I’ve known a lot of Christians in my life. I’ve known them to pursue many different courses. Sadly, I’ve known too many who diverged from the narrow way.
I’ve known Christians who went seeking for spiritual gifts, but they lost their focus on Jesus and fell into error.
I’ve known Christians who went seeking for spiritual experiences, but they failed to test their experiences against the Scriptures and drifted away from truth.
I’ve known Christians who went seeking for spiritual authority, but they thought too much of themselves and became prideful and unteachable.
I’ve known Christians who went seeking for spiritual service, but in their busyness they forgot whom they were serving, and their actions went for nothing.
On the other hand…
I’ve known Christians who went seeking for Jesus above all, and they not only found Him in abundance, but they received spiritual gifts, experiences, authority, and direction for service.
If Jesus is our all, He is faithful to make all of what is His ours.
Well put.
Right on, Brother Dan!
All very true.
Thanks for commenting, Steve, Poet, and Jeremy!
I think so much of this is the fault of the preacher.
Preachers and pastors must keep the person on Jesus the goal, and NOT ‘trying to be like Jesus’.
The ‘how to’ churches just create those things you’ve mentioned, Dan…’pride'(self-righteousness)… or despair.
When Jesus the Savior is the focus, well, then Jesus’ Spirit can go to work inside that person and create the person that He will.
Thanks, Dan.
Great post!
Funny, yet sad, how often we are apt to blame some one amongst the faithful for getting “it” wrong, or causing the shortcomings we ourselves are responsible for. Yes there are those pastors and preachers who mis-lead, but they cannot be held completely responsible for the divergent paths believers often take. More than anything, the reason why we stray down alternate paths is in part because we try to walk a pathway alone that is meant to be traveled with the family of faith God has led us to join. If the folks in our congregations were more caught up in each other’s lives and worked together to seek Jesus first, and held each other accountable in such a manner as to strengthen and encourage toward the goal . . . well, let’s just say, the face of Christianity would be much different in America, and there would not be so many wounded Christians in need of special care.
Great blog Dan! Thanks for posting and keeping us all accountable!
Well said…we can try to be spiritual but the main thing is for our church to have Christ at the center of our worship. As a pastor, I ensure them that Christ and Him crucified is our main goal and if we learn nothing else, that IS the gospel. Now, we must tell others (Acts 1:8).