Missional: Beginnings

As I was talking to an old friend about Jesus last night, I realized this: That any Christian should use any resource/tool/ability that is available in order to get Jesus across to people. 

That is why I started this blog.

Missional Beginnings:

This friend of mine once considered himself to be a strong Christian, a leader, and a potential preacher/pastor. He has since fallen into dark places where sin has chained him back up, and demonic forces have demonstrated influence on his life. He has hit a rough place in his life now to where he is still looking for answers, and he is curious as to why Jesus isn't as important to him as his sin is. He is very open and honest. He desires to go back in time before he slipped...

We began discussing spiritual things for half an hour to 45 minutes, and the problem became very evident through conversation that he was trying to focus his efforts on making himself right with God. Notice I said problem. 

He has an understanding of Religion, but he has lost any concept of Regeneration. (The first qualification for a Missional life is a heart justified/born-again by Jesus = "Regeneration") 

____________________________________________________________________

Religion is: Making yourself right, making yourself love and obey Jesus even though you don't want to. It is forcing something that is opposed to your own will. This works about as well as a diet consisting of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and chocolate milk, and having a workout regime that entails walking to and from your mailbox expecting to have dropped major poundage because "you walk" everyday. And we ask ourselves why this isn't working...

Regeneration is: Jesus changing your heart and your will, making you righteous, and giving you the desire to love and obey him. It is all about Jesus.

____________________________________________________________________

Therefore, my friend (who I dearly love) is either NOT saved because his religious efforts to make himself clean were the driving force of his "Christianity" to begin with OR  he is a brother in the faith, but has forgotten what Jesus has already done for him.

If he is saved, Jesus has already declared him righteous and his own efforts are just part of a redundant cycle of pride that tells us we can do it when we can't. Only Jesus can. We don't live for Jesus by taking up our cross (which coincidently we hear most Sundays from the pulpit) but we must take up our cross by allowing Jesus to live through us (that is how we die to ourselves).

So how are we saved and how are we to be holy and set apart on a daily basis?

Conviction: The Holy Spirit will convict the lost of their lostness, and He will convict of sin in the life of the believer. (John 16:8-11 / 1 Thess 1:5 / Jude 1:15)

Confession: Admit and proclaim our sinful state - this portrays a renewed mind. (Romans 10:9 / James 5:16 / 1 John 1:9)

Repentance: Turn from sin because your renewed mind hates sin. This is not being sorry. It is being broken, disgusted and transformed to hate sin like God does. (Colossians 3:5)

Reconciliation: Jesus takes the sin away that separates us. He makes us right. He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness. (Colossians 1:22)

____________________________________________________________________

To my good friend who inspired me to begin a resource for people that need help seeing the big picture: Repent. 

To everyone else: pray for me and respond in worship by using whatever means possible to communicate Jesus yourself.