Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

Faith

Are You a Christian Or a Disciple?

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I recently attended the North American Christian Convention as it afforded me the opportunity to see one of my favorite speakers, Francis Chan. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Chan, I would highly recommend that you check out his books (“Crazy Love” and “Forgotten God”) or listen to one his messages at the website of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. Chan’s topic for the day was the issue of being a Christian versus being a disciple. As he pointed out, there really is no difference, at least by Biblical standards. However, Western Christianity at large seems to be perpetuating the lie that it is possible to be a Christian without being a disciple of Jesus. This resonated deeply with me as one of my own personal mantras is “repenting of Christianity for a life of following Jesus.” One of the ideas promoted by the modern church is that by simply having someone pray a prayer and raise their hand, we have added one to our convert count for the year. Chan stated that he believes this is the most dangerous teaching in the church today. I couldn’t agree more.

Jesus told the people of His day that if they would follow Him they had to leave everything behind. They had to sell their possessions, they had to give away their money, and they had to forsake their friends and family for the sake of following Jesus. There is no hesitation and no compromise in the life of a true follower of Jesus. For someone to be a follower of Jesus, they must be “all in” or left out. From my study of Scripture I just don’t see any wiggle room on that. If you would call yourself a follower of Jesus, you must be willing to give up absolutely everything for Him.

Incredibly, some of the comments posted after Chan’s message were very negative. People were complaining that Chan was only saying that Christians must be disciples rather than giving them practical steps on how to become a disciple. I want to be as sensitive as possible here, but the last time I looked, those steps were quite clearly defined in the Bible. I think we have become a people that expect others to teach and lead us to such an extent that we no longer seek answers for ourselves. Worse still, in our ADD influenced society I think we often fail to even think at all. If something requires any level of depth it seems most are eager to move on to the next shallow but stimulating topic. Let me reiterate what is becoming a recurring theme here: following Jesus is hard. It’s not for the weak or the squeamish, but it is for anyone who loves Jesus with absolutely everything they have.

We need to stop being concerned with counting how many our church has “led to the Lord” and start making sure we invest in each one of their lives to encourage them to grow and mature in their faith. In other words, we need to be following through on the great commission and not just tell people about Jesus, but make disciples of all people. We need to spend enough time with new believers to ensure they understand what the next steps are and what God expects of them. Following Jesus is not a one time commitment, but rather a commitment that requires renewal every second of every hour of every day.

In summary, let me voice my agreement with Francis Chan. God didn’t call us to make Christians; He called us to make disciples. Let’s be certain that we as a church are not more concerned with someone raising their hand saying they’ve made a decision, than we are with discipling and nurturing that person. Leading someone to Christ and having their lives immersed by the Holy Spirit is only the first half of the commission. The second half requires that we make disciples of these individuals, so that they do not fall away from the faith and can positively impact the world with the love of Jesus.

Tithing

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One of the most controversial subjects among Christians inexplicably seems to revolve around the concept of tithing. Since this was an Old Testament principle, doesn’t the cross of Jesus nullify the tithe? Is the tithe figured off of my gross pay or my net pay? Do I have to tithe on money given to me as a gift? Is the tithe supposed to go to the local church? It is mind-boggling how such a simple concept can become so twisted and convoluted. The uncomfortable truth is that the root of all the questions and disagreement is greed and selfishness. Let’s face it, the reason we argue for tithing less is because we wish to keep more for ourselves. Now that we’ve gotten that ugly truth out of the way, let’s take a look at a few of the questions above.

Yes, the tithe is indeed an Old Testament principle, but no, the cross does not make the Old Testament law irrelevant. Jesus clearly stated in Matthew 5:17-19 that He did not come to destroy the law, but rather to fulfill it. He told those gathered there that anyone who breaks the least of the laws or teaches anyone else to break them will be the least in the Kingdom. Jesus’ blood on the cross fulfilled the need for sacrifice in the law. He became that sacrifice. But His blood did not mean that we were to stop living by the remainder of the law. For example, we never seem to argue that it’s okay to murder or steal or commit adultery because the cross of Jesus made those laws irrelevant. We also seem to fight for our day of rest, even though that too was an Old Testament principle. Like speaking out against one sin while engaging in others, we pick on tithing only because it disrupts our own lifestyle. We want to keep more money for ourselves. It is a case of idolatry, for as Paul states in Ephesians 5:5, a greedy person is an idolater.

Whether or not one tithes on their gross or net pay is another example of greed. We are simply looking for a way to give less. Your gross pay is your salary. We pay taxes from our salary, just as Jesus said that we should (Luke 20:25). Just because the laws of our land take taxes out of your check before you ever see it does not change the fact that you are simply paying taxes out of your salary. Taxes are a bill you pay, no different from your electricity or water bill. I’ve never really heard a debate about whether we should tithe on the amount of money we have left after all our bills are paid or before all our bills are paid. Again, the gross vs. net argument is one for selfish people seeking to keep more of God’s money for themselves. Keeping money that isn’t yours is called stealing in most cultures. I would never want to be the one who stands before God and has to explain why I stole money from Him. I can’t imagine a much more uncomfortable or dangerous conversation.

I think the answers to the remaining questions above can be summed up with a simple story. I was recently asked by a group of friends for my opinion on the tithe, whether the amount was truly the Old Testament principle of 10% or not. My response was simply, “As long as there are people living in poverty, as long as there are people without food or hope in this world, then we haven’t given enough.” It distresses me that the question is always, “How much must I give” rather than being overwhelmed by the opportunity to give all that we can for the purpose of carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ. Where you give that money should be where it is needed most in order to fulfill the teachings of Jesus. Perhaps that’s to an orphanage in Russia or a food bank in your city or a refugee camp in Darfur or a school in India. Perhaps it is to your local church if they are wise stewards of that money and use it to meet the needs of the orphans, the widows and those in need. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, entrusted with His money to do His works among His creation. That is the only litmus test we need keep in mind.

