People that exercise on a regular basis will tell you one thing for sure, it hurts, it causes physical pain, and depending on how often they exercise, they will say that the pain never truly abates, it is always there. So then, why do it, why allow your body to feel pain on a fairly regular basis, why repeat that which causes discomfort.
I have just described the born-again believer whose one main desire is to glorify God in every possible area of his life, those who bear the fruits of the Spirit, sometimes grudgingly, but they continue to, even though it hurts. Nearly continuous rebukes from the lost, mocking, doing all they can to undermine your faith in Christ. Why do you think there are so many today who hide out in their churches on Sunday morning and then call themselves Christians? Because they do not want to feel the pain of mocking, of sideways glances, of embarrassment, and fear, so they do not exercise each day, just once a week, in fact, just one hour a week.
There are those that belong to religious organizations, even some God-fearing churches, that perhaps do a littlemore, but these are works of their own accord, they do not understand that God requires obedience above sacrifice. (1 Sam. 15:22) Their exercise amounts to and benefits them nothing, this is the reason for the great falling away that we are experiencing, and you must always remember that the lost cannot fall away from what they have not possessed, the falling away is from those who had heard the truth of the Word of God, who pretended in their hearts to be saved, who attend church because it is “the right thing to do,” but it is only with their lips that they honor Him. (Isaiah 29:13) They have put the Lord Jesus to an open shame. (Heb. 6:6)
Those who do not study to show themselves approved (2 Tim. 2:15) are not exercising their Spirit, those who will not speak to the lost in love about the sin they are living in would have difficulty proving to anyone that they are truly servants of the Most High God, “Show me thy faith without thy works,” (James 2:18) has devolved into simply attending church once a week, perhaps a Bible study occasionally, at best, these individuals are attempting to just lead a “good life,” proper attire, “clean” thoughts, a public persona of what they think the world believes a Christian to be. Toe the line, be polite and nice to everyone, don’t speak out of turn, mind your manners, obey the law of the land, go to church, and walla, you have a Christian.
It hurts to exercise, it gets repetitive, monotonous, and boring at times, growth is seen only after long periods of time, and once you have achieved your desired goals, it is nothing more than maintenance, a continuation to stay the same. I liken many Christians walk with the Lord with those who exercise on treadmills, never going anywhere, accompanied by feelings of forward momentum, simply walking in place, using the same muscles over and over again, but gaining nothing.
Once a week for an hour in the building with a cross on it somewhere, accompanied by others who are most generally the same, sacrificing with no intent of obedience outside of those church doors, unless it is in only a personal way of what they consider growth. These people fulfill Matthew 6:4 quite well, for everything they do for Christ is in secret, no one else knows they are saved, but they think they are. They hide His word in their heart, (Psalm 119:11) and that is where they keep it. They want the crown of glory, but not the one of suffering and shame, and one day the lies they have covered themselves with, and even believed themselves, will be shown for the truth, and it will be too late.
