|
'Basement Christians' or
'Low Man on the Totem Pole'
I've heard both used by people who know they're not
living right. When they die, they figure they'll get to
heaven, but in the lowest position. The thing is, if they know
it, they can do something about it:
...behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
II Corinthians 6:2b
Our Part, His Part
Realizing we've been living shabby Christian lives, we can
stop it here and now. We can choose to repent and seek God with
our whole heart. If our attitudes aren't right, and we feel
we just can't cut it, (not enough desire) we can trust the
Lord to make the corrections:
Commit thy works unto the
Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs 16:3
This verse contains two
powerful messages. Let's see it put in action.
In the first instance, let's say we have trouble using foul
language. This verse tells us, if we do all we do as servants of
Christ, we'll have controlled thoughts. This would affect
our speech. In other words, we won't slip into the use of
foul speech.
In the second instance, let's say we want to watch movies
or TV shows righteous men wouldn't watch. We're in
the situation of having wrong desires, but wanting a right heart.
In this instance, consider that our 'works' are
everything we do, including our choice of entertainment. We
decide to watch only what's appropriate, even if the
attitude may not be there yet. This scripture shows we'll
have the attitude we should possess, and our desires will be
godly, when we do as we should.
Committed, or Fooling
Ourselves?
I've heard people express the attitude, 'to live
according to all the scriptures call for is too much'.
Here, in the United States, we live in such ease compared to
other countries. We've not been tortured for our faith, yet
do we consider putting away ungodly pleasures too much for us? I
read an article saying in 1996 alone — 160,000 Christians
had been martyred in totalitarian and Moslem countries. While
people are tortured for their faith in Christ, we consider
turning off the TV too much to sacrifice. We're
contemptible!
Jesus said:
...No man, having put his hand
to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of
God.
Luke 9:62
How many of us really want Christ? We say we're Christians,
but are apathetic over being conformed to His image. We hear a
rebuke, but don't take it to heart. We hear of Him and
continue to make our own plans for the future. Who are we really
living for? What's it take before we carry His calling to
heart?
Growing Deep or
Broad
I read a good illustration in a book on the Holy Spirit. In the
days of the early church, Paul had to travel places rather slowly
compared to today. As Paul went from town to town ministering, it
was a slow journey where he could spend time with God. He
didn't get frayed nerves from heavy traffic and occupy all
his time listening to the stereo. He could have quiet
contemplation of God. It was his chance for godly communion and
strengthening.
In today's society it's rush, rush, rush, always
occupied. With increased knowledge and the internet, we grow very
broad. We're lacking something critical, something very
serious. We don't grow deep, that extra dimension of
strength and fellowship with our Creator. His love doesn't
grow in us. His attitudes aren't cultivated in us. Why? We
look around our home and see all the toys we've
accumulated. What ultimate value is any of it? Does it bring
contentment, peace, life? When we die, what good will it be in
the light of eternity? I'm tired of breadth, I want depth!
It's easy to get distracted by things and activities. We
quickly fall away to our old wasteful lifestyle. We must strive
if we're to grow deep. Read God's word whether we
feel like it or not, pray likewise, fellowship and minister. Seek
God, not the things of God, but God!
Take Heed - Repent!
What do I mean? Many get caught up in Revelation studies, gifts
of the Spirit, studies of biblically controversial issues, yet
never long and lust for God. The church in Ephesus got a rebuke
in Revelation 2:1-7 from Jesus. He charged them, noting they were
doctrinally clean and behaving properly, but they had lost their
love for Him. After all their striving, they failed because they
got distracted by activity. We need to long for Him, love Him,
and if our love grows cold, do as Jesus told the Ephesians:
Remember therefore from whence thou art
fallen, and repent, and do the first works;...
Revelation 2:5a
[An historical note: The Ephesian Church didn't heed
Christ's warning in Revelation. They were destroyed.]
Take this lesson to heart: Grow deep, hunger and thirst for Him,
spend time every day praising Him, seek His help for others in
prayer, feed on His words.
Different Greetings in Heaven
The 'Basement Christian' and 'Low Man on the
Totem Pole' are such sad pictures. I want you to picture a
singular moment in glory Jesus told us about. When we get to
heaven, He will say to some:
...Well done, thou good and
faithful servant:..
Matthew 25:21
I earnestly look forward to seeing His face and hope to
hear those words. That's not the only possible reception to
consider though. We're also told some will suffer stripes,
some a few, some many, some cast out altogether with the
unbelievers:
41 Then Peter said unto him,
Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42 And
the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom
his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their
portion of meat in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom
his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say
unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and
to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant
will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour
when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will
appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that
servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not
himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with
many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things
worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto
whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to
whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Luke 12:41-48 (Deut. 32:19,20)
Based upon the passage we just read, picture the following: You
die and suddenly find yourself being transported from your body
to the gates of a beautiful city. You see those loved ones who
have gone before you in Christ standing there to greet you. Your
spouse, children, parents, other loved ones and the lone figure
that stands out above them all, Jesus. Instead of a smile on His
face you find a hard look of anger. Suddenly, two strong looking
angels step up, taking you by the arms. They turn you around. You
see a whipping post. They lead you to it and bind you. One of the
angels steps out a distance and picks up a bull-whip that was
laying on the ground. You wonder, 'What is going on!'
Finally you hear the voice of the Master. You think it's
about time, before the burly angels get a workout on you. To your
dismay you hear Him read charges against you. Being His
representative on earth, He commences itemizing ways you slurred
His name. As He itemizes, you feel a lash for different offences
from which you had never turned. Eventually the list comes to an
end. Your loved ones have tears in their eyes.
Wearing Crowns, Stripes or
?
We know some will have crowns of honor to wear in glory, but many
may find they wear stripes of reproach instead. Some will find
they thought they were 'Basement Christians', but to
their surprise, they had gone down too many flights of stairs.
The 'Low man on the totem pole,' will be such a
person, unless he repents. For some, their hardness of heart
might not be clearly itemized in scripture, but the result will
be the same.
Don't play in the basement! If the transgressions
don't take you over the edge into the camp of the
unredeemed, there will be shame to face when you reach the other
side. Take heed to the Ephesian call:
Remember therefore from whence thou art
fallen, and repent, and do the first works;...
Revelation 2:5a
|
Free to Copy under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND3.0 License by Darrell Farkas