The Serious Gap
If we ask a total stranger, “Are you a Christian?” that person’s response tells us nothing about their actual relationship with Christ.
The term Christian has come to mean everything and nothing in our day. The Barna Group reports that four out of ten Americans claim to be born-again Christians. Can that be so? What does that mean? Wouldn’t it follow that if forty percent of the population were following Jesus Christ our nation would be radically impacted for the better?
There is a serious gap between the terms Christian and follower of Christ in our day!
Jesus’ challenge both then and now is “Follow me!” The questions we need to be asking each other are, “Are you following Jesus? Is he your Leader? Do others see Jesus in you?” Because following Jesus is life changing! We cannot draw near to God and remain unchanged. How is he changing you? In what ways are you becoming more like him? What’s an area in your life that he wants to change?
“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 NLT
© 2010 Rob Fischer
3 comments
Someone once asked: “If you were put on trial and accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
I am attempting to follow Jesus
I try to have Him my leader but there are failures -when I go my way or the way of the world…. I pick myself up and try again! I can only live in hope that I can continue not to get too frustated in letting Him down so much of the time.
I feel confident others see Jesus in me some of the time and God and I are working on the other times…..
In response to Julie’s comment–yes, anyone who is following Jesus will fail. And certainly as we continue to follow him and he changes us we want to fail less and less.
But we cannot view our relationship with him as though he sees us as losers! He is changing us making us more like him! We are his children. He’s patient and forgiving.
I’m not saying that it doesn’t matter when we sin. But I am saying that he loves us and wants us to win. He is our biggest fan! I fear that we diminish his great love for us when we slink around as though we’re the child he’s ashamed of. We are a demonstration to the world of his great grace, forgiveness and love! Rejoice in that and praise him! 1 Timothy 1:15-16
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