Borrowed Truths

A Casual Affair

Picture of Borrowed Truths

A Casual Affair

Sometimes we are far too casual in our relationship to God. There seems to me to be two different categories of Christians that pertain to this statement, and with similar but subtly different mindsets. The first would be those that believe, and rightly so, that the creator of all that is chooses to love us, that it is a decision that He has made of His own free will and is dependent upon us in no way, shape or form. The second group would agree completely with this statement, but would argue this point, that God is obligated in His love for us, that because He has chosen this mindset, as it were, He must therefore continue in it no matter our reaction to Him or the depth of love that we show towards Him.

I speak here not of the lost, nor of those that are pretending to be Christians, whether they have had their minds blinded by Satan or are self-deceived into believing the lie that they live, but only of those who are truly saved, those that will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. This decision of God to love us is amazing in itself, for we are all most unlovely, there is nothing in us that is pure, holy or righteous, we all like sheep have gone astray, (Isa. 53:6) and we almost constantly seek only our own wills and desires. Why He chooses to love us as He does will always be a concept to us that we will never truly understand.

I believe that one of the ways that our Lord has tried to help us to understand these statements is in what Christ commanded us to do, we are to do good to those that hate us, we are to perform acts of kindness to those who would persecute us, despitefully use us, even those that curse us, (Matt. 5:44) He is showing us, in a sense, just how He feels about how we love, or show a lack of total love towards Him, at times. If you find fault with this thinking, recollect back on your life since the Holy Spirit came to live within your heart, have you never doubted God even once for your daily provisions and needs, much less for the things in the coming months and years, have you trusted Him fully, completely and without question for every circumstance that has occurred in your life since that day when you first met Him, have you had absolutely no fear about anything, ever, because of that perfect love for you (1st John 4:18) that has cast out all fear from the very first day of your salvation. Have you shown a complete and unending love for all, always forgiving your brothers and sisters in Christ their trespasses against you, have you fed and clothed all those in need that you have met, have you sacrificed all that you have and all that you are for a submissive, dedicated life to the service of Almighty God, forsaking everything and everyone else for Him.

I suggest here that we are all, save for the very, very rare instances, far too casual in our relationship to God, that we are far too self-serving and self-centered than we would care to admit, myself included. We are told to not be concerned with what we will eat or drink today, (Matt. 6:25-34) yet we do, even going so far as to make sure the pantry has enough food in it to supply us for many days to come, calling it being a wise steward. Our closets, for the most part, are filled with more clothes than we could possibly wear in one day, calling it a kindness when we take them to the thrift store when we are tired of them, or simply throwing those away that no longer are in style or no longer fit us because of all that food. We say our incomes are the way that God provides for our needs, while we put maybe ten-percent in the plate as it passes by us, using the rest of our funds for wants, or to pay on the bills for those wants that we just could not wait and save up for.

I am contemplating more and more on the verse, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Prov. 14:12) as it pertains to this avenue of thought, and I believe I have come to a reasonable deduction, while not taking away or adding to the Word of God. This death is a type of breaking of fellowship that we might experience with our Lord while we are still here on this planet, for we have not died to self, the vast majority of believers today have not even come close. The way we have chosen to live is not the way we have been commanded to be, it is the way of self, with just a sprinkle of God thrown in for good measure, and it has allowed us to think, to presume, that a casual relationship with our Lord is alright, that it is all that He requires of us.

There is one very serious problem with this type of thought process, whether you are in group one or two, it requires very little on our part, and everything on Gods. Look back in the Old Testament where Almighty God became angry with the children of Israel because they had ‘gone whoring’ after other gods, especially in the Book of Hosea, and think about what you have just read. Is your life like your tithing, ninety-percent you and ten-percent God, or is it even that much. Do you contemplate His Word and will all the day long, or is the weekend service and perhaps an occasional mid-week Bible study enough, does every single person you know get tired of listening to you speak to them about our risen Savior and the incredible life that He has blessed you with, or do they even know that you are a Christian. Is the only time that you stand for Jesus is when you are singing the songs on Sunday morning. Harsh words, I know, very harsh, but far too true for far too many believers in this day and age.

Keep track this week of how much time you spend on your cell phone or in front of the television and then compare it with the amount of time you spent studying the Scriptures, or is it even necessary, do you already know the answer. Look at your bank account for the last six months and notice if your giving has been more that you’re getting for yourself was. We expect from God what we do not deserve, and our relationship has become one of a casual encounter, one of expectant blessings, one of obligations on His part, whether services have been rendered on our part or not.

When I see these things in myself, I feel shame, remorse, a despising of a life that should be more devoted, more compassionate, more sacrificial, what, my brothers and sisters in Christ, do you feel.

I am sorry to say that there is not much encouragement in this letter to you, but there should be conviction, and if there is conviction, then action should follow. Repentance for a self-serving life, prayer for guidance in how to end that lifestyle, and how to begin to live the life that He desires, a submissive spirit within us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in this path that we all should have been on a long time ago. To all that will submit to His guidance and will, He has promised a hundredfold more (Mark 10:29+30) here in this life, and in the world to come, eternal life. That hundredfold more here will be accepted in great humility, knowing that He has trusted you with more, for He knows that you will use it to further even more His Kingdom.

The King of the universe, the Creator of all that exists, is no one we should ever presume to have a casual relationship with, for not only is God all of this and more, He is Holy beyond all that we can, or ever will, be able to imagine or know. He loves us deeply, and it is time we start living lives that are worthy of that love, as much as His grace allow us to, it is time to fully submit to His will.      

Share this post

Search

Archives

Stop Fearing

We gravitate towards like-minded people, even the very young do this. In school, the attempt is to create

Read More »

Categories:

There are several items I would ask you to consider before you click on the Donate button.

1.    Please pray carefully about donating; “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2nd Cor. 9:7)

2.    Your first responsibility is to the Lord; “Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase”: (Prov. 3:9)

3.    You must consider your family after your first responsibility; “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1st Tim. 5:8)

4.    If you determine that you have been blessed by this ministry and decide to donate, please know this, your donations will be accepted with great thanks, and all the glory will go to God.