Sunday Saint/Weekday Sinner

If you walk like a Christian, look like a Christian or talk like a Christian--Does it make you a Christian? Sadly, so many have mastered the characteristic of what they think will get them into Heaven. Is it possible that you are just going through the motions?

How do you become a Christian? The Word says that "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Roman 10:9-10).

What does it mean to be a Christian? After accepting Jesus into your life, it is more than just joining church, more than just reading your bible; it is "blessing the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy name" (Psalms 103:1). It is a love like you have never known before. It is releasing, rejoicing and the anticipation of what you have received and what is to come. His love is so strong that it transcends the highest mountain and descends the lowest valley; he is everything that you need and more. He is all that and a bag of chips.

So how do you get there, being a Sunday saint and weekday sinner? Before your conversion, you were on Satan's side; in fact we were born sinners, then continued in sin by choice. Truth says you belong to either Satan or God--no straddling the fence. You are either for Him or against Him. You have confessed your sins, and then accepted God into your life. A deep need was felt, one that could only be filled by Him. Repentance means an about face, doing a 180 degree turn not a 360. Turning your back on your old life. You accepted Jesus as your Savior, no ifs, ands or buts.

Christians will not be perfect on this earth, but will strive toward perfection living everyday as though it were our last-- with Heaven being the final destination. Sometimes serving God can become just an emotional thing, when this happens you may find yourself just seeking the poignant things of Christ. Waiting for the right prayer to be prayed, right song to be song and when you don't get it you could possibly miss out on the presence of His Holy Spirit. You lose sight of who you are serving and why.

God desires our fellowship with Him. We must spend time getting to know Him. However, what happens when there is more religion than relationship? Somehow you find yourself just going through the motions, just because. You attend church faithfully, "because God's Word said so," not because it is truly in your heart. Soon you fall into a comfort zone, thinking God is pleased with whatever little attempt that you make to worship Him.

Face it; it is easier to live a sinful life than as a Christian. You can do absolutely nothing and be a sinner. You can not read your bible, not go to church, and not pray. Soon you find yourself picking up your bible on Sunday morning, where you laid it at last Sunday evening. Your prayer life consists of just blessing your food and saying "Oh Jesus" when you stub your toe. After awhile the only scripture that you can remember is "Jesus wept" (John 11:5) and you do not even remember why he wept. So then on Sunday, so that you can fit in, you become the chameleon--adapting to any atmosphere, in your own church.

Satan takes his job serious, he is a master of all things that are evil. He knows just how to take a sin, dress it and make it look good. At some point, our spirit is still concerned with going to hell; because we mess up, and then we ask for His forgiveness, until it becomes a vicious cycle. The relationship with God is a deeper connection than any marriage, and when you start to turn away from God, you began an adulterous affair with the World.

We have learned in our earthly bodies that to believe it, we have to see it.

The key to staying in relationship with God is to practice His presence. The Word says to "rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). How do you do this? I'm glad you asked. Spend time talking to God and listening to what He has to say. Read His direct Word in the bible (all scripture is given by direct inspiration of God, 2 Timothy 3:16). We are not perfect, nor will we ever achieve that here on earth. But, we are to be Christians or Christ like, striving with our spirit, soul and mind to be the best that we can be in Jesus name.