Have you ever been out to eat with someone who is very picky about their food? They say to the waiter something like, “I want the meatloaf, but I don’t want any meat in it. And I want the salad, but no lettuce please…” It almost makes you want to go sit at another table. I mean, if you don’t want any meat – don’t order the meatloaf!
Sadly many people seem to think they can be that picky about the Christian life. They argue, “Well, God doesn’t expect us to obey EVERYTHING!?” And they say, “I don’t agree with this verse, or this passage!” Or they protest, “This is too hard or strict!”
They seem to only want the “good stuff” out of Christianity. Oh, yes – they want to go to heaven! They want God to bless them! They want to see the miracles and hear the good promises! BUT, they don’t want to deny themselves. They don’t want to take up their cross daily. And, they don’t want to follow the NARROW path!
Well, we may be able to pick and choose what we want on our food order at a restaurant. However, there is NO picking and choosing when it comes to faith in Jesus Christ. It is either ALL or NOTHING! God said plainly, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Note He requires ALL of our heart! Not just some of it or most of it. Jesus talked about the kind of people who only are “Christian” in their own mind, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” (Matthew 15:8)
Faith in God is NOTHING to be messed around with. Paul said, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5) The result is either a DEFINITE YES or a DEFINITE NO answer – there is no in between!