Is a nominal Christian life enough?

As I was reading the parable of the three servants in the book of Matthew, chapter 25, from the Bible, this question came to mind - Is a nominal christian life enough?

Parable of the Three Servants:

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’
23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Would living a clean life without committing major crippling sins out of the fear of God be enough for a Christian? Would not that be the same as the servant who was given the one bag of silver (one talent), who buried it out of fear that should he lose it, his master would punish him. For he saw his master as a harsh man who liked to get a return without sweating his own brow. Isn't God, though just, harsh out his justness, for he punishes man for his sin? When we see the outcome for this servant though he had preserved his masters bag of silver, he had not lost a single piece and returned it in kind to his master upon his return, I am afraid a nominal Christian life is not enough. The master had left the shares of silver with the three servants for a very long time. Two of them successfully doubled the shares given them. One kept it intact. The master's response to the one who kept the talent given him intact was that he had ample time to get even a small return, if only the servant had just deposited the silver in a bank.  The interest over the long period would have given his master some increase.

Getting through each day as a Christian is not enough. A Christian has to bring some increase for his master, even if it is a nominal increase for the kingdom of God. You may not be a great speaker, nor a great writer;  your people skills may be lacking; you may not be much of an influence in your community; you may lack self esteem and lacking in faith. Yet there is something you can do for the kingdom of God in a small way. Jesus Christ came in to this world to pay a very steep price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. He died for us, rose from death  and returned to heaven as our high priest, pleading mercy on our behalf. One day he will return to collect the dividends.  What have you done with the talent of silver given to you?

HRockChurch - Set my heart on fire

Divorce and Remarriage - A position paper by the General Presbetery of the Assemblies of God

While this blog is intended to be a testimony to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, at times I will be posting information that is relevant to a Christian in general. The below two paragraphs are a quote from the full text of a Position Paper published by the General Presbetery of the Assemblies of God Church. My personal belief is that a Christian should never entertain the thought of divorce, should never consider divorcing their spouse, for God hates divorce. Both spouses should work towards resolving their differences and continue in the marriage for the sake of their family.  But, what is a person to do if the other person walks out of the marriage? Below is a quote from the text to which a link is provided further down where you can access the complete position paper that outlines the Church's position on Divorce and Remarriage...

Jesus made explicit what was previously implicit, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate” (Matthew 19:6; cf. v.8). Divorce was not a part of God’s original intention for humanity. His purposes in marriage are hindered when the marital covenant is deliberately broken. The divine purpose can only be realized as the husband and wife subject themselves to Christ and each other, as described in Ephesians 5:21-31.

God’s hatred for divorce, however, is not to be interpreted as condemnation of those who themselves are not at fault, but have been divorced and victimized by the ungodly actions of their spouses. The divorce laws and teachings of the Old Testament were designed to add a measure of protection for the innocent, not to heap guilt upon the victims of circumstances over which they had little or no control.

http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/position_papers/pp_downloads/pp_4189_divorce_remarriage.pdf

A teaching video by the Casting Crowns for their video 

The Casting Crowns - it's a slow fade

Hope for the hopeless

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the holy days.  Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.  Crowds of sick people - blind, lame, or paralyzed - lay on the porches.  One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill, he asked him, "Would you like to get well?"

"I can't sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred up.  While I am trying to get there, someone else always gets in ahead of me."  Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk."

Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking! - John 5:1-9

There are times when it seems time stands still. The future seems oh so bleak. Nowhere to go, and life's headed in a downward spiral. No one to pull you out. No one to turn to. No one who cares. As you stand and look around, it seems there is always some one getting blessed, it's just not you. The man by the Bethesda pool seemed to be just such a person who saw his life slipping away without any chance of pulling himself into the pool when the angel stirred the water so that he may get his healing. "I can't sir, for I have no one to help me in to the water. While I am trying to get there, someone ALWAYS gets in ahead of me," he answered to Christ's inquiry if the man wanted a healing.  Thirty eight years is a long time to be sick, and lying by the side of the pool, he watched others get healed.

I wondered about the physical condition, appearance, odor around this person who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda for a long time. No one to care for him. No one who cared about him. Why did Christ pick him to speak to out of the crowds of sick -  blind, lame or paralyzed - who lay there on the porch of the Bethesda pool? No matter what the reason, the fact is, Christ showed pity on him!

After healing the man Jesus told him, "Now you are well; stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." - John 5:14.  In the Old Testament we read God spoke to Moses as he passed in front of him, "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God.  I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness.  I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion.  Even so I do no leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations." - Exodus 34:6-7

God calls out to his creation, "Turn to me now, while there is time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping and mourning.   Don't tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful.  He is not easily angered.  He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you." - Joel 2:12-13

He gives hope to the hopeless!!

Evangelist Lee Stoneking at the United Nations