Christianity: A Calling, Not a Cause

883/9/23I was reading last night and had an idea that I thought was worth sharing. The thought is that it appears we sometimes treat Christianity as a cause. Like some kind philanthropic club we are a part of that we can’t wait to post on Facebook the latest good deed we did for something or someone on need. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying service and spreading good fruit isn’t important. It is, but it’s not what Christianity is about. That stuff is a byproduct of a growing relationship with Jesus. You see following Jesus isn’t a cause, it’s a calling. But sometimes we can overemphasize our part of that calling. We sometimes think or behave like our faith is based on what we do for God instead of what God did for us. And that’s where it gets twisted. There’s this tension between grace and discipline that is sometimes really hard to navigate. We know that we are saved by grace and through faith in Christ alone. But does that mean it’s a Christian excuse to be lazy? Of course not. We do have a role to play in following Jesus. But we often think that it’s our part that makes the difference. We know that if we want to be close to God, we have to invest in the relationship. Praying, reading the Bible, serving others, worshiping, going to church, etc. We often refer to those things as spiritual disciplines. And all of those things are so important for helping us get to know God and become more like Him. He allows us to get to know His character through reading His Word. He gives us the ability to get to talk with Him regularly, whenever we want, through prayer. He allows us the opportunity to praise Him, knowing that He could make anything praise Him. He doesn’t need us. And that’s what makes it all the more beautiful. The God of the universe doesn’t need us. But He wants us. He made us. He pursues us. He gives us gifts and talents. He calls us His masterpiece. He allows us to do good works. And He loves us completely and uniquely.Doing things for God is useless without spending time with God. And when we spend time with God, we can’t help but become more like God, which involves loving others the way God loves them. So, here we are back to my favorite topic, The Great Commission. You see, it’s not a “cause” it’s a calling.“And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."”Matthew 28:18-20 Be Nice, Grace Wins!