In the previous article I mentioned Jesus used the phrase "Follow Me" 23 times in the Gospels...which means to me...He definitely is encouraging us to follow Him. Along with this, the word "disciple" of Jesus...is used 263 times in the New Testament, which is a different term than being a "follower". In my personal study, a follower is identified with being a Christian...and the word Christian is used 3 times in the New Testament ( Acts 11:26, 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16).
So my thoughts lately have been to figure out whether I am a Christian follower or admirer...or am I one of His disciples? Hmmm?
The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaad once wrote : "The typical Christian response is in the act of admiring Christ, instead of following Christ". This gentleman was a philosopher that lived in the mid 1800's, and seemed to be challenging the various sects of organized religion in that era. He is said to be a believer of "existentialism", which Kierkegaard never actually used this word himself, yet is defined as : "each individual is sole responsible for giving meaning to life with all its passions and authenticity, not a society or one's culture, or a particular religion they might embrace." Another view is establishing the fact we are born into this world in a rather disoriented and confusing manner, and are greeted into an apparently meaningless and absurd world.
My take on all this?...do I take Jesus and what He stands for...personally?...or do I kind of stand back and admire what He stands for?
Now enter Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was the great German Lutheran theologian who did his utmost to help the Jewish people within Germany escape the slaughter of their people by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi way of life. Bonhoeffer at one point had come to the U.S. in World War II, yet in a Pauline sort of way returned to Germany before the end of the war...because of the love he had for all German people (including Nazis). He was hung in prison on April 9th, 1945...one month before Germany surrendered. In one of his books on discipleship, Bonhoeffer wrote: " There is a difference between cheap Grace...and costly Grace. Cheap Grace is a Grace without commitment and response from the believer, it is a Grace without servant hood. Costly Grace moves us...to respond to the call of Jesus."
Both Bonhoeffer and Kierkegaard had come from wealthy aristocratic homes...their beliefs were not about money, lifestyles, or apparent success...it appears to be a conviction from within.
So...do I want to admire Jesus...be a Christian follower of what He represents and tell everyone how "I love Him to pieces"...or do I really want to further my commitment and become a disciple of Christ Jesus? Hmmm?
What happened to the easy way of doing it...that verse in Romans 10:9-10?....You know...the "magic prayer"...and then it's all good!
In chapter 10 of Romans, Saint Paul is expressing his desire for His own...the Jewish people..to accept Christ Jesus as the Messiah...the One they have been looking for. He writes how the Old Testament laws and prophets are now completed, through the acceptance of the Lord Jesus...and with that acceptance we are able to now fulfill all the Old Testament law and even more. Ok...I am ok with that...not too hard right?
Well, here is the thing about making a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord...the only Lord of your life in that time period. I must remember Paul was writing this from a Roman prison, and there is a reason he was in prison...because of his own personal belief in Christ Jesus.
Rome itself had been through a great fire that burnt large segments of the city, and Nero (the emperor at the time) had blamed the Christians...which most were from the Jewish faith, for starting this "Great fire of Rome"...although much evidence shows it was probably Nero himself that was the originator of the fire...because he was deemed "crazy" because of his erratic behavior.
Since that incident, Claudius, the present emperor at the time had given orders for all Jewish people to leave Rome...including the Christian Jews...they had caused way too much trouble.
So, if you did what Romans 10:9-10 said to do...it was "chancy" to say the least...becoming a Christian wasn't exactly a popular thing to do at the time. In fact, one of the earliest creeds of the early Christian church was to repeat this phrase: "Jesus is Lord". From this, we get our statement of beliefs like: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." It really wasn't a "magical prayer"...in fact quite the opposite...in could be a "prayer of death" if you so chose to follow through with such a belief.
The reason why Paul was in prison, the reason why many early Christians were put to death, was not because they simply believed in Jesus....it was because when a person made a decision to accept and follow Jesus...He was the ONLY God you would follow, and could not accept other gods as a way of life or a way to Heaven...it only comes through Jesus. That became an issue...a big issue...that led the early believers to their death.
A Gleaning from Romans 10:9-10
" If you declare with your mouth, letting others know that Jesus is in fact your personal and real Lord, and you honestly believe God raised Him from the dead....then you are most definitely saved.
