“But we are not of those who shrink back and perish, but of those who have faith and keep our souls” (Hebrews 10:39).
If we decide to follow Christ, as long as we follow Him, we will move forward. But after deciding to follow Him, we should never change our mind and go back to the way we lived. As the author of Hebrews said, we must not be among those who “turn back and perish.”
Whether we ever turn back or not, one thing is certain: we will return Examination making it happen. It is nothing but foolishness to think that Christians will never despair or have second thoughts. Our enemy, Satan, will do everything possible to get back at us. And make no mistake, if we return to His bondage, we will once again be in a lost state, as Peter wrote, “For if they have escaped the impurities of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and are then entangled in them and are defeated, their former state is worse than the first” (2 Peter 2:20).
Surrounded by difficulties and distractions every day, there is little chance that we will persist if we have not commitment To hold back. Becoming a Christian is more than a mood or a fad – it comes from (1) a serious evaluation of the evidence, and (2) a commitment to take a stance that is lifelong and binding. Looking at it more personally, obeying the gospel involves A commitment of love to Christ Himself. Since we love him, we will never betray him. He can count on the faithfulness and obedience of our love.
Such a huge commitment is more than a one-time task. As our lives unfold, we will feel the need from time to time to take a fresh hold of our commitment, to meditate and remind ourselves of the evidence on which our decision depends and to swear anew that we will never be traitors to our Lord. Each Lord’s Day, when the Church gathers and we remember His death in the Lord’s Supper, we will make new promises of fidelity to Him.
So the Christian life is a long sequence of stronger and stronger commitments. But it all starts very simply. Whether we say it out loud or not, our hearts are entering into this promise at baptism: From today on, I will follow Jesus faithfully, so God help me.
I have decided to Follow Jesus.
No turning back, no turning back.
(old gospel song)
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
