By Editor Bob Terry
A pastor friend glowed as he recounted the experience of leading his granddaughter to make a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The girl was completing confirmation classes to become a member of another church. For a combination of reasons, the family had decided to join another denomination. But the parents wanted the young girl’s grandfather to be her spiritual mentor.
As my friend told the story, he helped his granddaughter review the things she had learned in Sunday School and in her home. She was an intelligent child and could answer all the questions correctly. The two even reviewed the material in the confirmation manual. But in the course of their time together, my pastor friend realized that his granddaughter had never made a personal profession of faith.
Before they finished their sessions, he explained to his granddaughter the importance of a personal relationship to God through faith in Jesus Christ. He explained that being raised in a Christian home did not make one a Christian. Neither did joining a church or even answering all the questions correctly. One became a Christian only when one asked Jesus into one’s heart as Savior and Lord.
Becoming a Christian involved a relationship with Jesus Christ, he explained. Answering Bible questions correctly or even being a church member could not substitute for a personal relationship with Christ.
My friend’s granddaughter said she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart, and there in his study, the pastor led his beloved grandchild to the Lord. The sweetness of the memory was still reflected on his face, in his voice and through his words as he recalled that blessed moment.
How unfortunate that sometimes people try to substitute things about Christ for a personal relationship with Christ. In some foreign lands, one is considered to be a Christian because of the accident of birth. If one’s parents are Christian, then one is automatically a Christian. A personal relationship with Christ is considered unimportant.
In other places, one is considered a Christian because of identity. If one is identified with a church, then one is a Christian. Identity with the church is the primary concern, not identity with Christ.
Still others concentrate on knowledge. If one knows enough, if one can answer the pastor’s questions correctly, then one is a Christian. However, the Bible teaches it isn’t knowing the right answers that brings salvation. It is knowing the right person — Jesus Christ.
Baptists understand the centrality of Christ. We understand that even our children are lost and without Christ until they make that personal decision to ask Jesus into their heart. Commitment to that truth sometimes causes us to look askance at groups that seem to substitute any of the things about Christ for a relationship with Christ Himself.
But before we become puffed up in self-righteousness, perhaps we need to recognize the same trait in ourselves. Are we as Baptists frequently guilty of substituting a passion for the things of Christ for a passion for Christ Himself?
Do you know anyone whose passion is the music of the church? The goal is for the piano, organ, praise band or whatever to play exactly right. If the choir or worship team did a great rendering of its music, then it was a great Sunday. If the special music was impacting, then the Lord has been present. Do you know anyone who equates performance with the presence of Christ? There is a difference.
Do you know anyone whose passion is for ministry like feeding the hungry or healing the sick or teaching a Sunday School class? Each is wonderful. Each fulfills part of Christ’s mission. But the greatest commandment is to love God with heart and soul and mind and strength.
Not even the church, the bride of Christ, can substitute for Christ, the Bridegroom. Yet we sometimes become so committed to the work of the church, to ministry, to study or any number of other things that we tirelessly give of ourselves to see them succeed. In the process of pursing these noble passions for the things about Christ, we let our passion for Christ Himself wane.
We are so busy working for Christ that we have no time to cultivate a relationship with Christ. That is a road filled with danger.
The truth is there is no substitute for Christ Himself. Christ is the beginning of the Christian journey. Christ is the joy and strength of the Christian life. Christ is the culmination of eternity. Nowhere in the Christian experience is there a substitute for Christ Himself.
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