Remember that most arguments over tithing boil down to our own selfishness, greed and lack of faith. I have yet to meet someone who gives back to the Lord a portion of what has been given to them, who doesn’t have their needs met. God will bless you based on the attitude of your heart and the faith you place in Him. He cares for His children; He knows your needs. Let go of the earthly things to which you hold so tightly. Give all you can because it is our good pleasure to serve the One who gave His life for us. Total sacrifice was not too great a price for Jesus to pay for us. He asks for nothing less in return.

Just One

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Margaret Mead is quoted to have said “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” The original disciples of Christ are a perfect example of this principle. Though just twelve in number, they changed the world forever as they steadfastly preached the message of Jesus. Even with such a few number of men, they were able to impact the entire world, and in fact continue to impact the world over two thousand years since their death. Except for the obvious advantage of having known Jesus in His physical form, they were ordinary folks, just like you and me.

The impact the disciples had on the lives of literally billions remains mindboggling to me, while at the same time encouraging me that we do not need large numbers to make a difference. In fact, I would argue that twelve was actually an extraordinary number of people to accomplish something in the name of Jesus. Look at the number of Biblical examples where only one man had a tremendous impact on history. Through the power of God, Samuel helped shape the theology of a nation; Moses led an entire nation out of captivity from a much more powerful captor. The writings of David continue to comfort masses to this very day. Solomon’s wisdom directed the morals and laws of countless nations.

It’s easy to feel like we cannot make a difference by our self. We make the mistake of thinking of ourselves as being all alone. As followers of Jesus, we have the power of God within us. The same power that fueled Gideon’s army, Samson’s strength and Daniel’s prophetic visions dwells in us. Too often we read the Biblical stories of great men and see them as some sort of super humans. The same blood that coursed through their veins centuries ago continues to flow through ours today. We are all flesh and blood, and we are all gifted by God with abilities to do marvelous and incredible works in His name. Though we are few and weak, through us, God simply does the impossible.

The real difference between the Biblical heroes and us is that they chose to trust and to act. How much more could we do if we would simply put our entire trust in Jesus? How much more would we achieve if we would only act on what He gives us to do? How much more fulfilled would we be if we knew without a doubt that we were doing all we were created to do. We need to renew our trust in Him and boldly act with courage. We must do all that He has given us to do.

One man, John the Baptist, with a small band of followers prepared the way for Jesus. Twelve men, followers of Jesus, literally changed the world. One man, Jesus, lived a short but humble life, and secured eternity for everyone who would believe. One man, Paul, along with a companion or two spread the gospel throughout much of the known world. In our modern day world, one man named Bob Pierce took the time to care for one child and in turn founded World Vision, which has since touched the lives of millions. One person, one small group, can indeed impact the world in astounding ways. One person; why not you? Why not me?

What does it mean to be a Christian?

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Since we talk so much about Christianity here, I thought it might be worthwhile for some to take a step back and define what being a Christian actually entails. Christianity in the traditional sense simply means one who is a follower of Christ. In modern evangelical terms (if you are new to Christianity, you’ll find we have A LOT of terms), a Christian is defined as someone who has prayed “the sinner’s prayer” and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. My purpose is not to find fault with either definition, but rather to elaborate on them, with an emphasis on what Jesus commanded of His followers.

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For Whom Would You Die?

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The most unfathomable concept in all of Christianity is the fact that Jesus died for us. This wasn’t some romantic fairy tale death of a hero. Nor was it the death of a man whom everyone knew deserved it. His was a real death, dirty, painful and torturous. He endured things that you and I can scarcely imagine, much less ever have to experience. Why? Because He loved us; He knew this was the only way. This was His mission. It was not something he necessarily wanted to endure, but He was willing to do so because He knew it was the only way. He would have to become the sacrifice so we might live. It’s odd to me that we often gloss over His death and how rarely we truly dwell on it. True, His resurrection is the brilliant culmination of the story, and the part that made it all worth it. But there would have been no resurrection had He not first chosen to die.

One of the things I often contemplate is what my reaction would be if I had to choose between being put to death and denying Christ. I am confident I would choose death. What if the choice was between ongoing torture and denying Christ, would my answer change? An untold number of our brothers and sisters in Christ face this very decision every day of their lives. Although I have some trepidation as to what effect physical torture might have on my resolve, I feel I can honestly say still that I would choose Christ and not deny Him. If you are a devoted follower of Jesus, I suspect that you feel the same as I do. No one wants to face a violent death or brutal torture, but we know He endured both of these things for us; we must be willing to do the same for Him.

Which leads me to an uncomfortable question: if we are willing to die for Christ, why is it we continually refuse to die to self? Are we more important than Christ? We say we would die for Him, but we won’t give up certain parts of our life to Him. “I’ll do anything for You Jesus, I’ll even die for you… just don’t ask me to give up [insert your idol of choice here]”. It cheapens our supposed commitment to Him. To imply that we are too precious to die for is almost blasphemous. He did not consider His own life too special to not offer it up for you. Yet every day we refuse to die to self, every time we protect our personal idols, we tell Him He’s just not worth it. God forgive us for our ignorance and our hardened hearts.

What parts of your life are you refusing to give up? Which parts of your life have you resisted putting to death? He gave up everything for us. It will be difficult and may cause some anguish. We may beg to hold on to our little idols. But only a life that is submitted to Christ in every area can claim to be following in the way of Christ. He did it for us; we must do it for Him. He died for us; we say we’d die for Him. But are we first willing to die to ourselves?