Monthly Archives: May 2008

What would Jesus say?

“Rededicating your life to Christ” is a popular phrase in student ministries.  In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a summer camp or an outreach event where it didn’t come up.  Young people who have wandered away from Christ are encouraged to come back to Him.  In our high school ministry, I regularly interact with young people in this position.   But instead of telling them to “Rededicate their life to Christ,” I think of what Jesus would say to them.

John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In the Greek language, the phrase “will never walk” is worded as strongly as it can be. It is a way of saying that this cannot happen. It is impossible for followers of Christ to continue in sin. Christians don’t walk away from the Lord and keep living like the light doesn’t exist.  They cannot go back to a life of darkness.

So, if someone says that they wandered away from the Lord into a lifestyle of sin, then they were never really converted in the first place. They don’t need to “rededicate,” they need to repent.  Repentance is the act of turning from sin. It is a radical redirection of our life as we respond to God bringing us out of the darkness and into His glorious light.  There is no switching the light on and off.

The call to repent is common throughout the New Testament.  It is even used for religious people or those who thought they knew God.  In Acts 26:20 the apostle Paul says that we will prove our repentance by our deeds. From the time we begin following Christ, walking with Him will become our consistent pattern. We may fall into a sin or struggle with temptation, but not without the conviction and correction of the Holy Spirit. Our life will change from the way it was before. As Jesus said:

John 12:46 - “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

What do you think?  Why do people use extra-biblical phrases like “rededicating your life to Christ?”  Why are phrases like this so popular today?

Living Full-time for Jesus

If we are not careful, it is easy for us to fall into “on the clock” Christianity. We clock in for Christ when we are coming to church or doing Bible study. But when it comes time for work or play we clock out and think it is our time. I am concerned that too many Christians consider following Christ a part-time job. Yet Scripture is clear that the only way to live is full-time for Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that you labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Look at the 100% language in this verse. In response to what Christ has done for us in His death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) we are commanded to give ourselves “always” and “fully” to the work of the Lord. “Always” means with 100% of our time. “Fully” means with 100% of our hearts and effort. The Lord’s work demands everything that we have. There is nothing leftover for us.

This is a theme that continually comes up in my teaching with the high school students. It is so easy for them to think of school or home or sports as something different than church. Instead of seeing themselves as missionaries for Jesus wherever they are, they can see themselves as independent operators. So much of life becomes about what they want to do rather than carrying the name of Jesus forward in the world.

Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:18-25 goes on to give specific relationships where this full-time for Jesus mentality applies. At home, students should obey their parents in the Lord. At school, they should do what their teachers tell them like a slave would follow his master’s commands. All of these things are not separate pursuits, but should all be seen as serving our Lord and Savior.

You might think that this is easy for me to say because I am involved in full-time ministry. However, a mentality of “always giving yourselves fully” to the work of the Lord has nothing to do with where we are employed. It has everything to do with how we work. Our whole heart is into it. We do it with a level of excellence that adorns the gospel. Sadly, there are many who work at churches and don’t live this way. I remember when I began high school ministry six years ago, it was easy for me to think of it as a 9 to 5 job. I thought that at the end of the day when I came home it was “Bobby time.” However, the Lord has convicted me of thinking of my free time as my own. It all belongs to Him!

So how are you doing? I’d encourage you to look at the 24 hours of your day and ask yourself if you are giving them fully to our Lord Jesus? Yes, we need to sleep and eat and rest but all of these things need to be done with the mentality of someone who is a 24/7 Christian, because that is the only kind of Christian there is. Compass Bible Church, we are “on the clock”…right…now!