What if we lived in a world where we were respected, listened to and imitated because we lived as God wants us to live? "That would be great!" you might say. "Wow! What a concept!" might come out of your mouth. Truth be told, this won't and can't happen even though it's supposed to happen. Especially within a Christian community. Individual or not, we are challenged to present Christ to those around us in HIS manner and not ours. The Bible is very clear that we who say we live for Christ and have given our lives to him have given up our rights. For, as Paul says, "it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me." Many in the Christian faith (term used loosely) simply do not believe or embody this though. There is a paradox set up when we give our lives to Christ. The paradox is we know that God's calling is for all of our life and not just sections we can stand to live without. I know that this is as old as creation itself. Evidenced by Adam and Eve all the way through the last chapter of the book of Revelation this truth has showed one of the reasons Christians have ineffective lives. If we are to claim something then we need to embody that claim. What if Jesus went all the way to the cross but then said, "Just kidding. You are on your own!" Where would we be left except fallen and without hope.
I was once approached by another therapist who asked me what I would say to a premarital counseling situation where the couple wanted input about a prenuptial agreement. I told him I would not be a part of it. He asked why. I told him that a prenuptial agreement wasn't Biblical and was only a sign that neither party really expected their relationship to succeed. Further, it destroyed the concept (Biblical) that the two shall become one. We speed up at yellow lights so that we don't have to stop for the red. We omit the details and call it truth when it's deception plain and simple. Our tendency to "hedge our bets" are nothing but selfish choices intended to take care of "me" first and foremost. When we do any of these things we become the god of our world. Don't think so? Try this on. When the choice is made to terminate a pregnancy, who makes that choice? I haven't ever read a Scripture that supports abortion. When as a people we pass laws enabling men and women to seek the help of a physician to end their lives due to whatever justification; God is eliminated from the equation. Our world is upside down and backward. Whenever we don't get our way (playing god) we cry foul and demand our rights. As a Christian this ought not to be.
In a sermon I once told the people of the congregation that I could go to the church parking lot and point out those who were intending on sinning. They chuckled and laughed a bit nervously as I continued. Those who had radar detectors would be those who planned on breaking the law. They were "hedging their bet" in order to get away with speeding. We do this, don't we. We have any number of gymnastic moves we have incorporated into our lives where we have claimed we "have the right." All the while God is saying, "No, you don't." Since it's the tax season I will share another area of pure selfishness on the Christian part. Many give to church AND keep track (sometimes the church does this for them) of how much they give so that they can turn around and claim the "donation" on their taxes. If we give to God then it's his. Since we insist on using the tax deduction, we are then taking the money back for our purpose. We haven't really given it to God in the first place and believe we have earned that money when all along God has blessed us with EVERYTHING we have or can conceive of having. If we give something away it is no longer ours to reclaim. If I give my life to Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me.
The real question Christians should be asking is: "Lord, show me those areas where I have not handed my life over to you." When he shows us our response should be only one choice. We should surrender that area to Christ with the heart that believes what Christ has for us is way better than what we can wrangle on our own. Yes, in the world you have the "right". However, Christ calls us to be in he world but not of he world. We are to take Him into all the world so that the world can see Him and believe in Him, and come to salvation in Him. No, I don't have the right. Neither do you.
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