So your saved, now what?
Pursue Jesus. Love people. Transform the world. That’s what.
Sounds pretty vague, right? A little like it’s so simple that it’s complicated? Maybe so, maybe not.
I asked Jesus to change my life and be Lord of it, to save me at an early age and then I put that commitment on the back burner for some time.
I once again became aware of my commitment to God, His commitment to me and the inevitable life change that would ensue around seventeen years ago. I haven’t turned back once, even though I’ve had plenty of opportunities. I’ve weathered many a storm, some I thought may have been the death of me. Yet, I stayed faithful. I continued to press into Him and His call. I continued to believe Him and trust His ability to see me through. I remained focused on Him and where He was taking me. I got through every one of those storms and am still standing, taller and stronger than ever.
Why?
There are lots of reasons I could cite. I could say that it’s because God is just that good, so good that I couldn’t possibly turn back. He really IS that good, but the enemy of our souls sure has a way of distracting us from God’s goodness at times and duping even the most determined of Christians.
I could say that I never turned back from God because I WAS that most determined Christian, except that I wasn’t. I have had LOTS of doubts over the years. Lots of my prayers have been in the spirit of “Lord, I believe but help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)
I think what has probably helped me stay on track (to not fall away from my faith despite seemingly everything in the world screaming that believing isn’t worth it) has been accountability.
Accountability? Why, you ask?
Those seventeen years ago when my Christian journey really got started, I immediately got involved serving in the church I was attending. I served in as many areas as I was able and as often as I was able.
Being a part of something SO much bigger than myself, knowing that others were counting on me, that I was making a difference (even if only a small one) and that maybe the difference I made could be THE one that changes the course of someone’s life forever kept me accountable. Because I was serving others, I HAD to keep my faith. I had to “report for duty.” I took the part I was playing in other people’s lives seriously and for good reason.
God is sovereign. He can do anything, any way that He desires. Most of the time, though, he chooses to use us. He uses humans to impact humans. He uses one who has sought Him out and pursued Him to love another through action and deed and word and all the areas in between. Then, together, they transform the world one person and one connection at a time.
Why is any of this important? What does it have to do with our individual lives and all of us believers together as the corporate body of Christ? It has everything to do with it! God’s plan to reach the world depends on it!
God is a relational God, right? He isn’t just up there in Heaven sitting around, alone, thinking about how great He is in silence. He created an entire world filled with all sorts of good things (Gen 1:31) the best of these things were human beings who could have a relationship with Him (you know, since they were made in His image) and enjoy the rest of the good things together with Him (Gen 1:27).
He made Adam and Eve to depend on one another and be complimentary – to be a team. He enjoyed relationship with them and they enjoyed relationship with Him and each other. This is how it was always supposed to be.
Everything a Christian does should revolve around this type of relationship. A Christian’s life should first be connected to the Father through Jesus and then connected to others. From those two relationships love should flow at all times. Every thought, action and deed should stem from love. After pursuing Jesus and all that He is (experiencing His love through relationship) a Christian should reach out in love to all those around him or her for the purpose of transforming the world, for the purpose of bringing ALL to the saving knowledge of Christ and bringing ALL into that same kind of relationship.
The first and most important steps on this journey of becoming saved (fire insurance) and working out that salvation, living a saved life (Philippians 2:12) are putting your hands to the plow and CONTINUING to put them to the plow.
“Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.””
Luke 9:62 MSG
“But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:62 ASV
If you have put your hand to the plow (believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior), then put your hand to that plow, keep it there and put the work in! Don’t look back and don’t stop there. Dig deeper, learn more, grow stronger in your faith and actions.
Secondly, the premise of this entire blog post:
Christians ASSSSEMMBLLLEE AND UNITE! *as through a bullhorn*
Two are always better than one. In fact, two or more working together with Jesus are unstoppable! (Ecc 4:9-12) Iron sharpens iron (Prov 27:17). The more we get around each other, the sharper we get, the better tools in God’s hand we become. If multiple people gather together in His name, Jesus says He’s in the midst of them. (Matt 18:20) He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3) We must gather together and continue gathering and growing together in Christ and in unity- as the local and worldwide Church. The strength of our ability to accomplish all that Christ has set for us to do (The Great Commission – to see the world come to know Him) depends on it!
