Are You a Liar?

That's a pretty bold question, isn't it? Have you ever thought about it... as it relates to your faith? Now, it goes without saying, I'm specifically asking each of us to look at our own faith... making a judgment as it pertains to YOU... NOT SOMEONE ELSE! (Let's focus on that plank in our own eye before we worry about the splinter in someone else's!) Chan asks us to look at two Scriptures as we begin to dissect our own willingness to follow Christ:

"You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder." James 2:19

"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a lair, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:3-4

So, in those two Scriptures, we have a potential comparison to demons AND a possible label as a liar... not exactly reassuring, is it? But, I think we need to look at this from a different perspective... instead of beating ourselves up over whether or not these "apply" to us, we should be using these Scriptures as road maps, if you will... commands on how we should live.

In James 2:19, we see, in black and white that BELIEVING IS NOT ENOUGH! (That is, of course, assuming that you DON'T think that demons will be joining you in heaven!) So, from this Scripture, we know that we are called to do more than believe. In 1 John 2:3-4, in my opinion, it is very clear that being a Christian ("The man who says, 'I know him,'...") requires more from us than a proclamation of faith... IT REQUIRES ACTION ("... but does not DO WHAT HE COMMANDS is a liar, and the truth IS NOT in him.")

So... here's what I get from this: Believing IS NOT ENOUGH. Confessing our faith IS NOT ENOUGH. What is required is our belief, our confession AND our proof of both... through our actions. Chan goes on to reference two additional Scriptures:

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:24-25

" Any of you who does not give up everything he can not be my disciple." Luke 14:33

Chan concludes this section with the following statement: "Some people claim that we can be Christians without necessarily becoming disciples. I wonder, then, why the last thing Jesus told us was to go into the world, making disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that He commanded? You'll notice that He didn't add, 'But hey, if that's too much to ask, tell them to just become Christians- you know, the people who get to go to heaven without having to commit to anything." p. 87

The logical question for each of us is this: Have we actually committed ourselves to Christ?

Think about this example: Many of us have committed ourselves in marriage. We professed our love to our spouse in front of a room full of people. Many of us wear rings, showing the world that we are committed to one person. But does that exchange of vows, or the fact that we wear wedding rings, really indicate whether or not we are faithful to our spouse? Of course not... it's our daily actions towards our spouse: respect, integrity, faithfulness, love, admiration... that confirm this.

So, do your actions confirm your faithfulness to Christ?

THE PUSH

We've seen this video before, but today's topic warrants another look. Take it to heart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7MdYV8gRws