Optional Christian?

As I ponder many things this morning, one thing that has been brewing in me lately is this issue of how many "Christians" view so much of their faith as optional.  Let me try to briefly explain.

The first thing is that so often I have found in not only others but my own ministry that we treat the Gospel as optional.  We present it as a "you decide, take it or leave it" kind of message.  Yet I am troubled by such an approach.  God has not given us options.  The message is you must embrace the True Biblical Gospel of Jesus the Christ.  To refuse it is to accept your fate of utter destruction.  Really it is not some light, flippant, choice to make.  It is the one who is in the electric chair to be executed and they are told exactly what to do to avoid what comes next.  Sure they must choose but it is not an idea of choice that has equal weight or standing, to refuse God's wonderful Grace is the choice of the fool.  We need to take the urgency of the Gospel seriously.

The second is how so many "Christians" view different parts of how they are to live out their faith as optional.  We are to take all of Jesus teaching as something we are to follow, not teachings we may choose to follow.  Our Lord gave us His Apostles to continue that teaching to ensure we have understanding.  None of this instruction is intended to be optional.  So when the Word of God teaches us about marriage, family, sin, Church, etc... We are to follow ALL of its teaching as much as we are able.  And in any area where we seem to lack ability we are to rely on Him, through the Holy Spirit to provide the ability in us so that we can be obedient.  

Repenting of sin, not an option.  Going to Church, not an option. Getting baptized, not an option.  Humbly submitting yourself to Jesus, not an option.  Living to honour and glorify God putting death to selfishness, not an option.  These things are required of the disciple of Jesus.  This is not about earning favour with God or about some form of works based faith.  Rather it is about who you are called to be as a disciple, a follower of Jesus.  Our lives are to be an out flowing of the Sprit of God in us.  

So when we fin ourselves treating our Faith as optional, we need to humbly repent of our self centred ways.  We need to acknowledge the Truth we have been given in the Bible and whether we "like" it or not, we need to receive it and respond to it.

Let us walk together.

Pastor Bruce 

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Bruce Taylor