Are you a Christian who goes the extra mile?

Editor: As a Christian nation (made up of believers in Christ Jesus), it puzzles me that here in SVG, so many social evils go unspoken of by Christians.

What manner of Christianity are we really portraying; and what precedent are we setting for the upcoming generation?{{more}}

If we can recall in the Old Testament, more so from the time of Judges onwards, we will realize that when God-fearing kings reigned, there was peace, prosperity and victories; the opposite was also true for ungodly kings.

I, therefore, take this opportunity to call upon the churches, the Body of Christ, as one spiritual gathering, to stop the muffling behind their four walls and speak with a clear voice for the equity and equality that is lacking in SVG.

Similarly, I want to remind individual Christians that we have God as our defence, and he is well pleased and moved to do mighty works when we exercise faith and put our trust in him. We should never be afraid of standing alone when it comes to defending the one true and living God. (Consider most of the miracles in the New Testament that Jesus performed and see how many were accounted for by the person’s faith).

It’s time for us to stop doing just the minimum that would qualify us to be Christian or would get us into heaven. Following Jesus means that we go the extra mile. Jude 1:23 sends us into the fires for those we need to save by pulling them out of the flames, and when we reach out in mercy, not to let corruption even touch our skin. But we have become too comfortable; so that praying right next to us in our own congregation, people are suffering in silence and contemplating giving up on God. How does that define the church? If we can’t build and encourage our own, do you really think that the worldly men and women will come running to us??

We need to start running after them! (not to walk in their path, but to bring them out of darkness and show them the light of God). Didn’t Jesus our master come looking for us? Is this not what he called the four fishermen to do with their lives? Do not forget that Christianity is a lifestyle and not a Saturday/Sunday show.

Are we really seeking to be like Jesus, his followers, or do we just want to secure our place in heaven?

Because I can assure you that the answer one gives will show the kind of Christian one really turns out to be.

If it so happened that God were to cancel the flight to heaven, would we remain faithful to Jesus, or not? If we recognize that we won’t remain as believers because all we want is to get into heaven, it’s time for some serious spiritual adjustments. Our Lord wants ‘extra mile’ believers here on earth, not just heaven-focussed Christians who don’t take the issues on earth seriously.

Marcella Dublin