Ephesians 4:1-32
We are living in a time when one can join just about anything without having to change anything or make any serious commitments. My email is flooded daily with requests to join everything under the sun. The qualifications are usually stated something like this:
"Nothing down"
"No minimum purchases required"
"You can't be turned down"
"No payments until next year"
"You don't have to do anything now"
“Last chance to get in on the ground floor”
"No minimum purchases required"
"You can't be turned down"
"No payments until next year"
"You don't have to do anything now"
“Last chance to get in on the ground floor”
In other words, all you have to do to qualify is be living and breathing … oh, and have money! Let me assure you that in God's kingdom IT IS DIFFERENT, big changes are expected, and required! This is much different from a New Year’s Resolution, which many we never intend to keep. Check this out…
Here are the percentages of resolutions that people have promised to make for 2008. Now, if you are into making goals and wanting to set them there is a website just for you. It’s called mygoals.com and it helps you stay on track, but it also has trends for what people are going to make as goals for 2008. Here is the breakdown: 27% of resolutions involve health and fitness, which is down from last year. 15% involve personal growth and interests, 15% personal finance, 9% education and training, 6% time manage mentand organization, 5% recreation and leisure, 5% family and relationships.
So let’s go back to priorities for a second. We said, well, surely the answer should be God is #1, but notice that list again. Did you hear me mention any resolution concerning God? It’s not there. To find anything about spirituality you have to look in the personal growth section, and there you will see that in the personal growth and interests - the second most popular resolution - only 2% are interested in becoming more spiritual. By the way, improving one’s mind and attitude is at 27% and improving one’s appearance is at 22%, yet changing their spiritual makeup is only a dismal 2%.
Need further proof? The Barna Group which specializes in research about Christianity reported that only 1 out of 7 adults (15%) place their faith in God at the top of the priority list. You say, well, that’s not fair because some of those are non-Christians. Okay, the survey goes on and says that out of Christians, not quite 1 out of 4 (23%) place their faith in God at the top of the priority list. The majority of people are focused on the here and now and not on their relationship with God.
While true conversion only requires faith and confession to find a new life in Christ it requires a changed perspective and a changed behavior once we have come to Christ. We must "put off the old self" (EPH 4:22) and then "put on the new." (EPH 4:23) The biggest hindrance for unbelievers accepting authentic Christianity is not doctrinal or theological, it is often the lack of finding truly transformed believers whose lives give witness to the power of change the Holy Spirit makes in us. The name "Christian" should match the reality! What are you really going to change this year?
So let’s go back to priorities for a second. We said, well, surely the answer should be God is #1, but notice that list again. Did you hear me mention any resolution concerning God? It’s not there. To find anything about spirituality you have to look in the personal growth section, and there you will see that in the personal growth and interests - the second most popular resolution - only 2% are interested in becoming more spiritual. By the way, improving one’s mind and attitude is at 27% and improving one’s appearance is at 22%, yet changing their spiritual makeup is only a dismal 2%.
Need further proof? The Barna Group which specializes in research about Christianity reported that only 1 out of 7 adults (15%) place their faith in God at the top of the priority list. You say, well, that’s not fair because some of those are non-Christians. Okay, the survey goes on and says that out of Christians, not quite 1 out of 4 (23%) place their faith in God at the top of the priority list. The majority of people are focused on the here and now and not on their relationship with God.
While true conversion only requires faith and confession to find a new life in Christ it requires a changed perspective and a changed behavior once we have come to Christ. We must "put off the old self" (EPH 4:22) and then "put on the new." (EPH 4:23) The biggest hindrance for unbelievers accepting authentic Christianity is not doctrinal or theological, it is often the lack of finding truly transformed believers whose lives give witness to the power of change the Holy Spirit makes in us. The name "Christian" should match the reality! What are you really going to change this year?
The first step in salvation is confession of sins and of Christ as Lord - but this is only the INITIAL step. After this first step comes conversion! Conversion means becoming something NEW - it is a process of becoming what we are in Christ, a NEW MAN or NEW WOMAN! It means "change" - from the old ways to the new ways, God's ways! How's the development of the "NEW" going in your life - is the change apparent to God, to you, to others? It MUST be! We are a new creation in Christ, so let the world see it! Again, what are you really going to change this New Year?
Have a blessed NEW YEAR, In Jesus’ Name… Amen!
By: Elder Michael L. Hargett
Copyright 2008 © MinTech, Inc.
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