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. [They are my followers whom I have given eternal life, and no one can take that from them.] My Father [God] who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [God will keep true believers’ Salvation safe and secure because he is more powerful than anyone.]” (John 10:28-29)
“All that the Father [God] gives Me [Jesus] will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out. [Every person who God wants to trust Jesus, will obtain Salvation. Jesus will not send away anyone who wants to trust Him for Salvation.] For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. This is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all he has given me, [true believers] I should lose nothing, [none of them will be lost from trusting Jesus for Salvation] but should raise it up at the last day [I will raise them up to spend eternity with Me]. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise Him up at the last day. [This is why Jesus was on earth: to show himself to the world so they could trust in Him so he could raise them up at the end of the world, and give them eternal life.]” (John 6:37-40)
Bottom line: if you are truly trusting Jesus for Salvation and you sin, your Salvation is not permanently lost. Your joy and fellowship with Jesus will be lost for the moment until you repent, but you do not lose the gift of eternal life which Jesus has promised to you.
The Bible does, however, speak of those who fall away from the faith. These people never were truly Christians, but only pretended to be. Check out these verses: “They [fake Christians] went out from us [left the church of true believers; no longer claimed to be Christians], but they were not of us [they never really were Christians]; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us [if they had really ever been followers of Jesus, they would not/could not have left]; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. [God let them leave to show us they were not truly followers of Him]” I John 2:19 “But he who endures to the end will be saved [True Christians will endure to the end-death].” (Matthew 10:22)
If you are truly trusting Jesus for Salvation, don’t worry! God isn’t just gonna snap one day and say, “That’s it! She messed up one more time. No eternal life with Me for her. I’m cutting off her Salvation!” You don’t have to keep living in fear and praying every night for God to save you, or walking forward every year at camp to “accept Jesus” once again.
However, maybe you still need to be asking whether or not you’re truly a Christian, especially if you don’t see a change in your life from the time you “became a Christian” until now. The Bible NEVER describes becoming a follower of Jesus (a Christian) as praying a prayer, then living however you want because you can’t lose your Salvation. If you’re not a true Christian, you have a totally different problem to deal with.
This leads to two questions: How can I know if I’m truly a Christian? I believe in God and prayed a prayer asking Jesus comes into my heart. Isn’t that how I get and to heaven? How do I become a Christian? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?
(Stay tuned for more!)
I applied to counsel again this summer, and I have this crazy idea to make these into a booklet of questions and answers for reference, or to give campers. I want to somehow set it up so that, depending on your question, you jump in on a certain page. I want it to all run together and build on each other, but also have it separated by questions so you can read as little as you want. I still have to figure out the logical order for these questions. I think I want to end each question with options. Like, “the next questions this leads to are ________ and _________. Turn here to read _______ and here to read _____________. But each question would need at least one other question leading to it, and they’d still have to be in a logical order for those reading straight through. So yeah. I dunno. We shall see how it works out!
So for question number 1 (for now!):
Q: Once I’m a born again Christian, if I sin, will I still be a Christian, or should I pray to become a Christian again?
A: Once I’m born a human being, if I bark, will I become a dog and no longer a human being? No! That’s extremely silly!
If we look at what the Bible says about this question, we’ll find the same. I’ll type a few passages and a short explanation in brackets within the passage: “And I [Jesus] give them [believers] eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. [They are my followers whom I have given eternal life, and no one can take that from them.] My Father [God] who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [God will keep true believers’ Salvation safe and secure because he is more powerful than anyone.]” (John 10:28-29)
“All that the Father [God] gives Me [Jesus] will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out. [Every person who God wants to trust Jesus, will obtain Salvation. Jesus will not send away anyone who wants to trust Him for Salvation.] For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. This is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all he has given me, [true believers] I should lose nothing, [none of them will be lost from trusting Jesus for Salvation] but should raise it up at the last day [I will raise them up to spend eternity with Me]. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise Him up at the last day. [This is why Jesus was on earth: to show himself to the world so they could trust in Him so he could raise them up at the end of the world, and give them eternal life.]” (John 6:37-40)
Bottom line: if you are truly trusting Jesus for Salvation and you sin, your Salvation is not permanently lost. Your joy and fellowship with Jesus will be lost for the moment until you repent, but you do not lose the gift of eternal life which Jesus has promised to you.
