GNATS and CAMELS
I’d like to weigh in on whether or not President Obama is a Christian. But first, I think it is rather ironic that Jesus is so poorly represented in such pop conversation and speculation.
A Christian is a Christ-follower. He or she has abandoned the right to live for self. “He who wishes to find his life must lose it” is very penetrating and clear. Despite the often abysmal history of the “Christian” Church, there is a history recorded in heaven that differentiates spirituality of heart from external observance or religious fervor. There is no such thing as a “name only” Christian.
A Christian is not someone who embraces an ideology, he or she embraces a Person. Doctrines and dogmas are all dim representations of what it means to submit to Jesus Christ’s Lordship over everything and everyone who has ever been created. His reign over all has been promised to Him by His Father. There is nothing – no act or motive – that will prevent “all things being laid bare” before the Master of the earth.
A Christian is someone who “dies daily” to self and bows the knee to Creator. Those who embrace Him voluntarily renounce claim to our own lives. A Christian embraces the way of the cross: the way of humility. The arrogant and proud will not enter His Kingdom. He is opposed to the proud, whatever our political alignment. His true followers choose the way of suffering, content to be aliens and strangers upon the earth, hoping in the world to come.
Any person who puts on and takes off Jesus like a set of clothing will be very disappointed at the end of the age when every soul stands before the Judge of the earth.
Whether a President (or a king) in any seat of earthly power, or the poorest beggar in the most obscure location on planet earth, we will all be deemed acceptable to God not through what we have done, but upon Whom we have believed. Because both the king and the lowliest man go to the same place, and stand before the same Judge.
And that, you can take to the soul bank, my friend!
I think we need to ask this question not only of our president and our leaders, but of all of us who claim the name (not the game) of being a Christian. Our society has led us to believe that being a Christian is not “politically correct”. Many who use the term “christian” (not capitalized on purpose) means not being an atheist. We know we believe in something, but how can this “something” allow so much pain in our lives and in the world. Personal responsibility has been completely lost and everything that happens MUST be a result of someone else’s action or poor decision making. We are taught more of the prosperity gospel than on how to have a real relationship with the One who created us.
Relationships in today’s world are completely disposable. they need not last any longer than the expiration date on the milk we buy. I use milk as an example because this is what we want. Milk. the food of infants who don’t have the capacity (or desire) for solid food. Oh, we might have the desire; but it takes way too much time. Let someone else do the hard work and we can reap the benefits. I am guilty of this. There is nothing that anyone else can tell us however, that even begins to come close to God Himself revealing His Word in our hearts.
I am so thankful that when I stand before the Father in Heaven, I will not be alone. His son and my King, the Lord of my life will be there with me, testifying of my love for Him, and NOT my thoughts, words or actions. My Redeemer LIVES. I’m afraid that too many people today rely on lip service or “church” service and fall into complacency when it comes to our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, just as we have with any of our other relationships, be it friends, parents, spouses or children. They all take work. It IS hard, but how much more difficult we make it by the hardening of our hearts. To each other and to Him.
One of the biggest lies that Satan has “sold” to man is that all you have to do to get into heaven is be “generally good”. That if you do enough “good samaratin deeds”, go to church, give in the collection plate, etc. and God will overlook all the other sins you perpetually committed and all the times you denied Him. It is a lie that following the 10 commandments, submitting yourself to God, and asking forgiveness (virtually daily for me) is NOT necessary or required for entry. I take extreme refuge that I will have a representative in Jesus when I am standing before the judgement of God for my life. For if left only to my “good deeds” I would have no chance at any other verdict but condemned. It’s only through his sacrafice that I gain access to Heaven. I only hope, work, and pray that he will stand for me and not against me at that hour.