Are Part Time Christians Pleasing To God? Some Tough Questions
Posted: Thursday, November 19, 2009
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
A good place to start the answer to this question is vacation time. When you and family leave on vacation, does your obligations toward our Father get left behind or, are they packed deeply inside one piece of luggage to remain there until you return? Far too many Christians claim the name but it ends there. There is a saying which has been used to clarify this, "Don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk".
Many people do not understand the vital importance of worship. God intended us to worship Him, not as we wish, but as He has prescribed. And I have heard some say that they just don't believe they have to attend worship services regularly. Well, the fact is, you don't have to attend any of them, but if you plan to be pleasing to God, you must develop the attitude that you are privileged to worship Him at every opportunity. To put it as simply as I can, it is not the fact that you are at every service, but the fact that you desire to be. If you put sleep or television, etc before Him, that just won't cut it. When you are on vacation, find a local congregation of the Lord's people, and worship with them, because you love the Lord, not just because you feel you have to.
And the attending of worship services are not the only way one can be a part time Christian. One can attend every assembly of the church but hide his religion at work, social events, or even at home. Christianity is not for show, or cover for something being done wrong. Some can attend service, sing praise to God, and even pray prayers of edification, then become a cynic of the worst kind when around only family or more especially when around non-Christians or other cynics.
How people have come to regard Christianity as they do is beyond my understanding. The bible contains many exemplary lives of the first century Christians, with the persecutions they willingly accepted, their diligence in spreading His word, even unto torture and death. It also depicts some of those who were not so diligent. After Jesus was ascended to the Father in heaven, he appeared to the apostle John and revealed the information now contained in what we call the Revelation. And in His words to the disciples at Laodicea, He had John write:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:15-17 KJV)
We are to do our best to live exemplary lives before all, and all we do should be done eagerly, not grudgingly or from a sense of duty. The attitude of our hearts means most to an omniscient God.
I know of people and in fact, for a number of years, I was among them, who wonder how some people can seemingly live a righteous life so easily when it was very difficult for them. And I finally learned what it took to make a Christian feel like a Christian. If you do not have a solid routine of studying God's word, and praying earnestly to Him, in private, at least twice or thrice daily, you will find it difficult to keep your mind centered on the Lord, Jesus Christ. With those things in your schedule, your faith will grow, your attitude will change and you will find that serving Him, in worship and other duties, a blessing instead of a chore.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)Thanks - we found one of the best churches we were ever a part of by visiting there while on vacation before we even moved to this area! I am more bummed by someone who says "my religion is a private thing" than by one who says he is an atheist.... more hope of reaching the latter I think. MarijoThanks Marijo, for reading and your input.
Profound Joel, thank youThanks for reading and commenting, Jim.
Great article Joel. Thank you for writing and sharing this to us. I distinctly remember what my mother used to tell us every time we visit a new place to find a church so that you can give thanks and pray. Happy Thanksgiving Day. ~Nenita~Thanks Nenita, I appreciate your comments.
Joel,Very good article. What concerns me are those of the younger generation and their offspring who have not been taught, who have never attended church, and who are truly unaware of who He is. They aren't even part of the CPEs!Yes, I agree that is probably the very worst part. I wrote an article back in 2007 here on Searchwarp. You might want to read it also. It is entitled "Entering an anti-Chritian era. searchwarp(dot)com(slas)swa282202(dot)htmThanks for your comment.
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