Desire for Understanding
In much of America, Christianity has been reduced to mere fire insurance. Make a decision for Christ, they say and you will be forever safe from eternal punishment. It makes perfect sense why people often respond with either indifference (believing that sin is a myth) or fading enthusiasm that peaks at the point of the initial response. This “fire insurance” Christianity expects little from the respondents but a positive decision at a moment in time. As a pastor, I have seen many of these decisions melt away into an untransformed life, leaving the person who responded even more confused than before. Jesus himself speaks of this problem in Matthew 13 in the Parable of the Sower. There are many reasons why people give up on a transactional Christianity.
In contrast, the theme of The Bible is that the followers of God would have lives oriented around knowing Him and His people. Rather than being perpetually ignorant about God, the people of God are eager to understand more about Him. Consider Proverbs 25:2, “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” God asks His followers to dig, searching for understanding about Him and His ways. Of course, God’s Word is the most clear revelation we have today of God Himself, but it can be challenging to read for many of us. Joining a Bible study or reading more about His Word to gain understanding is noble…. and worthy of those called His disciples.
You may be thinking, well, that glory mentioned is for kings. I’m no king, I’m just a regular person. Consider 1 Peter 2:9, where he calls the people of God a “royal priesthood” combining the spiritual authority of the clergy with the nobility of kings and queens! If you are a Christian, you are part of that royal priesthood. That glory of kings is yours!
If you’ve been lackadaisical in your interest in God, recommit yourself to understanding God. There have never been more resources available worldwide. Participate in a community that encourages your desire to know God. Watch your relationship with God deepen and share this message with others. May God bless you in your journey.