What it means to be a Christian

You got a minute?

Here are some lines that might make you think.

You love your life, everything is going well.
Your vacation, going out with the boys.
Your new house, you built it yourself, you did a great job.
Your car, these rims. Wow!
Your new dress, the color goes well with your new shoes.
Your new bag. You've been saving for it for two years.
Your daily workout, this body.
Then these lashes, these freshly squirted lips.

Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?
I'm jealous of your life.

You must love your life!

But how long will you live?
Let's say 70...80...90 years maximum?

How long will that glow last?
How long will you stay this wonderful?
What if you lose all your money?

Hold on, it'll all blow over, but I promise you one thing.
You human will die!

The Lord Jesus says quite clearly that he who clings to his life will save it
maybe for a little while, only to lose it forever.
Whoever gives his life, on the other hand, loses it immediately, but wins it for eternity.

In Luke 9, verses 23 and 24 this is said in more detail:"Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross [a]daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." (Source:NKJV)

This makes it clear that it is all or nothing.
Faith is not a comfortable walk, but demands full commitment, where
but there's everything to be won.

It does not have to be a matter of life or death.
So it is not immediately a matter of martyrdom, but of giving up one's life and handing it over to Jesus.

Whoever wants to be a Christian in name only, but lives like a man of the world who is far from God, because he wants to keep his present life and leave everything as it was, because he is afraid of changes or discomfort, because he does not avoid his worldly circles, will lose everything in the end.

On the other hand, the one who wants to belong to the Lord Jesus with all his heart, and in return
giving up all his life so far, surrounding himself, giving himself completely and being ready to let go of things he has grown fond of, which prove to be obstacles to faith, will in the end #win everything.

So far it is still comprehensible. But what if it's really connected
"Preserves"?
How, when it becomes existentially threatening or even a matter of life and death?

Admittedly, such prospects are less pleasant and no one can put his hand on the fire here and claim that even then he remains resolutely and resolutely faithful on the side of Jesus.

As we know from the story of Peter's denial, even a Peter, in spite of previous full-bodied statements, pinched when
"and it was a lot less serious than life or death.

We may be comforted here that Peter was forgiven and he got a new chance from Jesus.
So even if we fail, forgiveness is possible.

We do not know how serious it can still become for us.
But we should not worry about it, but put the future in God's hands.

It is much more important that we take our cross on ourselves now and here, under the everyday temptations and hostilities, and remain faithful in discipleship.

We should consider that a lukewarm and lax Christianity that no longer shows the courage to confess its faith encourages the opponents of Christianity and thus brings about what one would actually like to avoid.

We want to ask God also here, that he will give us the right time, always then,
when necessary, to assist with his Spirit so that we can act and respond as the Lord wills and be a blessing to ourselves and others pray for:

Less and less of you, more and more of Christ our Lord in you

Amen