Day 113

Reasons for Christian carnality

1 Corinthians 3

Key Verses: 4, 6, 10, 16, 18, 21

So, what does immaturity in Christ look like? How can you know if you are not growing in your faith? Paul gives us a simple example: denominations! At least that is how we name these kids of groups today. Charles Stanley, Beth Moore, TD Jakes, Billy Graham, Greg Lorie, Chuck Swindol, Kay Arthur, Ravi Zacharius, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, Evangelical, non-denominational. And the list goes on! Mature believers don’t identify themselves as ______; they identify themselves as followers of Jesus. We are God’s. Period.

You see, everything that happens of eternal importance happens by grace. The things we do that are done by grace will last through the judgment. Those things that are done in our strength and for selfish motives will disappear. Grace gets a reward. Self gets burned up. Build with Jesus Christ: reward. Build with anything else: loss.

We are the place God chooses to live here in this world, not a building or an organization. He lives in us. He demonstrates His existence by working through us. So when we build our spiritual life, it should be made of the same kind of permanent elements as the foundation. Some things survive fire; some things don’t. When we allow God’s grace to work in and through us, then what we do survives. If we get stuck on thinking we know more than God how to accomplish His purposes, we will lose out in the end. Our wisdom and understanding or His; we can’t have both. We can’t hedge our bets with God. Either He is right and we are wrong, or He is right and we are wrong. You get the picture! He is always right!

So, let’s stop fooling ourselves in thinking that we have things figured out. When someone is used by God in spreading His message or encouraging others in their faith, they are just allowing God’s grace to move through them. They don’t get credit for God’s grace. They are just a pipe through whom God moves. Become a clean, clear pipe. Allow God to move His grace in and through you. Give Him all the credit. Let people see Him. Move into the background. Get out of His way. Boast about Him and His work.