“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.” (Hebrews 6:1 NLT)
What does the Christian Faith mean to you? If you know Jesus as your Friend and Savior, there is nothing in your life that means more to you. If, on the other hand, you have no use for God, faith, the Bible or any other such “nonsense,” the Christian Faith is obviously of no importance to you. What about those caught in the middle?
You may not have a personal love relationship with the Lord Jesus, but you haven’t completely written off the possibility of one day becoming a believer. Where do you fit? C. S. Lewis gives us a clue when he writes: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
The frightening reality of Lewis’ words is there is no “in between”; we’re either all in or completely disconnected from the living God. Otherwise, it’s like trying to stand in the doorway of a departing airplane – you either need to get strapped in or you’re going to get sucked out.
Faith in Christ is an either/or proposition: either commit or be lost, there is no middle ground. Heaven or hell is at stake, and the decision we make has eternal implications. It’s THAT vitally important. “Yeh, but I’m young, I have my whole life to make up my mind?” Have you never heard of an accidental death? Do young people not contract terminal illnesses? Do you believe Satan will EVER make that decision easy for you?
When will we learn Satan’s favorite tactic is “not now”? Satan’s very content to let you “ponder” your decision to come to the Lord, he just doesn’t ever want you to get serious and actually make that commitment. As a child of God, we must never let down our guard or get slack in our prayers for those who are lost. Every day 10’s of thousands of people die, many of whom are lost for all eternity.
Is that not of vital importance to those of us who bear our Savior’s name? Are we not responsible to pray for and seek those in our spheres of influence daily, sometimes moment by moment? Knowing Jesus is never a “one and done” proposition. We don’t say a prayer of confession, accept the Lord’s forgiveness and never change.
Knowing Jesus is a life-long friendship that has eternal implications in every other relationship we have or will ever have. The Lord doesn’t put us in touch with others by accident, there are always opportunities for us to speak hope, truth, and love into their lives. Our attitude when in another person’s presence may point them to the Savior or push them away, that’s why we must always have our “ears” tuned to the voice of the Spirit.
My hunger for Jesus began through a friendship with one of His children – through how he lived his life, through our conversations, through our interactions as friends. Friendship with those who have yet to come to the Lord is among the most effective evangelistic “tools” the Lord has given us, we must treat it with utmost respect, dignity and prayerful consideration.
Is our life in Christ important? Nothing else compares!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 