Wholehearted

When we think whole-hearted commitment we think of someone who is all in. There is no pulling back. Someone who is half-hearted is not really committed at all. How does this apply to Christianity? Can you have a halfhearted Christian? The very idea makes Jesus sick (Revelation 3:16). The Israelites found out that there is a price to pay for half-heartedness (Numbers 32:11). It really comes down to faith (Isaiah 7:9). Without faith, we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus indicated that it would take wholehearted devotion to be His disciple (Mark 8:35; Luke 9:23) The Apostle Paul was willing to lay down his life for Jesus (Acts 21:10-14). Likewise, we are called to live sacrificial lives (Romans 12:1-2).  The catalog of heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 is a veritable who’s who of people who lived out their faith in wholehearted commitment. Like them, we are challenged to look to the one who is the author of our faith and follow the path of perseverance (Hebrews 12:1-3). By contrast, halfhearted people are not worthy to follow Christ (Matthew 10:38; Luke 9:62; cf. Zephaniah 1:6). It is the commitment that pushes through to the end that gives us a share in Christ (Hebrews 3:14). In fact, the ones who starts well and then falls back is worse off than when they started (2 Peter 2:20).

People do not start out in the Christian life with the goal of being halfhearted.  If they were apathetic to begin with they would not even bother to start. So what makes people go from new life and spiritual enthusiasm to complacency and decline? One thing that leads to complacency is a shallow view of God’s Word. We begin to look at the Word of God as a literary work much like poetry, and we attend a prophetic utterance much like a literary critic. We admire the beauty of the form, but miss the sense of power that should come with its delivery (Ezekiel 33:31-32). Materialism can also dampen our ardor for God (Hosea 13:6; Mark 4:19). Eternal values give way to temporal desire and we end up giving our soul away for a little bit of nothing (Mark 8:35-37; Luke 21:34; Hebrews 12:16-17). Because our hearts are so easily captivated by other things we must take care to guard them (Proverbs 4:23; 1 Timothy 6:10). Me must put all other loves out of the running and love Jesus alone. Otherwise, it is curtains for us. We can not serve two masters (Luke 16:13). Perhaps that is why Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love God with our whole heart (Matt. 22:37). It is wholehearted devotion God wants. There really is no such thing as a halfhearted Christian. That would be a contradiction in terms.

A Big Deal

Cold and lonely nights on the street. Another abusive confrontation. Bare cupboards and hungry children. From the outside, these situations may look bleak, depressing, and painful. People in the middle of these situations, however, can become numb and desensitized to their plight. To the homeless, it is just another night on the street. To the hungry, missed meals become regular fare. Abusive relationships become the norm. What may be shocking and obvious to others may be no big deal to the one in the middle of it. It becomes normal existence. The status quo, even though tragic, can easily become familiar. The abnormal seems normal.
In the same way sin can become normal to us. We can become used to it. Others may be shocked at the obvious wrong and see the sin and shame, but to the one in the midst of it, it may seem like no big deal. It becomes part of normal existence. No big deal? Sin is a big deal. A REAL BIG deal.
Those who become numb to it accept it as a familiar friend, but they do not realize the tragedy of their situation. The Bible says that sin is a killer (Romans 6:23). The death that comes from sin is not immediately apparent. We are told that sin kills but when we sin we do not suddenly drop dead. We live to sin another day. We begin to think that perhaps sin is not so bad. Day after day, sin upon sin, we become numb. Sin becomes the new normal. Its no big deal (1 Kings 16:31). But the truth is, we are dead (Romans 5:12).
Not until we realize our condition are we able to begin to address it. That is why God wants to wake us up to our condition (Romans 13:11; Ephesians 5:14). God’s word diagnoses us. It forces us to see ourselves as we really are (James 1:22-25). The Holy Spirit brings guilt to shake us out of our stupor (2 Corinthians 7:10-13; Hebrews 3:7-8). To make us uncomfortable with sin. We need to hear the alarms go off. WARNING! SIN IS A KILLER! It is killing you already. hey! You!, HEY YOU! YOU ARE DEAD!!!!
We have to know how bad it is before we wake up enough to ask “what must I do to be saved (cf. Acts 2:37, 16:30)?” Then, and only then are we ready to hear the good news. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).” We are not ready to hear the good news until we wake up to the reality of the bad news. When we wake up to how big a deal sin is (death is a big deal), we can finally see how big a deal Jesus is (sin washer, life giver). We were dead men walking and didn't even know it. Sin zombies (Ephesians 2:1-2). But God poured out His grace and mercy in Jesus Christ and made us alive (Ephesians 2:4-5). If you are still one of the zombies, it means nothing. It is no big deal. But, if you are one of those who have been made alive you understand what all the fuss is about. Yes, sin is a big deal. But, Jesus is a bigger deal. The biggest deal ever.

Spiritual Surgery

The Bible addresses us as the Word of God. It has authority and power. It is meant to be obeyed and to show us the way (Psalm 119:101, 105). That is why it is called a light. It also  shines in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19) to show us who we are and where we come up short. God does this so that we will know ourselves more clearly and see what needs to be added or removed in our lives to fall in line with his will and to live lives pleasing to Him.

It is interesting that God's Word is sometimes referred to as a sword (Ephesians 6:17). A sword cuts, and sometimes it cuts both ways (Hebrews 4:12). Spiritually, God attends His Word with the Holy Spirit. When He speaks to us through His Word it is the job of the Holy Spirit to show us where we come up short and to make us feel the need to make things right. This is called conviction. God makes us sorry we have not done as we ought to have done things (2 Corinthians 7:10-13).

Conviction is meant to lead us to repentance and to separate us from sin (Matthew 3:8; Romans 2:4). As a sword it is able to cut through our defenses. God uses it to discipline and correct. Though tears may come when we realize our sin, joy comes as we begin to understand that it is not too late (Acts 11:18). God does not send conviction to those he has given up on. He sends conviction in order to work in us what is pleasing to him (Romans 12:2; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:21). He is a great craftsman. The more He works on us, the more we are made into His image. God performs precision surgery with his written Word. A Bible becomes a Surgical instrument so that we might be crafted into his workmanship. May our lives show that they have been transformed by the hand of the great surgeon (Titus 2:11-14).