Not much like Christ

"Christian" is a term first used to describe a group of believers in Antioch. It was a term of derision: "You little Christs! Ha! Fools, all of you!" Something like that. But the religious slur has become a badge of honor for many who have followed Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord over the two millenia since he lived and died. And rose again.

To be a Christian is to be like Jesus. We should love like Jesus. We should act like Jesus. We should talk like Jesus. We should care about others' needs like Jesus. We should seek to include everyone like Jesus.

The Bible teaches that Jesus' death on the cross was a vicarious sacrifice: he died in our places, for our sins, taking upon himself our punishment. Some say that he died only for those who would actually believe in him and accept him. I think the Bible is pretty clear on this point: Jesus died for everyone; God extends the offer of salvation to everyone by his grace. None of us deserve it but he freely offers it.

So everyone is invited to come to Christ. It's true that most people alive today (or who have ever lived) have rejected the invitation. The result of such a decision is that the person rejecting Christ determines for himself his eternal destination: separation from God in a place called Hell. Jesus died for that person's sins just like he died for mine. Jesus wants that person to accept the grace gift of salvation. The offer stands for anyone who will accept it.

But not everyone will accept it. God's love, however, causes him to extend the offer anyway - even if the person will not accept it.

The Bible is also clear that there is only one way to spend eternity in the presence of God in a place called Heaven: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me."

While the offer is universal, salvation is not. The idea that everyone will somehow be saved in the end is simply not what the Bible says. The person who rejects Christ will not see Heaven. No matter how good they were or how many good things they did. It's not about that; it's about accepting or rejecting Christ as Savior and Lord. If someone is excluded from Heaven it is because of a choice they made, not a choice God made. God made the choice to offer salvation to everyone through the death of Jesus on the cross. He choose to offer it with the condition that salvation must be actively accepted.

Christians are to be like Jesus. One of the many things this means is that it was wrong for a church group to exclude some church members from a function that was intended for a specific group but where some from outside the group were still invited. One person outside the group was invited; another person with similar credentials was excluded because he was outside the target group.

I'm glad God chose to offer salvation to everyone, including me. I'm also glad that I have chosen to accept his grace gift. What a tragedy that some will reject the offer.

If we claim to love one another but act like we don't, we must not. Fellowship has become a buzzword that makes us feel good about our churches. New Testament fellowship not only said to love one another but acted like it, too. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."

Jesus said that. Jesus lived like that. We should, too. Or else we're not much like Christ.