This is where it all starts...believing in your heart, accepting the fact Jesus Himself is the only One who can make you right with God, and acknowledge to embrace and follow His teachings. It is then you will confirm to others in both word and deed that He truly is the One who has saved you."
Hmmm?
So my thoughts lately have been to figure out whether I am a Christian follower or admirer...or am I one of His disciples? Hmmm?
The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaad once wrote : "The typical Christian response is in the act of admiring Christ, instead of following Christ". This gentleman was a philosopher that lived in the mid 1800's, and seemed to be challenging the various sects of organized religion in that era. He is said to be a believer of "existentialism", which Kierkegaard never actually used this word himself, yet is defined as : "each individual is sole responsible for giving meaning to life with all its passions and authenticity, not a society or one's culture, or a particular religion they might embrace." Another view is establishing the fact we are born into this world in a rather disoriented and confusing manner, and are greeted into an apparently meaningless and absurd world.
My take on all this?...do I take Jesus and what He stands for...personally?...or do I kind of stand back and admire what He stands for?
Now enter Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was the great German Lutheran theologian who did his utmost to help the Jewish people within Germany escape the slaughter of their people by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi way of life. Bonhoeffer at one point had come to the U.S. in World War II, yet in a Pauline sort of way returned to Germany before the end of the war...because of the love he had for all German people (including Nazis). He was hung in prison on April 9th, 1945...one month before Germany surrendered. In one of his books on discipleship, Bonhoeffer wrote: " There is a difference between cheap Grace...and costly Grace. Cheap Grace is a Grace without commitment and response from the believer, it is a Grace without servant hood. Costly Grace moves us...to respond to the call of Jesus."
Both Bonhoeffer and Kierkegaard had come from wealthy aristocratic homes...their beliefs were not about money, lifestyles, or apparent success...it appears to be a conviction from within.
So...do I want to admire Jesus...be a Christian follower of what He represents and tell everyone how "I love Him to pieces"...or do I really want to further my commitment and become a disciple of Christ Jesus? Hmmm?
What happened to the easy way of doing it...that verse in Romans 10:9-10?....You know...the "magic prayer"...and then it's all good!
In chapter 10 of Romans, Saint Paul is expressing his desire for His own...the Jewish people..to accept Christ Jesus as the Messiah...the One they have been looking for. He writes how the Old Testament laws and prophets are now completed, through the acceptance of the Lord Jesus...and with that acceptance we are able to now fulfill all the Old Testament law and even more. Ok...I am ok with that...not too hard right?
Well, here is the thing about making a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord...the only Lord of your life in that time period. I must remember Paul was writing this from a Roman prison, and there is a reason he was in prison...because of his own personal belief in Christ Jesus.
Rome itself had been through a great fire that burnt large segments of the city, and Nero (the emperor at the time) had blamed the Christians...which most were from the Jewish faith, for starting this "Great fire of Rome"...although much evidence shows it was probably Nero himself that was the originator of the fire...because he was deemed "crazy" because of his erratic behavior.
Since that incident, Claudius, the present emperor at the time had given orders for all Jewish people to leave Rome...including the Christian Jews...they had caused way too much trouble.
So, if you did what Romans 10:9-10 said to do...it was "chancy" to say the least...becoming a Christian wasn't exactly a popular thing to do at the time. In fact, one of the earliest creeds of the early Christian church was to repeat this phrase: "Jesus is Lord". From this, we get our statement of beliefs like: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." It really wasn't a "magical prayer"...in fact quite the opposite...in could be a "prayer of death" if you so chose to follow through with such a belief.
The reason why Paul was in prison, the reason why many early Christians were put to death, was not because they simply believed in Jesus....it was because when a person made a decision to accept and follow Jesus...He was the ONLY God you would follow, and could not accept other gods as a way of life or a way to Heaven...it only comes through Jesus. That became an issue...a big issue...that led the early believers to their death.
A Gleaning from Romans 10:9-10
" If you declare with your mouth, letting others know that Jesus is in fact your personal and real Lord, and you honestly believe God raised Him from the dead....then you are most definitely saved.
Hmmm?
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