The Bible does, however, speak of those who fall away from the faith. These people never were truly Christians, but only pretended to be. Check out these verses: “They [fake Christians] went out from us [left the church of true believers; no longer claimed to be Christians], but they were not of us [they never really were Christians]; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us [if they had really ever been followers of Jesus, they would not/could not have left]; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. [God let them leave to show us they were not truly followers of Him]” I John 2:19 “But he who endures to the end will be saved [True Christians will endure to the end-death].” (Matthew 10:22)
If you are truly trusting Jesus for Salvation, don’t worry! God isn’t just gonna snap one day and say, “That’s it! She messed up one more time. No eternal life with Me for her. I’m cutting off her Salvation!” You don’t have to keep living in fear and praying every night for God to save you, or walking forward every year at camp to “accept Jesus” once again.
However, maybe you still need to be asking whether or not you’re truly a Christian, especially if you don’t see a change in your life from the time you “became a Christian” until now. The Bible NEVER describes becoming a follower of Jesus (a Christian) as praying a prayer, then living however you want because you can’t lose your Salvation. If you’re not a true Christian, you have a totally different problem to deal with.
This leads to two questions: How can I know if I’m truly a Christian? I believe in God and prayed a prayer asking Jesus comes into my heart. Isn’t that how I get and to heaven? How do I become a Christian? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?
(Stay tuned for more!)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Radical or Rational? A lesson from Asa
In the book of 2 Chronicles, amongst a long chronology of the kings of Judah and Israel and their accomplishments and/or defeats, we find an unusual story of a king named Asa with a challenging lesson for you and me-the church in America today. The first verse that introduces us to Asa states that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord His God.” [2 Chronicles 14:2] The passage goes on to list his accomplishments: Removing the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, breaking down the sacred pillars and wooden images, commanding Judah to seek the Lord and obey His commandments, building fortified cities, enjoying long rest from war, remaining loyal to God all his days, bringing gold and silver into the temple, and removing his mother from being queen mother because of the obscene image of the false god Asherah she had made. By all accounts, he begins to appear to be a perfect king. But the Bible has confined all under sin, so we read on in Asa’s story to see what it was that brought his downfall.
In 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read that Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah with an army including one million men, 300 on chariots. Unfortunately for Asa, his own army was only 580,000 strong and there is no mention in Scripture of his army having any chariots at all. The fact that his army was only slightly bigger than half the Ethiopians’ did not cause Asa’s faith to waiver at all. Instead we find the following incredible prayer as Asa’s response to the formidable odds before him.
“And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for you to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on you, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; do not let this multitude prevail against You!” 2 Chronicles 14:11
Asa acknowledged his insufficiencies and God’s incredible sufficiency. “This is nothing for you, God!” he declared. “We have no power, but you do, and we trust You to prevail against this army for your own glory and fame!” Asa’s trust was not misplaced, and God pulled through, performing a miracle. “The Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled…So the Ethiopians were overthrown and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord.” [2 Chronicles 14:12-13]
The temptation could’ve arisen at this point to take the glory for the victory himself and forget that it was God who brought about this turn of events, but we read the opposite. At the prophet Azariah’s urging, Asa brought the people together for a sacrifice including seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they received from the battle. Then Asa and all Judah made a covenant with God to seek him with all their desire. 2 Chronicles 15:15 tells us that, “all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them.” Incredible. The king and all the people wholeheartedly seeking God. What an amazing point in history!
Unfortunately, Asa’s story does not end there. “In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah.” No biggie, right? Asa’s dealt with war before. He’s seen God pull through for him against staggering odds. Yet rather than another incredible prayer, we read that Asa removes silver and gold from the treasury of the house of the Lord and hires the king of Syria (Judah’s enemies who worshipped false gods and whom Asa should’ve wanted to destroy) to turn against Baasha. Wait, what? Yeah. As we read on, the plan actually works, and Baasha leaves Judah alone. But God is not pleased with the way Asa has handled this. “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro across the face of the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore, from now on, you shall have wars.”
