June 23, 2008
Desert
Roses
The
sand rose or desert rose is a wondrous thing to behold. It has a delicate beauty
that is hard to imagine. There is no fragrance to the desert rose because while
it may look like a flower it is actually a mineral concretion.
There
are many such "flowers" and "plants". Gypsum crystals form a
variety of flowers, which at one time were believed to be actual petrified
flowers. Aragonite can form beautiful shapes under the right conditions that
remind me of white Christmas trees.
These
various mineral formations look like flowers and trees, but they are not.
There
is a similar thing in the church. The church is full of people who attend
regularly and would call themselves Christians. In fact from a quick outward
glance, anyone looking might think that's exactly what they are, but there
hearts are still stone. They are still dead in their sin.
Belonging
to a church, doing churchy things or having a Christian heritage can all be good
things but they are not the hallmark of being a Christian. A Christian is a
person whose heart of stone has been transformed by Christ. A Christian is a
person who was dead in the spirit because of sin, but was born again through
Jesus Christ.
There
is much baggage that accompanies the words born again, but the truth is simple.
We cannot be a Christian without having a born again experience. Jesus tells us
that we must be born again in John's gospel.
If
there are real and false Christians in the church, how can we tell them apart?
We
watch for their spiritual fruit, all believers will exhibit growth in this area
over time. You can’t live the way you did and say the things you said and be
born again. There is a transformation that comes from truly giving your mind,
life and heart to Jesus. If you were living in sin and still are, then it is
time to really examine your walk and ask is this what Jesus would have me do
after claiming him as Lord?
Matthew
22:34-39 NET
Now when the Pharisees heard that he had
silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together. And one of them, an expert in
religious law, asked him a question to test him: “Teacher, which commandment
in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “'Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the
first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as
yourself.' All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
John
13:34-45 NET
“I give you a new commandment - to love
one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples - if you have love for one
another.”
Stone
"flowers" have no fragrance and stone "Christians" have no
show of change other than words. The evidence of a Christian should be a life
that exemplifies Christ to others.
Until
next time may your love shine brightly so all the world knows that you belong to
Him. Does your walk match your talk?
You
say, you know Jesus but the question is does he know you?
Darrel
Mason