How would you define a Christian? In the dictionary, on my computer, I found two definitions… one was an adjective (a describing word) – of, relating to, or professing Christianity or its teachings. The other one was a noun (a person, place, or thing) – a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings.
I am starting to think that being a Christian is something a lot bigger… a lot more… than just a word to describe something. I am starting to believe that the word Christian is a lot more important than just a word we call ourselves, or a place we go, or this thing we believe in. What if we looked up the word Christian in the dictionary and it was listed as a verb (an action word)?
The moment we were saved we were signed up for a job that we may not have realized we committed to… but we did! The moment we accepted Christ into our hearts we became the Lord’s representatives, Christ’s ambassadors, and a soldier to the King (Col. 3:17, 2 Corinth. 5:20, Eph. 6:12-18). We are told to seek and save the lost… to go out and feed His sheep (Luke 19:10, John 21:15-17). We were commissioned to go and tell everyone the Good News (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:47)! We are promised that He will work through us… as long as we use the individual gifts He gave each of us – each individual work being vital to the church (John 3:27, 1 Corinth. 12:4-7, Rom. 12:6-11, 2 Tim. 1:6-8, Eph. 4:11-13). We are instructed to minister to the poor, to comfort the brokenhearted, to release the captives, to free the prisoners, to heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, to care for orphans and widows, and to give food and clothes to those in need (Isaiah 61:1-3, Mark 16:18, James 5:15, Heb. 13:3, Matt. 10:8, Matt. 11:4-6, James 1:27, James. 2:14-18). And, most importantly, we are commanded to, first, Love God above everything – with everything – and, second, to love others and ourselves (1 Corinth. 13:4-7, Matt. 22:37-40).
In 2 Corinth 5:17 it tells us that when we become Christians we become new persons. It says that we are not the same anymore, for the old life has gone and a new life has begun! That is some amazing and exciting stuff… but we have to live that out! We have to live out that different life that we have been given. Recently, I have been so brokenhearted, over the thought that, in some cases, the only thing that changes for people when they receive this new life is that they now go to church on Sunday mornings, carry around a bible, and put their tithe in the offering plate. My heart aches over all the crazy awesome stuff so many people are missing out on with God… all the cool stuff He wants to do through them and to them and for them and because of them!
Jesus dying on the cross was for so much more than just a selfish salvation. It is not for us to just accept Christ and then sit down in a church pew and wait to die and go to heaven. Ephesians 1:20 says that Jesus was raised up to heaven and then was seated in the heavenly realms, at God’s right hand. Christ died and then went to heaven and then sat down. He gave us the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), and He gave us spiritual gifts (1 Corinth 12:5-7, Rom. 12:6-18,Eph. 4:11-13), and He gave us all the authority and power He had (Eph. 1:19-23), and He gave us anything and everything we would possible need to be fully equipped (2 Tim. 3:14-17, Heb. 13:20-21) … and He sat down. It goes on to say in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Christ didn’t die for us so we could sit down and wait to die! Christ died, then sat down, so we could stand up and go do the awesome things he had planned for us before we were even born (Psalm 139:16).
Service is a verb. Surrender is a verb. Sacrifice is a verb. Receiving is a verb. Prayer is a verb. Worship is a verb. Reading the Word is a verb. Obedience is a verb. Willingness is a verb. Hope is a verb. Faith is a verb. Healing, freedom, deliverance, salvation – all verbs. Dying is a verb. Love is a verb. Life is a verb.
God really does want to accomplish more than we could ever dare to ask or hope (Eph. 3:20) – He really, really does! It is all just so exciting I can hardly stand it! God wants to use us… to advance His Kingdom… to change His world… And as long as we are willing – He will! He promised and He is faithful! Here I am, Lord. Send me… use me!
I am not an adjective! I do not want to just use the word Christian to describe myself. I am not a noun! I do not want to limit my Christianity to what I am, or where I go on Sunday mornings, or what it is I believe. I want to be a Christian that takes action, that goes, that does… I WANT TO BE A VERB!
