Why should a person become a Christian? some might argue that they are getting their fire insurance. Others might assent to the argument of Pascal’s Wager. Some might buy into the prosperity gospel taught by the likes of the Copelands and Osteen. Does that line up, however, with the call of Christ to love our enemies, hate our own sin nature, to take up our cross and follow Christ? I think not. I would like to put forth that my salvation has little to do with what Christ can do for me, and more to do with what he has already done for me on the Cross. The Christian life isn’t about escaping Hell. The Christian life is not about being on the winning side of a bet. The Christian life is not about what Christ can do for me and how wealthy he can make me. The Christian life is a call to deny oneself, to mortify the deeds of the flesh, to become Holy, to take up a cross and follow Christ as we continue to embrace our ultimate death as the ultimate gain in our lives. It is about loving our enemies. It is about praising the Lord for hardships and persecution. It is about magnifying Christ in all things, and minimizing ourselves. Is our salvation all for Christ and his glory, or is it about what’s in it for me? Or, is it about living for Christ and his glory? What would we be willing to give up to live the Christian life? Our wealth? Our friends? Our job? Our homes? Our comfort? Our lives? The lives of our families? How far are we willing to go to bring glory to God? It is hard to know for sure what any of us, even believers who struggle with the sin nature till the day we die, would do. But I think it comes down to our perspective of Salvation and living the Christian life. Is it all about what is in it for me? Or is our salvation and our Christian life and walk All for Christ and His Glory? Jesus tells the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to be saved. Jesus told him to give up everything he owned to the poor and come follow him. The rich man went away sad for he had things in his life that he wasn’t willing to give up for Jesus. It was a “What’s in it for me” type of salvation he was seeking instead of an “All for Christ” salvation. But, really, how much different are we from the rich young man who went away sad that day? Doesn’t it go against the grain of all mankind to submit his will to the will of God? Doesn’t it go against the grain of all mankind to embrace the reality of giving up all for Christ instead of asking what is in it for me? It is only by God’s mercy and grace that anyone can be saved at all. You see, as Jesus said to his disciples, “With man, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible”.
Sola Deo Gloria
Now, go live your life all for Christ and forget about yourself as we go through this week and year and life. Live your life all for Christ and His Glory.
Matthew 5
Romans 7-8
Mark 8:34
Matthew 10:34-39
Phillipians 1:20-26
Luke 18:18-27
Romans 3:9-18
