Nr. 466: When a top athlete becomes a believer, he fits in among the mediocre christians? Or should he change or will the Christians change and learn?

Nr. 466:

When a top athlete becomes a believer, he fits in among the mediocre christians? Or should he change or will the Christians change and learn?

A top athlete is accustomed to discipline and constantly improve themselves, here an illustration image by a plunging who need to train and keep repeating the same details and things over and over again. Anything to get a better plunges



From my commentaries Galatians 1 13 Ye have heard how I came up the time I lived like a Jew, how violently I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. Jesus himself says in Matthew 5.11: "Yes, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and lying all manner of evil upon you, for my sake." Jesus was mocked and persecuted, therefore, also his faithful expect to be there, but just when they are blessed. It is said that Peter and John that they were scourged, and it was commanded them that they should not speak in the name of Jesus. So word of God says, "They went away from the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name's sake" Acts 5.41. The apostles saw it as a mercy from God that they had to suffer for Christ. The apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 3.12: "And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." In other words, those who love Jesus Christ and want to live in communion with him in accordance with God's commandments and exhortations, he or she will be persecuted. In Norway, we're not any direct physical stalking, but we have verbal persecution that occurs in different ways. It will stick to God's commandments and live by them, are often discriminated against, ridiculed and scorned. But the Apostle James writes that we should just observe for joy when we come in many trials (James 1.2). The apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 1.6: "Therefore rejoice ye joy, though now for a little while, when need be, the grief in various trials." God's Word encourages us thus to rejoice and be happy even if we have trials and sufferings. So how did the Lord's apostles? Most martyred. The apostle John, who was exiled to the island of Patmos "for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus sake" (Rev. 1.9) and later died in Ephesus.

14 I went further in my Judaism than most peers in my community and was even more fierce for the traditions of the fathers. Paul was what we would call extreme and wholeheartedly. He was the most wholehearted and the furthest to persecute the Christians. He not only pursued them in their own country, but also outside Israel.

15 But God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, decided that he would Predestination for his vocation and ministry, there are other men and women in the Bible who have experienced such. Jeremiah. Which I think is today. But most people get way laid in front of them and they are attracted in choice, would you go or let each? The choice then is the individual!

16 reveal his Son to me, that I might preach him to the Gentiles. When I consulted not with people. There are choices that are required to be in private with God. After all, the individual who will carry the call, the message and be the instrument. Human recognition and is and always will be # 2 and an eventual vindication. God is our best partner and advisor! (End of quote).

Paul was extreme before he was saved - and continued to be extreme even after he was saved!

We read of a Paul who was not mediocre or lukewarm, but wholeheartedly and burning. It is important to understand that Paul was chosen because he was extreme and heltent. Not mediocre and Ordina. It is one that is extremely and which are seen to be overwrought and extra ordained that has taken humanity and God's church to the next level.

Some quotes about mediocrity:

A sure sign of mediocrity is to believe that one is special. Erica Jong

Mediocre souls condemn usually anything that exceeds their comprehension. Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There is no evil that destroys the world but mediocrity. Nero's crime was not that he played while Rome burned, but he played poorly. Ned Rorem

For every success you achieve, you also get an enemy. Are you going to be liked, you need to be mediocre. Oscar Wilde

From Latin mediocris, even from medius (middle key). adjective

Lukewarmness and mediocrity are two sides of the same coin:

But because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Rev. 3.16

- I wish I was a more fervent Christian. Not so indifferent to many things. I feel just lukewarm? '. Just about to describe someone his own Christian life. They are not so hot and so eager that they should be. But they are not cold and dismissive either. They feel that they are somewhere in the middle: They feel that lukewarm Christians.

Yes, it is possible to think so. It is possible to measure the heart condition based on any thermometer scale. The result of this is the following:

Warm means to be whole-hearted and happy Christian. Cold is to be a non-Christian. So an unsaved person. While tepid lies somewhere in between: You are a lazy, half-hearted and indifferent Christian.

The lukewarm always seems that he reads too little of the Bible. And he is very active in prayer. He lacks courage to witness to Jesus. And feel completely helpless to fight sins. A lukewarm Christian is always dissatisfied with themselves. He wished that life was completely different. He longs for a deeper and richer life with God. This is the usual way of thinking. But - it is so we can understand sending the letter to Laodicea?

No, I think not.: The city of Laodicea was located in an area with numerous hot springs. And the water from these sources to city residents not to consume. It could be harmful - yes, simply fatal. Lukewarm water can contain almost anything, and often a haven for bacteria and impurities. The icy water is unproblematic. Boiling water in exactly the same way. You can drink both. The boiled water and cold water. But the tepid water is dangerous.

Cold or hot

And now listen to what Jesus says to the church in Laodicea: - It would be good if you were cold or hot. Why does Jesus say that? Here he poses the both the hot and the cold as something positive.

The answer is: Both hot and cold is an expression of a healthy and good condition. It is the lukewarm that is dangerous! If we read this entire letter to send to the church in Laodicea, we do not hear about someone who is unhappy with his own Christian life - either with Bible reading, prayer and witnessing. On the contrary. The people of this church seems to be very pleased with themselves. Do you remember what they said - about his own Christian life? - You say I am rich, I have abundance, and have need.

