Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Muscular Christianity
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” (Acts 17:6 NKJV)
Some Christians have been raised in Christian homes, while others of us have lived on both sides of the fence. We know what it’s like to live without Christ and how empty and pointless it is.
Then we made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ, and incredible changes took place in our lives. We discovered there is a God who loves us and has a unique, custom-made plan for our lives.
We also discovered that becoming a Christian is more than just saying a prayer and having the assurance of heaven. We realized that being a Christian means following Jesus not just as our Savior but also as our Lord.
The problem is there are people in the church today who name the name of Christ but haven’t discovered what it means to follow Him. They haven’t discovered that being a Christian is more than just saying a prayer and then going on their merry way.
And sadly, many are settling for a brand of Christianity that isn’t biblical, one that embraces Jesus as Savior but neglects Him as Lord. It is big on self-esteem, but it is small on self-denial. It celebrates success but repudiates suffering. This brand of Christianity is not changing our world.
The church of the first century, the church we read about in the book of Acts, transformed their culture. People described Christians as “these who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6 NKJV). If our faith is not turning us upside down, then it certainly isn’t going to turn our world upside down.
We need to get back to the Christian life as it’s presented in the New Testament, which was a muscular Christianity and not a watered-down, anemic version of it. We need a first-century belief system, the kind the apostles lived and that Jesus taught, the kind that can turn our world around.
Copyright © 2023 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood books in the Bible. In The Revelation Answer Book, respected prophecy teacher Mark Hitchcock walks through key questions about Revelation in a clear and engaging Q&A format. You’ll explore topics like the mark of the beast, the identity of the 144,000, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, and the return of Jesus, all with solid biblical insight and a focus on hope. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