“and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”
HEBREWS 10:24-25 AMP
“I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:23 NIV
Without assembly, we are just a bunch of parts and pieces that are only minimally useful. It’s only when we allow the Father to assemble us for His purposes that we realize our full potential.
It’s like a desk bought from Ikea. If you just leave it in the box, or even take it out of the box but just leave all the pieces laying on the floor separately, it won’t do you much good. You won’t get the intended use out of those pieces. It’s only when you, the workman, put all the pieces in their proper place, together and dependent on the next piece that the desk comes to life and can actually fulfill its intended purpose.
We must trust that the Father is that Great Workman and knows what He is doing as He is building us up and together and putting us in our proper places in the proper seasons.
“From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.”
EPHESIANS 4:16 AMP
To accomplish the life mission every Christian should have of pursuing Jesus, loving people and transforming the world, you must be a person who shows up willing and ready for whatever the Lord may ask of you. You have to have a “Here I am Lord, send me” attitude and mindset. (Isaiah 6:8) In different seasons you may be called upon to do different things. You may find yourself helping to clean the church toilets or running the pick-up van for youth group. You may find yourself being asked to speak at different events or to counsel another.
And don’t think that because you have a “lesser part,” one that’s not coveted like mopping the floors or recording the service out of any kind of spotlight, that it doesn’t matter or doesn’t deserve highest responsibility and regard. Colossians 3:22-25 in the message version says, “Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.”
Whatever the call, your answer must be “Here I am! Send me!” And all that we do MUST be done in worship and service to God and not man. If I’m cleaning a toilet for God, that toilet is going to be spic and span and that way well before time for it to be used. If I’m speaking to a group of people about God on His behalf (which if we are claiming our Christianity, everything we do is considered by the world to be on His behalf) what I say will be well thought-out and prayed about and Spirit led.
Everything a Christian does should be with a heart towards God and a heart for God’s people. It should all be to the best of the persons ability and taken seriously and given the utmost respect and care. Every “job” given by God is just that, given by God Himself for His purposes…and it all matters and has great impact.
“But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)? And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!””
ROMANS 10:14-15 AMP
So…
Steps to a successful Christian life, a life that stays the course, grows and helps to bring about God’s will in this earth should include:
- Get saved. Believe that you are a sinner in need of saving and that Jesus is your only answer to this very big problem. Confess Him as Lord of your life and begin your new life of following Him. (Romans 10)
- Assemble with other believers. That assembly can be in a big corporate church. It can be in a house church. Whatever the format, assembly is required to fulfill God’s intended purpose for the Christian. This is true practically as it pertains to the work of the Gospel as well as relationally as it pertains to quality of life.
- Report for duty. Show up. Don’t flake. Let your yes be yes! (James 5:12) Allow God to put you in a position of ministry and take it seriously, even if it’s just cleaning toilets. EVERY part matters. EVERY part is dependent on the other. It’s bigger than just you. It’s about the whole of what God’s doing, not just the part you play. As you are faithful to your position, you will grow and gain rewards and benefits and the Church will grow and lives will be changed. The whole is only as good as the sum of its parts. Don’t be the part that subtracts from the whole. Be the addition that helps the whole to grow!
- While you are playing your part, play it in relationship with others. Understand that as part of a whole that only works if all the pieces are together and functioning, you are accountable to one another. Accountability is a good thing! It keeps us all on track and keeps our machine working and well-oiled.
It won’t always be easy and there will be days when it takes more than you have within you to keep the faith and keep your hand on the plow. But, that’s where God comes in! He’s called YOU to be part of something that He’s been planning since the beginning of time… and He will make sure you have what you need to do it, if you’ll trust Him.
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