The gospel is the most valuable thing we have. Ironically, the gospel comes to us as a gift. No gift has benefited us like this one. Neither has any gift ever asked so much of us.
Frankly, it’s aggravating to see many Christians keeping their Christianity for Sundays only. For many, there’s no worship, preaching, or serving on weekdays — it remains a mere weekend hobby.
Anyone trained up in godliness understands the tragedy of this troubling misunderstanding. No, Christianity is not just for Sundays; it’s for every day.
The Christian walk is a daily walk down the straight and narrow. It’s a walk down a path that we enter by free invitation, but also a walk which consumes us during the rest of our journey here on earth. It’s not a path we hop on and off of.
New believers will ask themselves many questions as they begin walking with Jesus.
“How much is this going to cost me?”
“How far is too far?”
“What can’t I do any longer now that I’m a Christian?”
Your Old Life Is Over
Let’s be frank. Let’s be real. Let’s be men. When you accept the gospel, your old life is over. Whether you’ve realized it or not, once God regenerates us to believe, we begin walking as a new creature in Christ.
Your new life should be different than the old one. If nothing is different then it’s likely you have not been transformed into a new creature.
Our decisions change. Our schedules change. Our finances change. Our relationships change. Our words change. It all changes.
Some may push back here by saying, “I was told I can receive forgiveness of my sins for free.”
You can receive forgiveness for free, but you can’t think it won’t cost you anything to then follow Christ. It’s the free gift that costs you everything.
This free gift asks for all of us. No part of us is left alone by it. Our innermost secrets cannot escape it. Our strongest desires cannot overpower it. This free gift still involves a cost.
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25).
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
You may have heard these Bible verses before, but how much does your life reflect them?
A new life in Christ implies many changes. It’s true that we receive forgiveness of sins for free, but don’t believe that God never changes us. He asks much of us if we are going to follow him.
Can you think of anyone in Scripture, Old or New Testament, where God asked much of them? You won’t have to search long.
He asks much of us even though he offers free forgiveness.
What has God been asking of you? Has he been poking an area of your life that needs to change?
Since you’ve been walking with him, how is your life different?
Your Christianity is not just meant for Sundays. Every day belongs to God. Each day involves new mercies and new discoveries with God.
We shouldn’t pervert God’s grace by continuing to live however we please. Let’s run the race well and give God the glory today.
Responses
Amen….great post. I think that’s why many of us do not know God as we should. We want Him in our lives, but refuse to shed the old self, to let go of things in order to follow Him. In God there is peace, there is love there is joy. So many are suffering instead of giving every sorrow to Him, but many refuse to give up any part of themselves. Since I’ve discovered to Lord, I am happy to pass my every burden over to Him and He gladly takes them all. And yes, we should be serving God and building a relationship with Him each and every day, and not just one day a week.
This is a paradox that is not pointed out often enough.
This is a paradox that is not pointed out often enough.
Thanks Jennifer!
Thanks Jennifer!
Amen….great post. I think that’s why many of us do not know God as we should. We want Him in our lives, but refuse to shed the old self, to let go of things in order to follow Him. In God there is peace, there is love there is joy. So many are suffering instead of giving every sorrow to Him, but many refuse to give up any part of themselves. Since I’ve discovered to Lord, I am happy to pass my every burden over to Him and He gladly takes them all. And yes, we should be serving God and building a relationship with Him each and every day, and not just one day a week.
Amen thanks for sharing!
I like what you said “The free gift that costs you everything”. I was lied to by Christians and preachers about “the free gift” thinking that it was actually free. But now I see the truth, Jesus said to “count the cost first to see if you have enough to finish what you started” and he said that we have to sell all that we have to “BUY” the pearl of great price. Not to mention having to leave family, job, business, friends, houses, and lands, to be his disciple. Anyways, I liked your piece. God bless.
Amen! Thank you for sharing, Gregory.