Lukewarmness means complacency

And this is lukewarmness - in the biblical sense: lukewarmness mean complacency. And this complacency often leads to self-deception. This is exactly what makes lukewarmness so dangerous: You lose your judgment. You lose managed to see the truth for yourself!

This was done in Laodicea. Parishioners seemed to be well satisfied with themselves and their own spiritual condition. But Jesus saw it another way: - You do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. And the worst thing was that there actually was no longer room for Jesus: - Behold, I stand at the door and knock, he said. Jesus stood outside! He was put off both hjerteliv and church life. And this lukewarmness safe characteristics.

Indifference and apathy are also included here, this was what Pastor David Wilkerson believed that the Scandinavian Christianity stuck in, a little indifference and apathy:

This is a famous quote: The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.

Apathy from Wikipedia: Apathy is a lack of emotion, motivation or enthusiasm. Apathy is in psychological terms a term applied to indifference (indifference) - where a person is passive or indifferent to aspects related to emotions, social or spiritual life.

I asked in the headline: When a top athlete becomes a believer, he fits in among the mediocre christians? Or should he change or will the Christians change and learn?

I now reach for what is positive and that we as believers can and should bring to us and learn from a highly trained athlete, the way I was before I became a Christian.

I was a top athlete before I was saved and trained 4-5 hours each day, Christians have something to learn? I will mention briefly five (5) things.

1) Discipline

To achieve and to exercise every day 4-5 hours so you need to have discipline. It does not have to be undisciplined. Thinking of today's believers who accept most of what remarriage, homosexuality and other things that the Word of God says it is sin. Eg. for believers to remarry or live with a person of the same sex. It comes from a lack of discipline that believers accept the opposite of what God's word speaks and teaches.

Matt. 28. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, Mig is given all power in heaven and on earth; 19 go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in my name, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end!

2) Setting goals and achieving them.

When I was a highly trained athlete and it was my life, when I had both Part goals and big goals. How should we as believers be, we should set goals in life and in the service of God. And that is to go in the right and proper direction. Share goals can be for example. never to be unfaithful in marriage or permitted remarriage in the church. Our major goal is of course to get full pay and be worthy of the world to come. Do you have these goals? If you should get such dear friends!

2 Tim. 2. 3 Lid evil for me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus! 4 No one who makes war, blends into the pursuits of life, that he may please his commander. 5 But if any man also goes in the betting game, he is however not ring if he goes in the right way. 6 The farmer that works, you should first enjoy the fruits. 7 Understand what I say! for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ in mind, that is risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer evil equal to that to be bound as a malefactor: but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I can withstand anything for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 15 careful to prepare thyself to God as one approved, a workman who does not have anything to be ashamed of, as you rightly teach the word of truth.

3) continually improve.

We all have something to improve on. When I practiced soccer so my goals were to moor, ship with both feet equally well, as far as possible. Then I had to harp on this, hour after hour to achieve this. As this is also to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We must stadigvek improve. It applies to all areas of our lives, and we must focus on our own lives first and foremost. And we live by what we preach and teach, there are those who Jesus called great in His kingdom.

Matt. 5. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

4) Training in all weather and a feel for it or not.

Something that is "death-important" for a runner who will be better, it is to train and do what he or she should be regardless of weather, season, and external circumstances. Remember well that I loved to work in all weather, I had become accustomed to it. So it is to live as a believer. Satan tempts us not always every day, but when he has the opportunity. It's not hard to be married on the good days, but on the evil and difficult days. When people stand up? When they have good or bad in your marriage? And as we know that God's word says it is a sin to remarry, then you should and should a believer have such discipline that remarriage is something that a Christian never do, accept or agree, as it is against the word of God and Jesus' commandments.

1 Cor. 7. 10 The married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, that a wife should not separate herself from her husband; 11 but she is separated from him when she vedbli being unmarried or reconciled with her husband - and that a man to separate himself from his wife.

5) Focus is the one thing, the sport and exercise.

When I practiced everything was directed at becoming a better football player, with this end it was not a sacrifice to train 4-5 hours a day and that whole life was geared up against it. How will it be for believers, there is no sacrifice too great to serve the Lord and be pleasing to him! Christ is our life, why we sacrifice everything for him. But it is not a sacrifice, we love him and why we do what we "must". Then the Christian life is not renunciation and sacrifice, but pleasure and are proud, happy and relieved our one follows the word of God and Jesus' commandments!

Kol. 3. 1. Are ye upright with Christ, then search the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God! 2 Let your remembrance be to what is above, not of what is on earth! 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God; 4 When Christ, our life, shall appear, then shall and I appear with him in glory.

Final Comment: While the world grow the skilled, they surrendered and those who achieve something. So worship and love Christianity the mediocre, those who are not given to Christ and His Word. Unfortunately I will say, my biggest wish is that the normal Christian life is to be 100% committed Christ and God. Not so, as we see it today where one agrees about anything, whether it is homosexual, remarriage, or whatever it may be, God have mercy on us Christians in this country! It is my prayer, when the normal has become the abnormal. And the abnormal normal.

Isaiah 5 20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Related links: http://the-heavenly-blog.janchristensen.net/2011/12/nr-161-i-can-not-help-you-but-god-can.html http://the-heavenly-blog.janchristensen.net/2011/09/nr-59-remarriage-preachers.html http://the-heavenly-blog.janchristensen.net/2011/09/nr-57-gods-court.html