Christianity in Practice

We generally think of ourselves as a practical people.  We are more interested in getting things done that we are in discussing theories about them.  Things move so fast today, it is easy to become the slave of instant communication.  It is very easy to be so involved in getting and sending data to literally everyone in the world, we seldom have the time to decide whether we are spending our time in the best possible manner.

In our more sober moments, if we have time for any, we know that true progress must start with the formulation of sound principles.  That must be followed by putting those principles into practice.  Everyone agrees with this approach intellectually.  Not everyone is willing to spend the time to insure it happens in the right sequence.

When it comes to our faith, everyone cares about the main general principles and the manner in which we express those principles in our worship services.  In many ways, this allows us to be somewhat vague about the details of our principles.  It avoids any opportunity to measure whether we are really putting into practice the principles on which our religion is founded.  It is easy to say we must love all people and believe we do.  We must beware of loving all people in a vague general sense while despising individuals who differ from us in practice or appearance.  A sentimental appeal to the spirit of Christ is the easiest possible way to avoid the inconvenience of having to live like a Christian.  The world is full of admirers of Christ, but it is not over-populated with His followers.

You might not realize the importance of the details if you participate in a “feel good” “prosperity” type of worship.  It looks easy.  You just follow the Will of God like it was a bouncing ball on one of their multimedia screens.  It adds nothing to our faith if we have people join us just to absorb spiritual satisfaction.  Jesus never asked for a divided allegiance.  There are not multiple degrees of Christian.  You must be prepared to go all the way.

There is also no justification for encouraging people to believe the Christian life will be easy.  It is true that Christianity is the most valuable factor in the life of men or of any man.  It is also true that you will find it a pleasant experience.  However, if I make both of these statements at the same time, someone is going to ask, “Where is the catch?”  It cannot be great and without cost.

St. Paul said the most prevalent sin was pride but today, the sin of compromise is most prevalent.  We all have good instincts and in the right environment we hear the call of Christ.  Unfortunately, the world is full of distractions and in our rush to accomplish everything we follow the line of least resistance.  Some people literally live a pagan existence with occasional reminiscences of Christ.  They consider themselves Christians because they occasionally enjoy a good sermon.  Christ did not die to enhance our vocabulary.  Is the Christian religion only a social accessory with second-rate interest, or is it a vital power of the first magnitude intended for actual use.

Every life should have a dominating motive – a supreme loyalty to which all others surrender if a decision is called for.  It does not require a one-track life;  it is a matter of priority.  It is a life in which many diverse elements contribute to a common purpose.  We are often so busy;  we don’t have time to answer the question, “Why?”  People go to college because they are expected to.  People, who get married, do so because it is the accepted way for two people to live together.  That is not the same as being determined to erect a sound family unit in society.  People accept positions in business that make no contribution to the common good, just to secure the largest possible returns with which to buy themselves a few pleasures.  Hundreds of people die as forgotten men and women because in their negative existence they have never done anything for which they will be missed.

Often our purposes are confused or even ignored.  If we have no predominant purpose, nothing is considered permanent and compromise is expedient.  Anything may be ignored or sacrificed for the impulse of the moment.  When people live in such an environment, it is absurd to ask them to add Christ to their already long list of fluctuating interests.  Further compromise is the only expected outcome.  It is more true to Christ and far better for the people themselves to confront them with the uncompromising requirements of being a follower of Christ.  Our Lord said, “No man can serve two masters” – neither can a man or woman serve a dozen.  Christ doesn’t want part of you – He wants all of you.  He does not ask for your varying condescension – He wants to be the supreme loyalty of your life.

Christ could not have accomplished His mission with part-time allegiance of a host of tepid listeners.  It required a small number of resolute Christians who melted down the paganism with the burning fervor of their invincible convictions.  Nothing less will be successful against the rebounding paganism in America today.  Talking will not do it.  Money alone will not do it.  No amount of organization, publicity, or expensive architecture will divert the compromises promoted in our society.  Only Christians who take Christ seriously will do it.  Only Christians who place Christ at that pre-eminent position in their lives will have a significant impact on others.  This is no summer pastime.  It is an irrevocable choice.  Jesus says, “He that is not with Me is against Me.”  You must make up your minds but consider the choice carefully.  If you accept His sovereignty, you will be marked men and women – marked with the sign of the cross.  Robert Norwood wrote a book about a young man teaching a group of agnostics and atheists about Jesus.  He was considered very spiritual and yet had been an atheist himself.  He told his group, “leave Jesus alone, because, if He gets hold of you, you are done for.  You will never be satisfied with life as you have been living it.  A long hard road of struggle and anguish is before you.  Best leave Him alone.”

What we have been studying tells us something different.  We have learned not to be afraid – but not to trifle with our faith.  We must approach Christ with determination.  We cannot be satisfied with an occasional rousing of our spiritual emotions.  We must set up a rule for our Christian life.  We should set a certain minimum of daily spiritual practice and make it a priority to follow it.  Impulsive spurts of Christian interest will never develop a Christian character.  We need something specific to work on.  Souls must be trained and strengthened by regular exercise if they are the stand the strain of any normal human life.  Your rule need not be oppressive but it should be definite.  It should be a program of daily prayer, regular public worship and steady, useful service offered to God.  Admit into your life some real sense of duty, and you will discover a workable antidote to the degeneration of the soul which sometimes becomes epidemic among conventional Christians.  Such a rule may not always be easy to carry through – but why should it be?  It will put feet on your religion and allow it to go places.

The reason we rush through life today is because we don’t want to leave anything undone.  The whole objective of this class has been to help us evaluate all the things in our lives and prioritize them.  We make a great effort to get everything done so we don’t have to decide what is really important.  It won’t work.  We cannot get everything done.  Our capacity to create new demands on our time is greater than our capacity to handle them

We have been given a great deal to consider with Frank Wilson’s book, “Faith and Practice”.  It is no accident that it is still required reading in many Christian circles.  Our challenge is to absorb as much as possible from his writings and make them an integral part of our lives.  We cannot separate practice from belief.  We believe what we practice.  We must make a decision even if it is one of default.

We cannot afford to spend this short life on matters that are non-essential.  Beware of spiritual compromise.  A reduced Christ can never bring God’s Kingdom to pass.  Don’t look for the easiest path.  Look for the greatest Christian good, even if it costs you more.

Ø      Magnify your Christian privileges.

Ø      Exalt Christ.

Ø      Be loyal to His Church.

Ø      Christ is your One Master.

Ø      Tolerate no other.