We have awesome responsibilities as Christians. So many people are turned away from the hope and glory of salvation when as Christians we talk about our faith, but we don’t live it. Many times we act differently in our “church” life and our “secular” life. Yet as followers of Christ we should have only one life to live.
Great damage is done when unbelievers wear the cloak of a “Christian” without believing in their own personal salvation. Others can’t feel Christ’s love in us if we don’t feel loved by Him first. Love starts with knowing that God loves us as His precious child - not as a child who does no wrong, but a love freely given, never earned.
John MacArthur discusses James 1:22 in his ESV Study Bible. MacArthur says, “James calls professing believers to be “doers,” rather than simply to do, emphasizing that their entire personality should be characterized in that way.” Matthew 7:21 instructs “”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.” MacArthur examines this passage in Matthew: “The barrenness of this sort of faith demonstrates its real character---the faith that says but does not do is really unbelief.”
We are called to do more, not to just allow God to love us, but to love others as well. In The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis reminds us that every person we meet will someday be either a heavenly being or a resident of hell. “All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.”
As you go throughout today, you will encounter many people. Some will be like-minded believers and others will have no knowledge of the Risen Christ. At the end of the day, list everyone you interacted with, either with words or actions. Include everyone: family, friends, acquaintances, business associates, even the lady at the grocery store. For each of the people that you encountered, ask yourself, “Did their time with me help them into heaven or hell?”
I pray at the end of the day, that your answers are all “heaven” and with them, you will spend all eternity.
Blessings, my friend,
Agatha