Just Sittin’ There

 

“Even if you‘re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” -Will Rogers

The right track of Christianity (for some people) is the road of salvation. As a matter of fact, for some it’s the only road.  The thinking goes that if there is a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior that nothing else is required.  “Okay, I’m in.  I’ll go to heaven so I don’t need to do another thing.”

James would not approve. He says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). How many make a profession of faith but deceive themselves by not having the faith to live by “doing” what the word of God tells them to do?

For the record, salvation is the right track but it is certainly not the whole trip. We need to “confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead so we can be saved” (Romans 10:9). It’s just sitting there once we’re on that track that’s the problem.  Do we really believe Christ is Lord if we don’t do the work He has assigned?

God makes it clear in His Word that we are to love one another, He tells us that at least sixteen times in the New Testament. We demonstrate our love for God by loving His people. We think of love as an emotion but love is action. God tells us to serve one another, to admonish one another, and to encourage one another, these are acts of love. Those things cover a lot of different ways to love.

Love can only be seen or understood as we obey His commands to show that love (John 14:15).

But, that’s not all. James also says “be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.” We’re also told to “bridle the tongue,” and “visit orphans and widows in their affliction” and “to keep oneself unstained from the world.” There are many things that Jesus commands of those who claim to belong to Him.

In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, Jesus teaches that it is the one who takes what He gives them and uses it to further the Kingdom of God that receives the blessings in this life.  We cannot truly love the Lord and just sit here playing games on our phones and showing up for church on Sunday. He wants us to grow His kingdom, to spread the Word about who He is and what He has done for us so others will hear and come to faith.

When we fail to obey these commands, we may not literally get run over but neither will we experience the life of abundant blessing that is promised to the child of God that serves Him wholeheartedly.

In James 2:17  he says, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Are you and I on the right track but just sitting there or are we still dead in our sin, failing to serve the Lord or others?

Or, do you wonder what work you should be doing? Is it as simple as asking God, ”Whom do I need to love, serve, or encourage today so they, too, will work at Kingdom growth ?” “Is there an orphan or a widow who could use some help or some love”?

Are you and I willing to die to our own desires and put others first?

What work for Him is God calling us to do? We can’t just sit there, if we have faith, we have to work.

Note: A work that seems to be lacking in the church today is teaching a biblical understanding of abortion. The people who place themselves at Planned Parenthood to deliver the gospel and plead with women not to kill their babies report that 60% – 70% of those women claim to be Christians, certain of God’s forgiveness. This is (at least partly) a failure of families and churches to teach the truth that “planning to sin” while expecting God to forgive them without any consequences is folly. Will you teach this truth to women of your family and your congregation?