Rather than repenting from his wrong deed, Asa lashed out in anger and threw the prophet who had delivered this message to him into prison. Does Asa ever change his mind and turn back to seeking the Lord? 2 Chronicles includes one more short instance that may provide insight into this. “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.” If Asa’s heart changed, the Bible does not mention it. It does, however, mention that he died two years later. “They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him on the bed filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.”
Funerals in O.T. times were very different from those today, but imagine with me for a moment that Asa had the equivalent of a modern day funeral. Imagine that someone stood up to give the eulogy. I’m sure they would’ve listed all his accomplishments achieved in his early years as king. But then what would they do? Would they pause and admit that Asa’s heart turned from fully trusting God in the twenty-one years of peace God gave him? Would they admit that it was because of Asa’s trust in man rather than God that their country was now plagued by wars? Or would all sitting in attendance simply think all these things while they voiced praise for his accomplishments?
As I think these thoughts, my heart is forced to wonder what will be said at my own funeral? I've been thinking a lot lately about death and eternity. I'm not really sure when it started. I guess maybe it's been longer than lately. My high school campers dubbed "and then you die" as my phrase of the week. But it's true, I guess. We live and do a few petty things, mostly for ourselves, and then we die.
I guess death just normally pops up in my conversations because, well because, life IS short. I WILL die and have a funeral someday. And at my funeral everything will be said in past tense. Past tense. My last chance to make a difference on earth will be gone. Forever.
What will people say at my funeral? What do I want them to say? How do I wanna be remembered? What do I hope to accomplish by then? "What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, then vanishes away."
It's strange to think that I'm only one tiny heartbeat away from eternity- one heartbeat away from leaving my life work of service to my Savior to finally meet Him face-to-face. I’m going to be dead so much longer than I’m going to be alive, so why do I so often find myself acting like this life is all there is? Like this life is all that counts? What am I doing now that will matter when I’m dead?
Did Asa ask himself these questions? Was this what spurred him on to put his full trust in God and step out in faith under crazy circumstances where he would certainly fail if God did not show up? Maybe. But what happened? What turned Asa from wholeheartedly seeking and trusting in the Lord, to turning to his enemies and doctors for help? Did his heart grow cold from apathy in the twenty-one long years of peace where he had no need to jump out in radical, crazy faith, trusting God? Was it the good times of comfort and peace that turned Asa’s heart from the Lord?
I see a similar pattern in my own way I relate to God. When things were comfortable and safe, Asa wandered from the Lord. I myself am tempted to step away from God like I don’t need him when things feel “safe” and “easy”. (Should a Christian’s life be characterized by those words? More on that in a minute.) Almost like, “It’s ok, God; I’ve got this. Step back and watch.” I might not say the words, but I live them when I’m not fully relying on His strength and grace every second of every day. That’s so foolish. Without him supplying every breath I breathe, I would not be here.
We all have a propensity for doing the same, so it’s easy to sympathize with Asa. When things got tough, he turned to people. I can almost imagine him rationalizing, “Sure, I’ve seen God work in crazy amazing ways before. But that was a while ago. What if he doesn’t show up this time? What would my people think of God and me if God didn’t decide to help us this time? They would lose faith in God, and they would lose faith in me. God, I don’t want to test you like this. I have to get help where I know I can get it, and I have to do whatever needs to be done (even if it means stealing from you, God, and enlisting your enemies to help me) to ensure that I keep the people you have entrusted to me safe.”
So which was crazier: Stepping out in faith when the Ethiopians attacked, or not stepping out in faith when Israel did? In our minds, seeing the end of the story, we say that not stepping out was the stupider choice. But how many times every day do we do the same? How many times do we rationalize (form rational lies) staying in our comfort zones, doing what is safe and easy when God has called us to far more?
“God, I don’t want to test you. This isn’t easy! I can’t do this! What if I really tried to do this and trusted you and told other people I was trusting you for this, and you didn’t show up? That would be a terrible representation of you to the world!”
