June 15

Day 93: Part Time Christian

I have a friend who (sorta) attends another church in town. He wants to be my friend. To "ice" the deal, he referred to his desire for a "personal pastor."

A while back, a family who left our church (in a huff) for (maybe) another church subsequently didn't hesitate to call me to help them move into a new house. To "ice" the deal, they reminded me that, "You're a pastor after all."

More times than I can count, I've had young couples begin attending whatever church I was leading, soon to let me know they wanted me to do premarital counseling and officiate their ceremony. To "ice" the deal, they would tell me how convinced they were that I would do a good job. Once the wedding ceremony is officiated, I never see them again.

File these experiences under "Things they don't teach you in seminary."

Sad truth is, there will always be folks who want to be on the outer fringes of a faith community. As it benefits them.

Hebrews 6:4-5 (for some a troublesome passage) says, "For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come..."

Setting the stage, the above describes people who have done church. They have history with church. Maybe went to a Christian camp, or a short term missions trip. They like (most of) their Christian friends. They may admire the pastor, or at least some other pastor.

They want and appreciate the benefits, but shy away from the commitment that makes for participation in a redeemed community. The cutoff line is anything deemed inconvenient. Or uncomfortable.

Hebrews then "ices" the deal. Verse 6 continues, "...and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt."

What's that mean?

Not that someone truly saved can later lose their salvation. (Though this is a proof text for those who would disagree.)

Instead, it means to describe someone who's done church, but was never saved. And now barely does church, and is still not saved. For them, Jesus is a fine idea, and they look for other people to be Jesus to them.

They may even self-describe as "I'm not committed to a church, but I'm a good person."

It continues. Verses 7-8 then say, "For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned."

Ouch!

It's all about the fruit that's produced. Evidence. But "good people" are capable of producing good fruit.

It's not the external evidence then. It's the motive. Serve God by serving others, even if inconvenient or uncomfortable? Or ultimately serve self?

Matthew 7:21 (perhaps the scariest verse in the Bible) says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Two verses later, it says, "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"

Part time Christians can easily say, "Lord, Lord." Especially when it fits their agenda and their prayer list. While they reserve for themselves the right to claim God's grace to the exclusion of their own submission to God. All by their own specifications.

Sadly, there's no such thing as a part time Christian.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau