President Obama used "change" as his campaign catchword. It seems like everyone was ready for some "change". Change keeps our lives fresh. Knowing that change will always come (eventually) gives us hope for the future when times are bad. Change is good.
There's another place where change is good. Actually it's not just good, it's necessary. It's the change that happens when we accept Jesus as our savior. There's a Steven Curtis Chapman song that talks about people having all the "trappings" of Christian life, but, the song asks, "What about the change?!". We can go to church, carry a big Bible, sing hymns, have christian bumper stickers, wear "witness wear" clothing and all the other things that people do identify themselves as Christians. But if there's no change in our lifestyles and our hearts, then we're only fooling ourselves!
The Bible teaches that we can judge a tree by it's fruit. If we truly have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, there will be a change in our fruit! If we talk the same way, act the same way and think the same way as before, then we're still the same! The change is the sign of our transformation. If you've been baptized and joined the church but nothing about you has changed, then you're just a wet sinner who belongs to a church. The Spirit has His own fruit that He will bear in you. If you're still bearing apples, you're still an apple tree!
I know it's very confusing to worldly folks when someone confesses to be a Christian but nothing changes about them. They still cuss, fuss, drink and hold a grudge, just like they always did. They wear the name of Jesus around their necks like a rabbit's foot thinking that church membership and water baptism will get them a ticket into Heaven. Talk about your rude awakenings!
Change is the key. Not just change for the sake of change, but that real change that starts in the heart and spreads outward. Change is good.
There's another place where change is good. Actually it's not just good, it's necessary. It's the change that happens when we accept Jesus as our savior. There's a Steven Curtis Chapman song that talks about people having all the "trappings" of Christian life, but, the song asks, "What about the change?!". We can go to church, carry a big Bible, sing hymns, have christian bumper stickers, wear "witness wear" clothing and all the other things that people do identify themselves as Christians. But if there's no change in our lifestyles and our hearts, then we're only fooling ourselves!
The Bible teaches that we can judge a tree by it's fruit. If we truly have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, there will be a change in our fruit! If we talk the same way, act the same way and think the same way as before, then we're still the same! The change is the sign of our transformation. If you've been baptized and joined the church but nothing about you has changed, then you're just a wet sinner who belongs to a church. The Spirit has His own fruit that He will bear in you. If you're still bearing apples, you're still an apple tree!
I know it's very confusing to worldly folks when someone confesses to be a Christian but nothing changes about them. They still cuss, fuss, drink and hold a grudge, just like they always did. They wear the name of Jesus around their necks like a rabbit's foot thinking that church membership and water baptism will get them a ticket into Heaven. Talk about your rude awakenings!
Change is the key. Not just change for the sake of change, but that real change that starts in the heart and spreads outward. Change is good.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please feel free to share your thoughts.