Bare Minimum Christianity -
Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 5:12-14
What’s the least we can do for the Lord and still go to heaven? No one
actually asks that question out
loud, but it’s the life-defining philosophy of more than a few
Christians.
“What’s the least number of services I can attend without getting in
trouble?”
“What’s the least amount of money I can share and still look generous?”
“What’s the bare minimum expected of me in reading the Bible, showing
hospitality, or talking to others about their soul?”
The person who walks with God has a different philosophy:
“The
people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the
Lord commanded us to do”
(Exodus
36:5
– Moses’ words as the people gave of their freewill gifts to construct
the tabernacle of the Lord).
They’re not interested in keeping the best of life for themselves and giving
God the crumbs that are left.
They don’t live for pleasure every day and then have a headache at Worship
time.
That’s synonymous to spiritual suicide to the true follower of God. He loves
God with all of his heart and will not offer to the Lord
“that
which costs me nothing”
(1
Chronicles 21:24
David’s words to Ornan,
when he purchased his threshing floor – where the temple would be built).
He is more interested in giving God what is right instead of what is left!
Honestly, how do we view our earthly life?
·
Whose will consumes us each day: God’s or our own?
·
How do we approach worship: “I have
to go” or “I can’t wait to go”?
·
How do we respond to those who need our help:
“Let someone else do it” or
“God has given me these abilities to
use to His glory”?
·
How important is spiritual thinking to us:
“That’s the preacher’s job” or
“I’m scared to take one step without
God”?
If we are so self-centered that we are looking for the least we can do and
still be considered a Christian, we might as well keep it all to ourselves
because we already have our reward. That’s what Jesus said to those who
favored the praise of men over the praise of God.
“For
they love to pray...that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you,
they have their
reward”
(Matthew
6:5 – Jesus’ condemnation of the hypocrites). How is that not the
same for Christians who do the least they can without losing the approval of
others?
They (hypocrites) won’t go a day without work, shopping, games, or going out
to eat, but are “too ill” at
service times. Do they not already have their reward in the pleasure they
pursue before God? Is their gain from Christianity not already found in
attending just enough to avoid public withdrawal?
The Bible teaches us to give our finest to God. He knows the difference
between what we’re able to give and what we’re trying to get by with. He
knows! (Malachi
1:13 – He condemns the hypocritical sacrifices being offered;
Romans 12:1-2).
So we might as well put away the charade of godliness just to keep people
from condemning us.
Will the earthly object (idol) we place before God save us in the Day of
Judgment? Will it prepare us to give an account for
“the
things done in the body...whether good or bad”
(2
Corinthians 5:10)?
Then let us stop lying to our-self in thinking we can be lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God and still be with God for eternity.
Jesus is too smart for that. He says,
“If
anyone desires
to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”
(Matthew
16:24).
That verse is just as true today as it was the day we became a Christian. So
is the one that says to
“present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God”
(Romans
12:1).
A FEW QUESTIONS
TO ASK YOURSELF
Is worship a place for you to go?
Or
Is it a place for you to grow?
Do you come to services to show God how important you are to Him?
Or
Do you come to services to show Him how important He is to you?
Are you filling a pew in worship?
Or
Is worship filling you in the pew?