“God, what if this isn’t REALLY your will, and so you won’t help me? This is crazy impossible! I would be cleaning up this mess for the rest of my life! Everyone would see and think I was crazy, and no one would ever view me as a responsible Christian adult again.”
“God you have entrusted my children to me for safe-keeping. I have to keep them safe at all costs! If I send them to this school or this country, they MIGHT be able to share you with the world, but they could lose their faith or be killed! I’m responsible for them God. I know I can’t protect them from everything, but you tell us to do our part, and my part is keeping them safe at home, isn’t it?”
“God, I could die if I went to that foreign country for you. Wouldn’t you rather I be alive and live for you here in my church? I have so many ministries here that I can’t jeopardize losing. I send money to support missionaries. Can’t they just share you to the world? You don’t really want me to give up my career and risk my life there when I’m doing so much good here, do you?”
“God, I can barely support myself and my family, and you want me to support the poor and the orphans and widows? Isn’t that a foolish financial choice? I’m already giving you 10%. Isn’t that enough?”
“God, don’t you want me to be happy? If I give this up to follow you, I won’t be happy. You must not want me to give THIS up, right?”
“God, when you said we are to leave our family, give up everything , feed the poor, care for orphans, spread the gospel to the whole world, and be hated by all to follow you, you couldn’t have been talking to EVERY Christian, just those special ones you call to do those things. I just don’t feel called, God! Show me a sign!”
Do you recognize these 'rational lies'? Do you believe them? They all include moving away from what is dangerous, difficult and uncomfortable. But does the Bible describe the life of a follower of Jesus as safe, easy and comfortable? I’ve recently been challenged by what it means to live as a follower of Christ. So often sharing the gospel comes down to, “We all sin. Sin keeps us from God. God can’t have sin in heaven. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin, then rose three days later, defeating death. If we trust what Jesus did to be enough to pay for our sins and get us to heaven, God will forgive our sin and take us to heaven when we die. So pray and tell God all this if you want to go to heaven.” Yes, that’s the gospel, but one important ingredient is left out: the radical repentance and change that occurs in the life of true believers as a result of a real encounter with Jesus. Here’s what Jesus said to the crowds following Him:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." Luke 14:25-33
Jesus told the crowds to count the cost BEFORE coming to him, because following him includes way more than praying a prayer and showing up at church on Sundays. True Christians obey the commands in Scripture which call us to live radical lives, pouring ourselves out to serve the poor and hurting and reaching out to the entire world with the amazing news of the gospel regardless of how difficult, uncomfortable, or dangerous that may be. Listen to how David Platt explains these verses:
“If you are a follower of Christ, living indifferent to the words of Christ is not an option. Some of you were told to pray a prayer and then you could live your life however you wanted and that’s what it means to be a Christian. If you came to Christ under that illusion, then biblically, you are not a Christian. You have not come to Christ at all. This is not what it means to be a follower of Christ. To be a follower of Christ means to come to an awareness of your sinful rebellion against God, and to see in Jesus the only substitute for your sins, and by His grace to turn from you rebellion against God and trust in him as the Lord and sovereign king over your life. And when that happens, then what Jesus says determines how you live. Therefore, it is not possible to be a follower of Christ and be indifferent to what he says, because to be a follower of Christ, what he says determines how you live.
“If you want to avoid a hard life, danger, persecution, and being hated and betrayed, avoid following Christ. If we continue to feed ourselves comfort, safety and pleasures, we will miss following Christ. Following Christ will cost you everything. “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22
“As you seek to follow Christ with everything, fear will tempt you, but remember: God will take care of you. Look to Christ and death where we will get God. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”(Matthew 10:28) What’s the worst thing that can happen to us? They kill us? The only way that comforts us is if we have already died to ourselves. The apostles feared men so little because they feared God so much. Take the ultimate risk and you will receive the ultimate reward. This is not a call to gloom-it’s a call to being smart.”
Asa’s original choice to trust God and step out in radical faith was smart. After all, what was the worst that could happen? He could be killed. But even if he was killed, he would get God! Asa feared and trusted the One who could destroy the body and soul in hell rather than those who could only kill his body. But after years of comfort and safety, reaping the fruit of that smart choice, Asa made an unwise choice, one I’m afraid most of the church in America is making-a choice to fear and trust people rather than God.
