It is against my nature to desire accountability.
I don’t want someone looking over my shoulder and saying, “You shouldn’t be doing that.”
“I know it’s wrong, and I’ll justify my beliefs, regardless of what the Bible has to say.”
“It’s how I am, and a lot of other people think the same way.”
“You’re not my mother!”
“I thought you were a Christian!”
Are these the words of a self-pleaser or one who desires to please the Lord — even at the cost of looking foolish to other people?
Are my views too strict? Am I a prude, just because — though I often fail — I desire to live my life by the standard of the Bible?
My question, and daily struggle is this:
If my desire and will are in conflict with what is plainly stated in God’s Word, which ought to change, His Word, or my way of thinking?
I have a very dear friend in Christ who has, in my opinion, no problem bending and justifying his notion of what is acceptable behavior.
I myself have had issues I’ve had to resolve, and when there has been a conflict, I take it to the Lord in prayer, or ask a number of friends, relatives, co-workers and prayer-buddies, their opinions.
You know which opinions I value the most?
The ones that begin with the phrase, “Well the Bible says…”
Or the ones who ask, “What does the Bible have to say about this?”
I am writing this became of an issue I had this week when I challenged a dear friend in Christ about something he did that I thought was inappropriate. I asked how we ought to behave, if we believe the cliché that, “I am the only Bible most people will ever read.” I sent him an email about my disappointment that he would do such a thing, quoting 1Thess. 5:22, “Abstain (or avoid) the appearance of evil.”
And got slammed for it. Got it thrown back in my face.
What’s does it mean, anyway, “I’m the only Bible some people will ever read?” Don’t I have the freedom in Christ, without having to worry about what other people think?
Do my neighbors really watch me as closely as I think they do, or am I being paranoid?
Am I being legalistic? Am I judging his behavior, when I know I’ve stumbled in this area myself?
What does it mean to be “an Ambassador of Christ,” anyway?
It means His way is the right way, and I represent Him in this world, especially to those who have marginal or half-beliefs or understandings about what the Bible has to say about how to live their lives, or don’t care to have a Lord over their lives.
People don’t want someone telling them they need to consider changing their behavior to how Christ would have them live, how He commands us to live. Are my (non-believing) neighbors, relatives, co-workers and acquaintances watching me, waiting for me to stumble so they can say, “hey, I thought you were a Christian! You mean it’s o.k. to be a Christian, but not change the things you do? You mean I can call myself a Christian and drink as much alcohol, sleep with as many people as I want to, cheat on my taxes and steal from my employer, and God will still accept me?”
Obviously I’m being facetious. Obviously I’m being sarcastic. Obviously, I believe Christ died for my sins, and I desire to change from the ways I used to believe and do, before I claimed Christ as my Savior and Lord. Everyone wants Christ to be their Savior, but few want Him to have Lordship over their lives.
Is it my place to hold my brother accountable to things he’s read (and quoted to me) from the Bible? What does the Bible say?
The Bible says, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.“ — Matt. 18:15-17 (NASB)
How does my brother’s sin against God become sin against me?
In this case, we are known to a large group of people — believers and non-believers alike — as being good friends and Christians. His sin, though not evident to most, and certainly not in his own eyes, isn’t based on an egregious commission of a crime, but rather a behavior he takes for granted that “has the appearance of evil;” his sin is that he’s acting like the rest of the world around him without the least care of what Christ, or even his pastor, or good friend would consider appropriate.
I guess the question I have to ask myself is, “How far am I willing to go, to stand on my convictions?” Am I willing to risk this friendship to challenge his belief?
Essentially a moot point, as we had the discussion this morning; though we did not come to an agreement or resolve (other than agreeing to disagree), the behavior won’t be changing, and in fact, he’s engaging in it as I write this.
So how does God speak to us today?
Only through His Word, the Holy Bible, for however amount of time we spend reading, meditating on and studying it?
Only on Sunday, for the hour we spend at church?
Is it possible, that He is constantly speaking to us through all of these ways, as well as through brothers and sisters in Christ who are not afraid of “speaking the truth in love,” challenging us, and even rebuking us on our actions?
If I am wrong, I trust that the Lord, or one of these will speak to me, and not be in conflict with His Word.
If I am wrong, but humble, I will accept God’s Word — at His Word, and change my ways to conform to His Word.
That is what it means tome to be an Ambassador and servant of the Lord.
My prayer is that My Lord continues to accept my questioning, motives and desires; and that He continues to allow for my weakness so I’ll turn to and rely on His strength. My prayer is that, if anything I’m doing appears to be evil (not in accordance with His will), that my brothers and sisters, fellow servants of Christ, fear the Lord more, and have less of a concern for hurting my feelings, or losing my friendship, and more concerned with telling me “What Jesus would do:” “speaking the truth in love,” out of obedience and fear of the Lord.

The first image will be printed on the reverse of the tee shirt,