Some people tell me that I’m too radical, that I come across as a Jesus freak. But I’m not. I’m just trying to be a biblical Christian. Yes, I share my faith with others. I’m a part of Born of Him Ministries and we do street witnessing – we hand out tracts, do one to one witnessing and open-air preaching. (I also go out witnessing with Repent and Turn Ministries. I care for those around me who are lost and perishing. (This post is for Christians, so if you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, please go to Ten Commandments, My Testimony or How to Be Saved).
Why do I strive to be just an ordinary Christian; an ordinary biblical Christian? Because I was a “typical” American Christian for 33 years. I was a false convert (I’m not saying all American Christians are false converts). Too many American Christians have either repeated the sinner’s prayer after someone else (like I did when I was 11 years old) or they are following Joel Osteen or someone like him, who preach easy believism; a health, wealth and prosperity gospel. The prosperity gospel is no gospel at all. It is not the true Gospel.
Acts 22:14b states, “and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” The apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:11-12, “Persecutions, afflictions, which came to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Notice Paul says that Christians will suffer persecution. He doesn’t say maybe or might, but will!
Yes there are godly Christians in America and they are not American Christians, they are biblical Christians. All true believers are biblical Christians. Unfortunately, there are a lot of deceived Americans who think that because they made a decision one time for Christ that they have their get out of Hell free card (again, I used to be one of them). Others have been told that Jesus will improve their life.
But that isn’t real Christianity. You don’t just add Jesus to your life and treat God like a genie to be at your beckon call to grant you whatever you ask to make your life better or more comfortable. That is unbiblical! Again, Paul said that if you live godly in Christ Jesus, you will suffer persecution. If you are truly saved, then God convicts you of your sins. He takes away your selfish desires and He gives you His desires. You speak truth to those around you and frankly, a lot of people don’t want to hear the truth.
The more you read the Bible the more you see the sin that remains in your life. God continually works on you because He wants us to be holy because He is Holy. God continues sanctifying you and He continues using you more and more to help further His kingdom, all for His glory and honor (2 Timothy 2:20-21). You never reach a point during this life time where you can sit back and say, I’ve finally arrived; I’m as devoted a Christian as I can be on this earth. No, God continually works on you, convicts you, chastises you and continues molding you into the person He wants you to be.
Isn’t that the kind of Christian you want to be? Don’t you want to be a biblical Christian? Why would anyone settle for the easy believism, typical American Christianity? Ask God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23). Ask Him to show you the sin your life and ask Him to take it away from you. Ask God where can you join Him where He is already working at around you? Swallow your pride and get it out of your system. Humbly, ask God to use you for His honor and glory. Won’t you allow God to mold you, work through you and strengthen you to be an ordinary Christian? An ordinary biblical Christian?