Jesus’ last command before ascending to heaven was for us to go into all the world, sharing the gospel. There are 6.7 billion people in the world. Of those, only 1/3
claim to be Christians. This means there are at least 4.5 billion people in the world who do not claim to know Christ and are on their way to eternal hell where the cry of their torment never ends. The Bible describes hell as a lake of fire, away from the presence of God and anything good. If we truly believe hell is a real place and there are millions who have never even heard the name of Christ, something has to change. Jesus told his followers to go where there was great need and great danger. He warned them that they would be hated, betrayed and persecuted. They would suffer and be persecuted. But in the end, they would get God. They would hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord!”
So I guess this all comes down to a choice we have to make for ourselves every day. Do we really believe what God says it means to follow Him? Will we learn a lesson from Asa and step out in reckless faith-crazy faith that needs God to step in and save the day or all will be lost; or will we stick with what is comfortable, easy, and safe and lose the nearness to God that is the result of throwing ourselves completely at his feet, trusting in his mercy?
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we, through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.” Romans 15:4
In 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read that Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah with an army including one million men, 300 on chariots. Unfortunately for Asa, his own army was only 580,000 strong and there is no mention in Scripture of his army having any chariots at all. The fact that his army was only slightly bigger than half the Ethiopians’ did not cause Asa’s faith to waiver at all. Instead we find the following incredible prayer as Asa’s response to the formidable odds before him.
“And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for you to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on you, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; do not let this multitude prevail against You!” 2 Chronicles 14:11
Asa acknowledged his insufficiencies and God’s incredible sufficiency. “This is nothing for you, God!” he declared. “We have no power, but you do, and we trust You to prevail against this army for your own glory and fame!” Asa’s trust was not misplaced, and God pulled through, performing a miracle. “The Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled…So the Ethiopians were overthrown and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord.” [2 Chronicles 14:12-13]
The temptation could’ve arisen at this point to take the glory for the victory himself and forget that it was God who brought about this turn of events, but we read the opposite. At the prophet Azariah’s urging, Asa brought the people together for a sacrifice including seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they received from the battle. Then Asa and all Judah made a covenant with God to seek him with all their desire. 2 Chronicles 15:15 tells us that, “all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them.” Incredible. The king and all the people wholeheartedly seeking God. What an amazing point in history!
Unfortunately, Asa’s story does not end there. “In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah.” No biggie, right? Asa’s dealt with war before. He’s seen God pull through for him against staggering odds. Yet rather than another incredible prayer, we read that Asa removes silver and gold from the treasury of the house of the Lord and hires the king of Syria (Judah’s enemies who worshipped false gods and whom Asa should’ve wanted to destroy) to turn against Baasha. Wait, what? Yeah. As we read on, the plan actually works, and Baasha leaves Judah alone. But God is not pleased with the way Asa has handled this. “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro across the face of the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore, from now on, you shall have wars.”
Rather than repenting from his wrong deed, Asa lashed out in anger and threw the prophet who had delivered this message to him into prison. Does Asa ever change his mind and turn back to seeking the Lord? 2 Chronicles includes one more short instance that may provide insight into this. “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.” If Asa’s heart changed, the Bible does not mention it. It does, however, mention that he died two years later. “They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him on the bed filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.”
Funerals in O.T. times were very different from those today, but imagine with me for a moment that Asa had the equivalent of a modern day funeral. Imagine that someone stood up to give the eulogy. I’m sure they would’ve listed all his accomplishments achieved in his early years as king. But then what would they do? Would they pause and admit that Asa’s heart turned from fully trusting God in the twenty-one years of peace God gave him? Would they admit that it was because of Asa’s trust in man rather than God that their country was now plagued by wars? Or would all sitting in attendance simply think all these things while they voiced praise for his accomplishments?
As I think these thoughts, my heart is forced to wonder what will be said at my own funeral? I've been thinking a lot lately about death and eternity. I'm not really sure when it started. I guess maybe it's been longer than lately. My high school campers dubbed "and then you die" as my phrase of the week. But it's true, I guess. We live and do a few petty things, mostly for ourselves, and then we die.
