Continued from yesterday

October 7, 2009

Dear Fellow Travelers,
Continuing my thought from yesterday: It is one thing to say that we do not live the Christian life, but it is quite another to say that we cannot live it. Surely, no honest person would suggest that he actually lives the Christian life (the standard Jesus set is simply too high; perfection is out of our reach!); however, most would argue that we can and should live it, we just fall short, believing that “doing the best I can” is all God asks, when in reality it is far from it.
The evidence that we cannot live it is, frankly, overwhelming. Jesus’ death is evidence par excellence not only that we cannot live the Christian life, but also that we desperately need One who will take our place, and do for us, what we cannot do ourselves.
Let’s take a look at some His requirements for our living the Christian life and see how the evidence stacks against us:
(1) “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:12 NASB; emphasis added). If anything is obvious, it is that we do not love one another, just as He loved us, not even close.
(2) “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20 NASB; emphasis added). Point made? I think so.
(3) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 NASB). Well, what do you think? That is what I thought.
(4) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love you neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; . . .” (Matthew 5:43-44 NASB). Maybe you just haven’t met the right enemy, as of yet; hang around, and you will.
(5) “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48 NASB; emphasis added). All I can say is that you had better hope that God grades on the curve!
(6) “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, . . .” (Matthew 7:12 NASB). We can’t even get this done!
(7) “Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). As a counselor and pastor, I have known many Christians, who haven’t been able to forgive once, much less seven times, and certainly not seventy times seven times; yet, they are “doing the best they can to live the Christian life!”
(8) “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 NASB; emphasis added). Yes, and I actually had a pastor tell me that he kept all the commandments! I’m betting he could even walk on water!
(9) “And He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her, and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery” (Mark 10: 11-12). If the statistics are cor-rect, then this means that, at least one half of the Christian community is not living the Christian life!
(10) “Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys” (Luke 12:32-33 NASB). Oh, I’ll bet you had forgotten this one, but I do know that you are doing the best you can!
ENOUGH!! I will continue tomorrow—