Do we want to give everything up for God? Do we want something that won't cost us much? Do we want a religion that will fit into our lifestyle? Heaven forbid that we have to make any adjustments!
Let me be real honest with you at this point...if you are looking for a "safe religion"—one that won't cost you anything—you've come to the wrong place! Jesus wants to be first place in your life. He won't settle for the silver medal...He wants gold (Matt. 10:37-39)!
Don't get me wrong; He won't force you to do anything. He considers obedience a sign of your love for Him. His commands are overt and simple:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.Jesus Christ calls for total commitment. He asks us to submit to His yoke (Matt. 11:28-30). But He does this for a purpose.
(Matt. 22:35-39)
The reason He wants us to follow him is that He knows nothing else can truly satisfy us. Nothing but reckless abandon for His purposes and plan can ever fulfill the inner longing we have for belonging and purpose.
We talk of freedom, but know little about it. We think freedom is the absence of boundaries, the ability to control our own destiny and make our own choices.
Actually, true freedom is the absence of things that enslave us, manipulate us or dominate us. It is the confidence to be who we were destined to be. It is the ability to do what we have been created to do.
When we opt for a "safe" religion, we miss out on true freedom. There's no such thing as "safe Christianity"! True Christianity isn't for wimps or the faint of heart. As a matter of fact, I see an acrostic in the word "safe:"
- Security
- At
- Freedom's
- Expense
1) What you try to keep, you lose. What you give up, you gain.
2) What you compromise to keep you'll eventually lose.
In 1779, the great Prussian explorer and scientist Baron Von Humboldt discovered a potent drug called curare. On an expedition into the jungles of Venezuela, he watched an Indian hunter bring down a large animal with a single shot from his bow and arrow.
The arrow had been poisoned with curare, a potion with two curious properties, derived from the jungle plants. Curare injected into the bloodstream, as it was when hunting animals, was deadly. It immobilized the body, attacked the vital organs, and caused death almost instantaneously.
Humboldt discovered the second property of curare in a more dramatic fashion. He became sick, and a native witch doctor forced him to drink some curare that had been diluted with water.
Terrified that he was going to die, Humboldt was surprised to find that after drinking the curare, he felt significantly better. Curare, when it was diluted and taken orally, he discovered, could have a positive medicinal value without causing any damage to vital organs.
The key to curare's impact lies principally in the way it is taken into the body. Injected into the bloodstream, it's a deadly killer. Ingested orally, it's a soothing muscle relaxant.
It All Depends On How It Is Received
Christianity is a lot like curare. Its impact depends chiefly on how it is received. Many people choose to take it orally, diluted as much as possible, so that it has few side effects and makes them feel better—but that's not the purpose of true Christianity.
Christianity's purpose is to change us into new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). In order to become new creations, we must die to our old selves and be born again, trading in our old lives for new ones. Those who want a "safe" Christianity that costs them little have a difficult time accepting death and new birth.
True Christianity is not safe - it costs you your life. It cost God His one and only Son, and it will cost you everything to follow Him.
Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20).
Don't settle for a watered-down version of Christianity. It can't be taken orally. It has to be injected (story from "Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks" by Wayne Rice (1994 Youth Specialties, Inc.).
The Time Is Now
Jesus calls us to make a radical commitment to Him. It's worth it! If you wish to give your life to Christ today, just invite Him into you life. Ask Him to forgive you for all your sin (wrongdoing) and accept you into His family. Then go tell someone about the commitment you have just made.
If you need to recommit your life to Him, the time is now. He's been waiting. Allow Him to make your life into something incredible and use you for His purposes. I promise you it will be worth it!
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Jon and Robin Perrin met at Bible school. They have over 25 years of ministry experience. Besides their family, their greatest passion is empowering leaders and mobilizing churches to reach the unchurched.
