Real Christians

“Real Christians obey Jesus’ teachings”.

This is what a very prominent billboard reads on a well-traveled highway not too far from my home.  It reminds me of a building, also not too far from my home, that has HELL IS REAL printed in large black letters on its side.

Now, I’m not in disagreement with either one of these messages.  I am, after all, a Bible-believing Christian.  But every time I drive by them, they break my heart a little.  I believe they are a misrepresentation of the heart of our God and I’d like to explain why.

Perhaps the most well-known verse in all of Scripture says:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

I say it all the time: God’s heart is for His people.  As Scripture says, He is SO for His people that He gave the most precious offering He could give.  And everything our Father has done has been motivated in love.  The Bible says, “God is love”.  There’s no denying it.  It’s right there in black and white.  It cannot be misconstrued.  It is, undeniably, the very fabric of our testimony.

If we are to be changed by God, it begins with love.

1 John 4:19 says we love because He loved us first.  You know what?  It never works to turn this around.  If we’re taught obedience and hellfire before we’ve learned the heart of our God, we’re just trying to fabricate a love for Him that isn’t genuine.  You can’t build a love for God on a shaky foundation.  We love Him only once we’ve learned His love for us.

And nothing is as powerful as love.  Nothing.

My advice to anyone who is struggling in their faith is to take a step back from obligation and learn the heart of our Father.  Learn His grace.  Don’t think that learning His grace will become your license to sin even more – that is false teaching.  And it doesn’t make sense.  Do you want to dishonor someone you love?

1 Corinthians 15:56 says, “The sting of death is sin but the power of sin is the law.”

Did you catch that?  The power of sin is the law.

It’s the hellfire and brimstone messages that become the strength of sin.  Because all they do is magnify our weakness without pointing to the solution.  Believe it or not, there are people who know their sin is wrong and believe the reality of hell but haven’t really heard of Jesus.

But Jesus…in all His love…and all His beauty…and in the simple fact that He came to SAVE, not condemn,…

made a way.

In His time on earth, the only people that ever provoked the anger and frustration of our Lord Jesus were the hypocrites of the day; the very ones who threatened to steal His beloved bride by condemning her sin.

The truth is, our sin without Jesus is a sobering thought.

Because hell is real.

But, thanks be to God, the victory of love is real too.  O Death, where is your sting?

I don’t think it honors our God when we condemn or scare people into wanting Him.  I don’t think it’s effective either.  I think it might produce change for a short amount of time but it doesn’t truly transform a heart.  That’s not to say that if we come to Him out of fear, He can’t transform us.  He most certainly can.  And many of us DO come to Him out of fear.  This doesn’t offend Him.  He understands our needs.

But, as we take time to know His heart, that’s when real faith takes over.  It begins and ends with His love…”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

We don’t obey our way to our Father’s heart.  We believe in His love and we are transformed.  Obedience will follow.  Because there is TRUST in love.  We obey because we know our Abba loves us and has better plans for us than we could ever make for ourselves.  Only when we feel safe in that promise, will we begin to love Him back and live for Him.

Real Christians lean hard into the One who loves them.  And real Christians change the world BECAUSE they know they are loved.  Thanks be to God.

Father, it’s the truth of Your love that reaches and restores our weary hearts.  It’s the realization of who You are and what You’ve done that makes us fall head over heels in love with You.  Teach us how to share Your love with the world around us – because they read these messages (which yes, have good intent) but they end up confused and fearful.  These messages don’t paint a clear picture of who You are.  They do not teach or demonstrate the power of Your love, mercy and grace.  But it’s ALL about Your love.  This is our testimony.  This is our truth.  Help us to live and teach it well and HONOR You as we believe and receive it for ourselves.  Now and forevermore and in the name of our Savior, Jesus, AMEN.