Our society is becoming increasingly passive. We are more spectators than participants.
We’ve all heard the definition of football: 70,000 people desperately in need of exercise watching 22 desperately in need of rest.
This can also be true in the church. Someone has stated that in the average church 20% of the members do 80% of the work. Stats can be easily made up and this is different from my experience, I have no doubt these numbers are reasonably accurate.
Most dangerous is the passive attitude many take toward their Christian life, their relationship with Christ. Content with being “saved,” they remain passive and inactive in their Christianity. Perhaps it comes from the desire to get as much return as possible from as little investment as possible . . . a common impulse in our world today.
Being a disciple of Christ is not passive, it is ACTIVE! Christ called us to be personally, actively, and continually engaged in following Him. He said if you want to be a disciple (Christ-follower) you have to take up your cross daily and follow Him. This is personal (your cross), continual (daily), and active (take up – follow) involvement in being a disciple.
I can speak only from my personal experience, but I have observed those who emphasize the conversion experience to the minimization of the sanctifying process. Some think they have their “ticket for the good ol’ Gospel train,” and that’s all they need.
Yet the personal nature of the conversion experience is directly linked to the personal responsibility of daily involvement. Conversion is not the end of one’s search to know God – it is only the beginning.
Isn’t it time to leave behind this notion that we can be disciples of Christ and not participate daily in our Christian life?
Nephos 