There’s a piece of scripture wherein Jesus is describing His return and the end of the age, and a group of people come to Him expecting to be saved because they’ve been good people and shared the gospel. Jesus, however, basically tells them, “I don’t know you. Go away.”
I’m not sure Americans understand salvation any more.
Photo courtesy of Mark Strozier
The Barna Group released a report last month that highlighted four “obstacles” that self-identified Christians in America struggle with when it comes to living lives of vibrant faith. The first one, Commitment, gave us some interesting numbers.
According to Barna:
- 81% say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is important to them today.
- 78% agree that spirituality is important to them.
- 18% say they are totally committed to investing in their spiritual development.
- 22% claim to be “totally dependent on God.”
- 52% believe there is “much more” to Christian life than what they’re experiencing.
All of which begs for definitions of “commitment” and “important.”
If a man told me that he is committed to his wife, but that he’s not investing in the relationship – I’d be concerned about his definition of “commitment.” If a woman said that her children are important to her, and also said that she knows there’s much more to parenting than what’s she’s doing, I’d consider reporting her.
What commitment do we think we’ve made if we’re not investing in our faith and searching for God?
We’ve committed to checking the box next to “Christian” on public surveys? To wearing cross necklaces? How can we say that something is important to us, and then ignore it?
It’s hard to believe that American adults don’t understand terms like “commitment” and “important,” which makes me wonder if we understand what kind of commitment Jesus is asking for.
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)
“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:22-23)
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30)
Jesus is pretty uncompromising about our devotion. How did we get a place where we are not?
How did we actually give everything to the idea that raising a hand, praying a prayer, and changing our religion on Facebook is what Jesus died for?
If you’re not investing in your “spiritual development,” if you’re not learning to trust God more and more every day, then there probably is “much more” to Christian living than what you’re experiencing. Getting it isn’t hard: Do what you’re not doing.
So true I should show this to Dulce and talk about it
I love this topic and post. A book that covers this idea is called the cost of discipleship dietrich bonhoeffer, which is an amazing book so please everyone read it, in it he talks about the fact that Grace has been over played and you have to visions of salvation. Grace and don’t do anything at all ever because that would take away from God’s grace. And works to get salvation. Both are skewed views of what Jesus’ gift actually is. It is Grace and yes we can’t earn nothing, but once overcome by this Grace it will compel us to follow Jesus with all that we have. This it what it demands, as you said it’s not a simple Facebook status but a switch from being a slave to sin and now a slave to Jesus. The fact that we can actually now bring Joy to God because of our faith in the faithful Son Jesus is amazing and should push us into being radical for someone who was radical for us. Also, we live in time where the Evangelical Christian is overwhelmed by the idea of Grace and the love of God, so powerfully thrown at us that we seem like bigots if we also bring up the wonderful justice of God and the call that we have once we are believers. Yes grace is astounding, so is the power of the Holy Spirit that is within us to change our lives so we can be imitators of him.
I need to get me some Dietrich Bonhoeffer. One of those things that’s been on my To Do list for far too long.
I think it’s a fascinating equilibrium that we live in – works TO salvation vs. works OF salvation, grace vs. slavery – but I love it. And, honestly, I consider it proof that our faith is not man-made. No one could have come up with that, and if someone did, anyone trying to brainwash the masses or gather a following would have ditched it immediately. 🙂