My understanding of what it means to be a saved, born again, follower of Christ was drastically changed in the last few weeks and days. I believe my genuine profession of faith and my intentional decision to follow Christ because of what He accomplished on the cross happened April 19th, 2009.
Those of you who know me well are probably wondering why and how I was able to come to this conclusion. Let me lay out the reasons why I was caused to step back and look at the life I had lived thus far.
Pastor Augsburger has recently been teaching from the book of 1 John. It is a series titled “Faith’s Paternity Test”. It has been a series with the purpose of challenging the congregation to analyze their “walk” and put themselves to the tests that 1 John lays out to determine if someone is a genuine Christian.
The theme of the most recent sermon had to do with our salvation being validated by the conduct of our lives. He discussed justification and regeneration, which are two major indicators of a life that is devoted and given up to Christ. The three areas that I (we) was challenged to look at were the following.
Our status is/can be tested by:
1. the attitude you have toward God’s commandments
2. by your interaction with God’s word, and
3. by your desire to emulate Jesus.
In all three areas I could not give a genuine “correct” answer that would satisfy the
definition of a true believer and follower of Christ.
My attitude towards God’s commands had been at best obligatory, and mostly apathetic. I knew that God’s way for living life made sense. I knew that his commands are logical and meant for my well-being. I knew His commands and what I needed to do. I did not do them. I had no delight in the law of the Lord. I did not have a drive to obey the Savior, at all. Sometimes I did the “right” thing because it was the “right” thing to do, not for the purpose of glorifying God. I can identify several instances where I sinned willingly and had no qualms about it. I have participated in the church, and I loved going to the church. However, this was not evidence that I loved “The Church”- the Body of Believers, I didn’t regard them as the Bride of Christ. I grew up in the church; my friends are there, people I have known my entire life are there. Going to church fulfilled a social hole. The same goes for my actions done in the church. I enjoyed teaching and leading because it served the purpose of making me feel important. I was a white washed tomb.
My interaction with God’s word was at times consistent, but with the underlying motivator being that I would be able to tell others that I was actually doing it. I never considered reading God’s word a vital aspect of my daily walk. I did it, but never with the intent to know God better and deepen a relationship with Him. Again, it was done with the intent of saying, “I did it.” It was to glorify myself, not Him.
My desire to emulate Jesus was pathetic. It wasn’t even pathetic, it was absent. I knew the right things to do, and sometimes I did the things that Jesus would have done, but why? I had acting “good” down pat, but what purpose did those good works serve when my innermost being was corrupt to the core. Outwardly, from another’s perspective I acted like I needed to. Inwardly, from my perspective and more importantly from God’s perspective, I struggled with secretive sins that were the dynamic indicators of my soul’s relationship with the Savior; mainly, that there was never a proper understanding of the kind of decision that needs to be made to accept Christ as Savior and Lord of my life.
Yes, I had said a prayer previously, twice, both for selfish reasons. I had told God that I believed he sent His Son to die and that I knew he was able to forgive my sins. I can’t say that accepted his gift as my own though. Belief wasn’t the issue. Using the knowledge that I knew to be true in an intentional way was. Knowledge of Christ’s work on the cross doesn’t save. There are millions of people who know about Christ as true historical figure, but don’t accept what He did. Acceptance and Ownership of the free gifts of forgiveness of sin, eternal life and His grace and mercy is what saves.
*1 John 2:3 says “ we come to know that we know Him if we obey his commands- I didn’t
*1 John 2:6 says “ whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”- I didn’t
* 1 John 3:6 says “no one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.”- I did.
I had a misunderstanding of grace. I chose to leave out the parts about obedience and sacrifice. In Jude 4 it talks of those who “use the grace of God as a license for immorality.” That was my skewed perception of “freedom in Christ.” As I read through the rest of 1 John and took an honest look at my status before Christ, I realized there was not evidence of a decision that had a lasting impact. I had never claimed Christ’s promise as my own with the intent to serve and Glorify Him as Lord of my life because of what He accomplished on my behalf at Calvary.
Well, now I have made that decision and I’d like to ask those of you who read this to keep me in your prayers and keep me accountable.
Our community groups run in a cycle we like to call, “3 tens and a break.” We offer 10-week long small group sessions in the fall, winter, and spring with breaks between each session. During the summer, the groups do not meet. In order to participate in a community group, you must sign up at the beginning of a 10-week session. We offer a directory of groups, and you can choose an appropriate group, provided there is room in the group. We offer groups on the basis of geography, stage of life, and interest. If you desire to plug into a group during one of the 10-week sessions, every 5 weeks we start a “trial” group, which lets you experience our small group format. After the trial group, you are free to sign up for a regularly meeting group before the next 10-week session begins.
One of the major FAQ’s relates to curriculum. The curriculum is the sermons from the previous Sunday service. We believe this is one of the strengths of our program. This allows you to dig deeper into the teaching from Sundays. Additionally, you have the valuable experience of applying the message to life situations in the context of a small group of fellow believers.
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
Tragedy struck the home of America’s most popular poet. On July 9, 1861, Henry Wadsworth Longellow’s wife, Fanny, was near an open window sealing the locks of her daughter’s hair in a packet, using hot sealing wax. It was never known whether a spark from a match or the sealing wax was the cause, but suddenly her dress caught fire and engulfed her with flames. Her husband, sleeping in the next room, was awakened by her screams. He desperately tried to put out the fire and save his wife. He was severely burned on his face and hands.
She, tragically burned, slipped into a coma the next day and died. His grievous burns would not even allow him to attend her funeral. He seemed to lock the anguish within his soul. Because he continued to work at his craft, only his family knew of his personal suffering. They could see it in his eyes and observe his long periods of silence. His white beard, so identified with him, was one of the results of his tragedy- the burn scars on his face made shaving almost impossible.
Although a legend in his own time, he still needed the peace that God gives to His children. On Christmas Day, three years following the horrible accident- at age 57-he sat down to capture, if possible, the joys of the season. He began:
“I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carol play.
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
As he came to the third stanza he was stopped by the condition of his beloved country. The Civil was in full swing. The Battle of Gettysburg was not long past. Days looked dark, and he probably asked himself the question. “How can I write about ‘peace on earth, good will to men’ in this war-torn country, where brother fights against brother and father against son? But he kept on writing – and what did he write?
“And in despair I bowed my head”
‘There is no peace on earth’ I said,
‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!”
It seems as if he could have been writing these words for us today! Wadwsorth then turned his thought to God, the only One who can give true and perfect peace, and continued writing:
“Then pealed the bells more loud deep:
God is not dead, not doth He sleep:
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
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