What Does It Mean?
Over the last few days I've been thinking a lot about what it means to "be saved" and to be a follower of Christ. I'm convinced that the vast majority of those who are Christians have barely scraped the top of the surface of what it means to be "a Christian." Most that have been born again seem to be content to be going to heaven. As I've been thinking along these lines one of my favorite songs, "Say So," by Israel Houghton came to mind. The lyrics to the verses are as follows:
What does it mean to be saved?
Isn't it more than just a prayer to pray?
More than just a way to heaven?
What does it mean to be His?
To be formed in His likeness
Know that we have a purpose
Oh that the Church will arise
Oh that we would see with Jesus eyes
We could show the world heaven
Show what it means to be His
To be formed in His likeness
Show them they have a purpose
There is so much more to being a Christian than knowing you are going to heaven. When we accept Jesus Christ, it is not just so that we can go to heaven, but so that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the work of Christ might be carried on in this world. We are to be, in a literal sense, a living representation of Jesus Christ to the world. In other words, the things that people saw and heard from Jesus, they should be seeing in us. As I was thinking on this, I found myself thinking, "something is wrong in my life." As I read the word, I see that everywhere Jesus went, lives were changed. Oh yeah, "sometimes" I can say the same thing. "Sometimes" I see people saved. There are times I have seen people healed. I've seen the miraculous... "sometimes." But I have to be honest... these only happen "sometimes." Somehow, I just don't think this is what living in the Kingdom of God is supposed to be like. Somehow, I believe that we are living far outside of the power and authority that lies within us as Christ followers.
I've got a lot more thinking and soul searching to do... but I am convinced that what God wants is for His power to be on display through our lives in order that others may know that He is real and that He cares... that through His works, they may know that God is more than a fairy tale or the figment of someone's imagination. That means we... all believers, must be willing to walk in faith and willing to allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us to impact this world.
I'm sure there will be more on this later.
What does it mean to be saved?
Isn't it more than just a prayer to pray?
More than just a way to heaven?
What does it mean to be His?
To be formed in His likeness
Know that we have a purpose
Oh that the Church will arise
Oh that we would see with Jesus eyes
We could show the world heaven
Show what it means to be His
To be formed in His likeness
Show them they have a purpose
There is so much more to being a Christian than knowing you are going to heaven. When we accept Jesus Christ, it is not just so that we can go to heaven, but so that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the work of Christ might be carried on in this world. We are to be, in a literal sense, a living representation of Jesus Christ to the world. In other words, the things that people saw and heard from Jesus, they should be seeing in us. As I was thinking on this, I found myself thinking, "something is wrong in my life." As I read the word, I see that everywhere Jesus went, lives were changed. Oh yeah, "sometimes" I can say the same thing. "Sometimes" I see people saved. There are times I have seen people healed. I've seen the miraculous... "sometimes." But I have to be honest... these only happen "sometimes." Somehow, I just don't think this is what living in the Kingdom of God is supposed to be like. Somehow, I believe that we are living far outside of the power and authority that lies within us as Christ followers.
I've got a lot more thinking and soul searching to do... but I am convinced that what God wants is for His power to be on display through our lives in order that others may know that He is real and that He cares... that through His works, they may know that God is more than a fairy tale or the figment of someone's imagination. That means we... all believers, must be willing to walk in faith and willing to allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us to impact this world.
I'm sure there will be more on this later.