I guess death just normally pops up in my conversations because, well because, life IS short. I WILL die and have a funeral someday. And at my funeral everything will be said in past tense. Past tense. My last chance to make a difference on earth will be gone. Forever.
What will people say at my funeral? What do I want them to say? How do I wanna be remembered? What do I hope to accomplish by then? "What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, then vanishes away."
It's strange to think that I'm only one tiny heartbeat away from eternity- one heartbeat away from leaving my life work of service to my Savior to finally meet Him face-to-face. I’m going to be dead so much longer than I’m going to be alive, so why do I so often find myself acting like this life is all there is? Like this life is all that counts? What am I doing now that will matter when I’m dead?
Did Asa ask himself these questions? Was this what spurred him on to put his full trust in God and step out in faith under crazy circumstances where he would certainly fail if God did not show up? Maybe. But what happened? What turned Asa from wholeheartedly seeking and trusting in the Lord, to turning to his enemies and doctors for help? Did his heart grow cold from apathy in the twenty-one long years of peace where he had no need to jump out in radical, crazy faith, trusting God? Was it the good times of comfort and peace that turned Asa’s heart from the Lord?
I see a similar pattern in my own way I relate to God. When things were comfortable and safe, Asa wandered from the Lord. I myself am tempted to step away from God like I don’t need him when things feel “safe” and “easy”. (Should a Christian’s life be characterized by those words? More on that in a minute.) Almost like, “It’s ok, God; I’ve got this. Step back and watch.” I might not say the words, but I live them when I’m not fully relying on His strength and grace every second of every day. That’s so foolish. Without him supplying every breath I breathe, I would not be here.
We all have a propensity for doing the same, so it’s easy to sympathize with Asa. When things got tough, he turned to people. I can almost imagine him rationalizing, “Sure, I’ve seen God work in crazy amazing ways before. But that was a while ago. What if he doesn’t show up this time? What would my people think of God and me if God didn’t decide to help us this time? They would lose faith in God, and they would lose faith in me. God, I don’t want to test you like this. I have to get help where I know I can get it, and I have to do whatever needs to be done (even if it means stealing from you, God, and enlisting your enemies to help me) to ensure that I keep the people you have entrusted to me safe.”
So which was crazier: Stepping out in faith when the Ethiopians attacked, or not stepping out in faith when Israel did? In our minds, seeing the end of the story, we say that not stepping out was the stupider choice. But how many times every day do we do the same? How many times do we rationalize (form rational lies) staying in our comfort zones, doing what is safe and easy when God has called us to far more?
“God, I don’t want to test you. This isn’t easy! I can’t do this! What if I really tried to do this and trusted you and told other people I was trusting you for this, and you didn’t show up? That would be a terrible representation of you to the world!”
“God, what if this isn’t REALLY your will, and so you won’t help me? This is crazy impossible! I would be cleaning up this mess for the rest of my life! Everyone would see and think I was crazy, and no one would ever view me as a responsible Christian adult again.”
“God you have entrusted my children to me for safe-keeping. I have to keep them safe at all costs! If I send them to this school or this country, they MIGHT be able to share you with the world, but they could lose their faith or be killed! I’m responsible for them God. I know I can’t protect them from everything, but you tell us to do our part, and my part is keeping them safe at home, isn’t it?”
“God, I could die if I went to that foreign country for you. Wouldn’t you rather I be alive and live for you here in my church? I have so many ministries here that I can’t jeopardize losing. I send money to support missionaries. Can’t they just share you to the world? You don’t really want me to give up my career and risk my life there when I’m doing so much good here, do you?”
“God, I can barely support myself and my family, and you want me to support the poor and the orphans and widows? Isn’t that a foolish financial choice? I’m already giving you 10%. Isn’t that enough?”
“God, don’t you want me to be happy? If I give this up to follow you, I won’t be happy. You must not want me to give THIS up, right?”
