Into the Fire

Change is a word that strikes fear into the hearts of many. “You know it don’t come easy.” For others, change is welcomed like an adventure or a challenge fueling their gusto for whatever life has to offer.

Change is guaranteed when you become a Christian. Out with the old and in with the new. Fortunately, it’s done supernaturally because we are incapable of that kind of miraculous overhaul. The interesting thing about this change is that we welcome it. That’s the miraculous part. Not that it’s easy, but suddenly we understand the need for it because we finally see our sin for what it is: that destructive flow of evil, selfish, and demanding behavior which desires to serve only ourselves in the multitude of ways that people elect to do that. When we truly accept Jesus Christ, we want to give up ourselves and let Him sort out the fractured pieces of our lives. For the first time, we want to really change. Now, granted, with some we relinquish small increments at a time. The fact that we want to change doesn’t assure it’ll happen seamlessly and euphorically.

I must say here when I met the Lord, one of the ultra-important benefits and beauties of God’s character was the fact that He did NOT change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) People change, waver, fluctuate their opinions, betray friends, and cannot be perfectly dependable no matter how much you hope they will be—they’re simply not foolproof. People will at some point let us down. Not necessarily intentionally or even in ways they could prevent. Something they do or say at some point will disappoint us, do us harm, or leave us empty. It could even be our own fault. We’re people after all. I couldn’t handle a God who changed. Or a God who was like people: fallible.

The Gospel never changes. It is the same message given at the Cross and sealed at the Resurrection. It was all that was required to provide a genuine way to change for the human race. One perfect sacrifice made to insure a way to a perfect eternity. A bona fide choice for the ill-fated, self-induced heritage of humanity. So, I ask you: why do some want to modify the message? Does changing it up with new terminology really strengthen it? The answer is no. You can take every new descriptive hip reference to this age of grace to try and catapult attention to a societal awareness of “religious” relevance, and you’ll come up with the same mocking jeers from the unbelievers as they flung at the crucified Christ. You think fancy new terms are going to impress them? How about Starbucks in the sanctuary? What about not mentioning the Blood of the Lamb or being born again? How about we just eliminate the Word? Forget about exposing the “dying to self” and “the sharing in His sufferings” or that there will be some sacrifice involved. How about we usher in the apostate church complete with the do-what-feels best-to-you religion?

Creative ways to deliver the real message are welcomed, but changing the real message is a tool of the enemy. Make it more attractive? It isn’t attractive. The price paid to establish this message was huge, and the sacrifice to accept it and believe it is just as huge to the selfish human race. To follow Jesus is an enormous task—an absolutely humbling and ultimately wonderful one to be sure, but difficult and requiring the adoption of servanthood in our hearts. It’s no longer all about us. It’s all about how He wants to work through us. There’s nothing easy about it.

“The times, they are a changin’.” Well, no, not really. Sin is still sin. Still ever present in our midst and even in our hearts. “There’s nothing new under the sun.” Solomon recognized that way back when. Sin kills. Christ redeems.

All this to say: we who are in Christ are changing. He will not give up on us, on our need to become more like Him for our benefit and for the benefit of those who need to see Him working in people like you and me. It’s ongoing and unending on planet earth. Not easy and, yeah, sometimes not particularly desirable in the flesh, but necessary at all times.

However, any change which strips away the focus from the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for people like us is unworthy, unholy, and ungodly. Change for the sake of appealing to those who only God can draw to Himself is suspicious. It isn’t fancy new titles, words, and methodology which will bring people to Jesus. It’s the tried and true, unchanging message of the Gospel: still the only way, truth, and life for a lost soul.

Father, let us be led by your Holy Spirit of Truth when we engage the lost. Let the love of Jesus shine through the words and deeds, and let the Truth remain uncompromised. You are unchanging, and I thank you that I can always count on you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.