Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds- James 2:17-18 NIV
Saying that today’s Christians have been chosen to live in uniquely trying times is at the very least an outrageous understatement. The cultural moment we find ourselves in is literally unlike any in human history and it is getting stranger and more complex with every passing day. Human beings are literally inventing new and weird ways sin. Good is frequently thought to be evil and evil is commonly celebrated as good and even virtuous (Isaiah 5:20-21).
Sigh.
I have no clue where all this going or where the madness will end. No one does.
That said, one thing I do know for absolute certain, the cultural moment we live in demands Christians get the faith thing right. Christians must live in a way that that stands in stark contrast to our unbelieving friends and neighbors if there is any hope at all of surviving with our faith intact and/or leading our culture back to some sort of normalcy and health. In order to do that we must cultivate a vibrant faith life. Where we are actively seeking to grow into the image of Jesus. Following are six indicators our spiritual life could use a little tweaking.
First:
You haven’t been prompted to do anything for the Kingdom lately-
Ephesians 2:8-9 is clear: people are not saved because they are good or because they have done good things that somehow make them “worthy” of salvation. People are saved because they put their faith in the redemptive (saving) work Jesus did for humanity when He died on the cross and rose from the dead. Period. End. Of. Story. However, it must be noted that Ephesians 2:10 tells us that Christians are saved for the purpose of doing good deeds. Consequently, if we are not regularly prompted by the Holy Spirit to teach biblical truth, stand up for justice, tell others about Jesus or offer help to hurting people something is terribly wrong with the way we are doing the Christian life (Matthew 10:42, Matthew 25:31-46). Immediate changes must be made to restore health.
You don’t pray much or at all-
Prayer is how we connect with God. It’s also the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and guidance. Prayer is how God transforms our thinking and brings it into line with His view of the world. When we pray God changes the hearts of the people we pray for and brings about transformation in seemingly immovable situations. When we don’t pray we don’t hear the voice of God or become the agents for change the world needs right now. When that happens, we lose and so does the world we live in.
You aren’t learning anything new about God or yourself-
The first phrase ever used for a follower of Jesus was disciple (Matthew 5:1, Mark 2:15, John 1:35). A disciple is a student, one who makes the choice to diligently learn from another. If we are not constantly learning new things about God and the things God wants us to work on in ourselves we will struggle to be a healthy reflection of God in this world. If people don’t see God’s power at work in His people they will never see the point of committing themselves to God.
You aren’t actively seeking the power of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis-
Every Christian is called by God to the toughest of tough things. We are are commanded to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, give beyond what is sensible, live morally upright lives in a culture of chaos and pour ourselves out for the good of others (1st Peter 2:9, Matthew 5-7, 1st Corinthians 9:22). Fulfilling this calling is only possible through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 40:29). The Holy Spirit only empowers us when we ask.
You aren’t working on any prejudices you might have-
Heaven will be filled with men and women from every race, tribe and people group (Revelation 5:9). All of those people will be equal, equally loved by God and yet still distinctly different from one another (Revelation 7:9). This future reality leaves no place for racial bigotry or sexism in the lives of God’s people (Galatians 3:28, Colossians3:11). This means that any prejudices Christians have should be dealt with in the here and now an attitude of repentance. If we aren’t constantly evaluating our attitudes seeking to become more like Jesus in this key area we failing at a fundamental aspect of the faith.
You think cultural views on sex, race, gender and life and Christianity are compatible-
Wokeness is more than just a popular anti-racism movement. Gender ideology is more than a fresh take on sexuality. Both are false religions leading people away from the God of the Bible. Both are movements that want all the benefits of Christianity (love, equality, fairness, mutual respect, compassion) without submitting to God or the moral restraints of Christian ethics (2nd Timothy 4:3-4, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5). Any movement that ultimately leads people away from biblical truth, Christian ethics and faith in Jesus will inevitably brings confusion, turmoil and tragic consequences for everyone involved. Christians must constantly take inventory of their thinking to assure these toxic beliefs are not taking root.
Historically,
God does His best work in the darkest and most challenging of times. That said, God does His best work through those who are fully surrendered to Him and seeking His wisdom in every area of life. If we want to see God change our world we must do everything in our power to align our lives with His way of doing things. When we do this He empowers us to live joy-filled, spirit-empowered lives.
