To Hold the Title of Christian

To hold the title of Christian.

I am both proud and ashamed.

Never embarrassed of the Gospel or the God that sustains it, but dismayed by the absence of Christ in many who claim the name.

 

Many Christians are without the very foundation of Christianity itself.

This knowledge saddens me.

I am uneased by the idea that many walk around with the title and possess nothing of

the living God but instead everything of themselves.  

 

Yet, Paul saw the depth of faith in Christ, minimizing the emphasis on self-sufficiency and

maximizing the glory of Christ, saying, 

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself

for me.” Galatians 2:20 NLT

 

Being a follower of Christ has never been about including Christ but willingly offering our

lives in total surrender to Him.

 

This position of submission is why I cannot simply date to date or, exist to exist, or

work to work, for I now live for something greater and the approval of someone greater.

 

My soul knows full well that I was bought with a price, made with purpose, and called to a

good God, making it impossible to abandon such a treasure to pursue the fleeting.

 

These words are not to condemn Christians but to challenge us to be honorable and committed to God not only on the outside but also on the inside, allowing Him the space to transform our hearts and minds to mimic His. 

I pray that we no longer choose God to gain acceptance, prosperity, happiness, protection, or comfort but choose Christ because He is worthy of following, heeding, and serving. 

 

May it not be for our glory that we approach and inhabit the Christian faith but for His alone.  

 

Make Christianity about Christ again. 

-lr