“God, when you said we are to leave our family, give up everything , feed the poor, care for orphans, spread the gospel to the whole world, and be hated by all to follow you, you couldn’t have been talking to EVERY Christian, just those special ones you call to do those things. I just don’t feel called, God! Show me a sign!”
Do you recognize these 'rational lies'? Do you believe them? They all include moving away from what is dangerous, difficult and uncomfortable. But does the Bible describe the life of a follower of Jesus as safe, easy and comfortable? I’ve recently been challenged by what it means to live as a follower of Christ. So often sharing the gospel comes down to, “We all sin. Sin keeps us from God. God can’t have sin in heaven. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin, then rose three days later, defeating death. If we trust what Jesus did to be enough to pay for our sins and get us to heaven, God will forgive our sin and take us to heaven when we die. So pray and tell God all this if you want to go to heaven.” Yes, that’s the gospel, but one important ingredient is left out: the radical repentance and change that occurs in the life of true believers as a result of a real encounter with Jesus. Here’s what Jesus said to the crowds following Him:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." Luke 14:25-33
Jesus told the crowds to count the cost BEFORE coming to him, because following him includes way more than praying a prayer and showing up at church on Sundays. True Christians obey the commands in Scripture which call us to live radical lives, pouring ourselves out to serve the poor and hurting and reaching out to the entire world with the amazing news of the gospel regardless of how difficult, uncomfortable, or dangerous that may be. Listen to how David Platt explains these verses:
“If you are a follower of Christ, living indifferent to the words of Christ is not an option. Some of you were told to pray a prayer and then you could live your life however you wanted and that’s what it means to be a Christian. If you came to Christ under that illusion, then biblically, you are not a Christian. You have not come to Christ at all. This is not what it means to be a follower of Christ. To be a follower of Christ means to come to an awareness of your sinful rebellion against God, and to see in Jesus the only substitute for your sins, and by His grace to turn from you rebellion against God and trust in him as the Lord and sovereign king over your life. And when that happens, then what Jesus says determines how you live. Therefore, it is not possible to be a follower of Christ and be indifferent to what he says, because to be a follower of Christ, what he says determines how you live.
“If you want to avoid a hard life, danger, persecution, and being hated and betrayed, avoid following Christ. If we continue to feed ourselves comfort, safety and pleasures, we will miss following Christ. Following Christ will cost you everything. “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22
“As you seek to follow Christ with everything, fear will tempt you, but remember: God will take care of you. Look to Christ and death where we will get God. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”(Matthew 10:28) What’s the worst thing that can happen to us? They kill us? The only way that comforts us is if we have already died to ourselves. The apostles feared men so little because they feared God so much. Take the ultimate risk and you will receive the ultimate reward. This is not a call to gloom-it’s a call to being smart.”
Asa’s original choice to trust God and step out in radical faith was smart. After all, what was the worst that could happen? He could be killed. But even if he was killed, he would get God! Asa feared and trusted the One who could destroy the body and soul in hell rather than those who could only kill his body. But after years of comfort and safety, reaping the fruit of that smart choice, Asa made an unwise choice, one I’m afraid most of the church in America is making-a choice to fear and trust people rather than God.
Jesus’ last command before ascending to heaven was for us to go into all the world, sharing the gospel. There are 6.7 billion people in the world. Of those, only 1/3
claim to be Christians. This means there are at least 4.5 billion people in the world who do not claim to know Christ and are on their way to eternal hell where the cry of their torment never ends. The Bible describes hell as a lake of fire, away from the presence of God and anything good. If we truly believe hell is a real place and there are millions who have never even heard the name of Christ, something has to change. Jesus told his followers to go where there was great need and great danger. He warned them that they would be hated, betrayed and persecuted. They would suffer and be persecuted. But in the end, they would get God. They would hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord!”
So I guess this all comes down to a choice we have to make for ourselves every day. Do we really believe what God says it means to follow Him? Will we learn a lesson from Asa and step out in reckless faith-crazy faith that needs God to step in and save the day or all will be lost; or will we stick with what is comfortable, easy, and safe and lose the nearness to God that is the result of throwing ourselves completely at his feet, trusting in his mercy?
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we, through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.” Romans 15:4
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