Is simply believing enough or are we called to actively follow?
A recent Pew Research poll found that 78.4% of Americans claim to be Christians. While that number isn’t great, it’s okay, I suppose. The greater question may be, “What exactly does being a Christian entail?” It seems that the most common answer I hear is, “It means believing Jesus is the Son of God.”
While that may be at the heart of what we believe, a quick read through the Gospel of Mark, demands a little more of our definition.
In the very first chapter, Jesus is in the synagogue, (church), “Just then a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are- The Holy One of God!” Mark 1:23-25
A little further in Mark, the text says, “Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” Mark 3:11
It seems that the demons in the Gospel knew exactly who Jesus was and openly proclaimed it. So, as Christians does our faith require more than just believing? Is it enough to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for our sins? Is it enough to believe in the resurrection and ascension?
If we know that those statements are true, doesn’t Satan know it too?
I guess the deeper question I’m trying to get to is, “Is salvation enough for Christians?” It is true that we are saved by our faith not by our works. I’m certainly not suggesting otherwise. But, perhaps we should ask ourselves do we really know Jesus? I’m not talking about in the sense that we know our neighbors in passing and wave at them when we see them, but in the sense that we know our families and sit down regularly and break bread with them.
Is Jesus an acquaintance or a true friend? Do we meet with him in passing at Sunday service or do we intimately seek him everyday over our morning coffee? Have we attained all of our knowledge of him from sitting through sermons or have we really studied the Gospels to see and try to understand his actual words and actions?
I wonder if we can consider ourselves true followers if we refuse to get up off of our pews and actively follow? He called on his followers to be fishers of men. He called on his followers to pray and to forgive. He called on his followers to look to the eternal and not to the earthly.
If 78.4% of Americans were actually doing all that Jesus called us to do, what would our country look like? If 78.4% of Americans were actively reading the Bible daily, what would America look like?
These are some of the questions that the Gospel of Mark has brought to the forefront of my thoughts. We all fall short and that’s okay. We all need rest and that’s okay too. But, I have to wonder, if the 78.4% is doing the best we can to be true followers or more importantly, how can we improve?
The beautiful thing about grace, is that today is a brand new chance to try to get it right. Jesus is always ready. Are we?
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