A lot of supposed Christ Followers actually adhere to a form of Christianity that seems kind of half-hearted…
- Compartmentalized
- Convenient
- Temporary
- Lukewarm
- Middle of the Road
- Part Time
Do they know God hates this?
Revelation 3:16 is part of the letters to the 7 churches. Which one makes God the most angry? Read it, and you tell me…
“since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
“Well, pastor, I’m not always Luke warm, sometimes I’m red hot for Jesus! Like on Sundays when I worship! You ought to hear me sing! But Monday through Friday I’m a little different because my friends don’t really get the whole, ‘Christian’ thing.”
That’s compartmentalized Christianity, my friend. And though few would say it as matter of factly as above, many live exactly like that.
Prepare to be spit out.
“Hey pastor? What about me? I’m not compartmentalized, I’m just junior varsity. I don’t really witness or anything because I don’t have the gift like Billy Graham. And I don’t serve because I’m so busy with my job. I do tithe though—even more than 10 percent! 10.1 to be exact!”
That’s middle of the road—come on
I’m not gonna go through all these—suffice it to say that with God it’s all or nothing. Not that we won’t mess up, but more that we are either all in for God or we’re not in the game at all. We’re either fans or followers. We either take up our cross everyday or we don’t take it up at all.
God’s not religious. And He’s not looking for perfection.
Then what is it?
He knows that even allowing part time sin and compromise into our lives will eventually drag us back into our former way of life. And that would be almost worse than not being saved at all. Look at what Peter said in 2 Peter 2:20,
“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”
And what Jesus said in Luke 9:62,
“Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
And it’s like this for everything! For example, could you imagine if our 9 core values were really only a part time interest for us? Take for example, “UNITY.”
If we allowed divisive behavior to run rampant and didn’t hold each other accountable—soon the whole body would be infested. Division is like a virus—it spreads. Again, Jesus taught this,
Matthew 12:43-45 says,
“ 43“When(BN) the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through(BO) waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and(BP) the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this(BQ) evil generation.”
You want to live all out for God? Want that abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10? Then make it a constant pursuit!
Don’t be a part time chaser of God.