Here is a question that I have been wrestling some over.
Do all people become followers of Christ out of need?
I find this question interesting because I know people who are “good” people. In other words they do a lot of things right. They make right decisions with their life. They are people of integrity. They love and care for others. They don’t talk bad about others. They make it a point to live healthy productive lives. With logic and strong reason, a person could live a pretty good life. A person might even look at the fruit of their lives and draw a comparison with someone who is a Christ follower.
When confronted with the gospel – what is the buy in if you will for the “good” person? Let’s just say, they don’t see a need. Most probably don’t. After all, they are doing just fine on their own.
Knowing that the Holy Spirit is the One who reveals Jesus, is it possible to follow Jesus out of logic and reason and not just out of need? Or will a “good” person only become a follower of Christ when he sees his need?
Thoughts?
I love this question! There is such a broad gospel salvation projected throughout the Bible, and yet there are constant reminders of the limited entry. On limitations, scriptures mention “narrow is the way”, or “I am the door” in reference to Christ directly. So one has the right to see salvation as only through Jesus. Yet, The Old Testament reminds us of Gentiles who followed Christ apart from Early Hebrew Religion, such as the Midianites, (Jethro in essence helped direct Moses to God prior to the burning bush. Or, the men who Paul encountered that he called “disciples” (Acts 19), whom had all the right responses about their faith except the baptism of the spirit.
I tend to take a broad view of salvation. Some of the most “Christian” people I have encountered have no pronounced faith, where as my encounters with those people claiming to have “faith in Christ” are sometimes disheartening by their attitudes and activities. To be honest, I sometimes find greater hope in humanitiy outside the church.
I could go on and on about scripture as it pertains to this topic, (It could be a series in churches), but I guess my consolation is Christ is the final judge. We as humans have constructed salvation models. We find comfort in the fact then when person x follows our model we can say, or reconcile in our minds, that they are “saved”. Yet, we are not the judge of that. I look at the “sheep and the goats” discourse in Matthew (25) where Christ examines peoples faith by what they “did and didn’t do”. Yet, James (2) examines those very deeds. I don’t believe Christ wanted us to be insecure about our salvation, But he never wanted us to be too comfortable either. Read the gospels. Christ is always challenging his followers.
Penetecostals subscribe to the theological position of “sola Gratia”, by Grace alone. That is magnitudal for entry into a relationship with Christ. It is also the means for sustaining the relationship with Christ. Yet, I feel the outward manifestations, I.E. deeds, acts, ect., are a bi-product of a healthy relationship with Christ.
Each person as an individual created by Christ will come to Christ by distinct mechanisms appropriate for each person. Whether by some cognitive logical approach, or a desperation and depravity, each person who enters into a relationship with Christ will do so on their own terms, or so they think (Christ initiates and maintains the relationship by his spirit).
My response to the question “is “need” the pre-requisite for a relationship with Christ” is no in my opinion. How salvation is perpetuated by Christ is unique to individuals. Scripture indicates that Paul (see Acts 28) often reasoned, or rationalized Christ (some responded, some did not). Acts (8:26-40) illustrates an Ethopian man who could be called “curious” about Jesus although he did not know him. The Ethopian man was religous(not a Christian though). Through his “curiosity” in a text (Isaiah) Phillip led him into a relationship with Christ. Anyway, “good” is relative.
Christ dispelled the notion of “good” in Matthew 19:16-30. This text sumarizes my broad view of salvation by stating “with God all things are possible”. This is a fun question. I hope my comments will stimulate some conversation.