CONTEMPLATING A FAITH THAT IS REAL (11 OF 17)
Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4
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Contemplating a Faith That Is Real (11 of 17)
Series: Colossians
Robert Dawson
Colossians 3:1-4
I heard one pastor say this recently, ''One of the most misused and abused words in the English language is the word ''Christian''. The meaning has almost totally been drained out of that word this word used to be a word of distinction. It used to be a word of honor. It used to be a word reserved for a special group of people.''
You need to keep in mind that this was not a term that the church adopted for itself. Rather, this was a term that was given to the church by the world we are told in Acts 11:26, ''And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.'' There was something so different, so distinct about these people that they were given the name ''Christian''. They were living real Christianity.
Then he makes this somewhat startling but I would say very understandable statement, ''If I was not a Christian, and I observed the average Christian, I doubt if I would become a Christian. The average Christian is not even motivated enough to bring his Bible to church on Sunday, to come back on Sunday night, give a tithe of his income to the Lord, or to tell somebody else how to get saved. I believe that our God is sick of average Christianity. I believe that our Christianity ought to be real. Someone has said that, ''The mark of a real Christian is that he makes it easier for others to believe in God.'' I want my Christianity to be real. I want to say that real Christianity is not playing church on Sunday morning''
I think most of us here would agree with that sentiment. We have seen it. We have lived it. We may be living it. We have managed to develop a very pagan mindset concerning our faith.
The pagan religions of Paul's day said very little about personal morality. They maintained that a worshiper could bow before His idol and place an offering down and go back and live the same old life of sin. What a person believed had no direct relatio ...
Series: Colossians
Robert Dawson
Colossians 3:1-4
I heard one pastor say this recently, ''One of the most misused and abused words in the English language is the word ''Christian''. The meaning has almost totally been drained out of that word this word used to be a word of distinction. It used to be a word of honor. It used to be a word reserved for a special group of people.''
You need to keep in mind that this was not a term that the church adopted for itself. Rather, this was a term that was given to the church by the world we are told in Acts 11:26, ''And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.'' There was something so different, so distinct about these people that they were given the name ''Christian''. They were living real Christianity.
Then he makes this somewhat startling but I would say very understandable statement, ''If I was not a Christian, and I observed the average Christian, I doubt if I would become a Christian. The average Christian is not even motivated enough to bring his Bible to church on Sunday, to come back on Sunday night, give a tithe of his income to the Lord, or to tell somebody else how to get saved. I believe that our God is sick of average Christianity. I believe that our Christianity ought to be real. Someone has said that, ''The mark of a real Christian is that he makes it easier for others to believe in God.'' I want my Christianity to be real. I want to say that real Christianity is not playing church on Sunday morning''
I think most of us here would agree with that sentiment. We have seen it. We have lived it. We may be living it. We have managed to develop a very pagan mindset concerning our faith.
The pagan religions of Paul's day said very little about personal morality. They maintained that a worshiper could bow before His idol and place an offering down and go back and live the same old life of sin. What a person believed had no direct relatio ...
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