My life in Jesus Christ began with my personal decision to confess my sinful nature and by faith accept Jesus’ death on the cross as the sacrifice for my sins. As a result of that decision, I received the eternal life God promised and demonstrated by Jesus’ resurrection (John 3:16). He also promised that He would always be with me in the form of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. My personal relationship with Jesus makes it possible for me to come directly into the presence of God the Father with my praise, my thanks and my petitions in Jesus’ name. I have become a child of God. No relationship is more personal.
When did personal faith in Jesus Christ become a “religion” with rules and regulations? What causes Christians to be divided into denominations and sects over minor details? It has to be the enemy’s effort to falsely define and devalue Christian faith. The term Christian has attracted so many false connotations in our society that many now choose to call themselves Believers instead of Christians. That is reasonable because the true Church is Christ’s body made up of individual believers each with our own God-given function joined together by our faith in Jesus Christ and God’s Holy Spirit within each of us. Our unity through that common Spirit transcends all differences of culture, race, social status or other minor differences we may have. After listing the diversity within the early church Paul concludes in Colossians 3:11, “…Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” The Church is manifest when each believer puts their unique gift(s) to work loving and serving God by loving and serving others.
When I was a boy, whenever two people shared the same thought one of them would say, “Great minds think alike”. I am often working on two or three blogs at a time and when I get together with my brothers at our weekly breakfast more than once they have mentioned the topic or a scripture from one of those blogs in progress. That isn’t coincidence or minds thinking alike. That is one Spirit at work in more than one person. That is true Christianity at work with the Holy Spirit bringing together individual parts of the “body” or “bride” of Christ – His Church.
I have said many times that our pastors at CLC “make it personal” when they bring us a word. The message is always directed right at me and my needs. It is amazing that each of us present can experience that same feeling, but it shouldn’t surprise us. God knows our needs and when a message is inspired by the Holy Spirit it can touch the heart of someone in need of salvation while at the same time resonate with the Spirit within each believer to give us exactly what we need. I am so thankful that God chooses to make His relationship with us personal and then draws us to Him and to each other to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven.