A damning indictment!

"If you were put on trial for being a disciple of Jesus Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" is a question that was asked among Christians when I was in my teens. I do not know who first asked it, but it's a worthy question, isn't it? Those who truly love Him should live a distinctly separate and different life from people who are not Believers. I love that story in Acts where Peter and John are dragged before a religious court and questioned about their work for the Lord. Those men who were hostile to their message none the less were impressed by one thing: "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13, NIV) Oh, that those who talk, work, and live around us today would come to the same conclusion!

A kind of sophistication has settled over many American Christians that allows them to live in two worlds at the same time. They lay claim to the grace of Christ and the hope of eternal life while holding onto their love of things, their pride of place and face, and unholy pleasures. Any call to genuine holiness, to living a separated life, is rejected as 'legalism.' So, they are capable of singing, 'take all of me, Lord,' on Sunday in worship and then choosing to be their own master on Monday. Those who live that way might think they are sophisticated, but they are actually foolish - robbing themselves of the power and joy that a wholly committed follower of Jesus knows.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus took on some sophisticates of His day who thought they could know God and keep control of their lives at the same time. His words were a damning indictment that I would never want Him to speak of me.
"Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they are worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy, Ditching God’s command and taking up the latest fads. ... You scratch out God’s Word and scrawl a whim in its place. You do a lot of things like this." (Mark 7:6-8; 12-14, The Message)
Disciple, do not let it be said of you that you are hypocrite, saying the right words but failing to live the life of a disciple. Do not slide into legalism, either. That's a dead end, too. Merely putting some external rules in place about what you eat, what you wear, how you talk, what movies you watch, and such matters is not true holiness. To be sure, when Christ is Lord of our lives, there will be an observable difference in those things, because our hearts are changed!

For example:
A man who loves Christ and is filled with the life of the Spirit will not be profane or filthy in speech because his heart is washed of anger and lust!
A woman who is truly full of the Spirit will not exploit the sensual beauty of her sexuality because she will know the true beauty that comes from a heart full of the love of Christ.

Spend time in quiet with the Lord today. There is no substitute for solitude, for prayerful meditation, for becoming truly holy. Only when we are really with Jesus will we become like Jesus! Here's a word from the Word. I pray that the challenge will one you will embrace, with God's help, today so that others will see real evidence that you are a disciple of the Lord of life.
"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3, NLT)
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Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move, at the impulse of Thy love,
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Always, only, for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages for Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold,
Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my God, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Take My Life
Francis Havergal © Public Domain