FIVE
KINDS OF CHRISTIANS- Lessons From Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
Daniel
3:16- 18 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said to the king, to Nebuchadnezzar,
“it’s not necessary for us to respond in this matter. Your majesty, if it be
His will, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the blazing fire furnace,
and He will deliver us from you. But if not, rest assured, your majesty, that
we won’t serve your gods, and we won’t worship the golden statue that you have
set up. “(ISV)
PART
FOUR
So
far, we’ve looked at three kinds of Christians, Christians who would for
various reasons take the risk, defy the king and die for God. Today, we will
look at the fourth kind of Christian; the one who would obey the king’s command
and give in at the least pressure without taking a stand for God.
Such
Christians would reason, “Nebuchadnezzar is the most powerful king in the
world. At his word a person lives or dies. Why risk our lives by disobeying
him. Everyone is bowing down. Who would notice if we also did the same? Surely,
God will excuse our fault. He knows the kind of pressure we are facing.”
Others
would say, “I’ll bow down, but in my heart, it’s God I’m worshipping. Worship
is an act of the heart. God knows my heart. Why die before my time when there’s
so much I still have to do for God?”
This
kind of Christian does not take a stand for God publicly. They believe all
about the “heart” so it doesn’t matter what they wear, where they go, who they
are seen with, what music they listen to or what they do because God knows
their heart.
This
kind of Christian goes to church on Sunday and praises God on Sunday but
afterwards, that’s it. No personal time with God, no Bible study, no
evangelism. Their Christianity is separate from other aspects of their lives.
When it comes work, they say, “let’s be professional. What has Christianity got
to do with this?” when in need, they say “I’m hustling to make money, you’re
telling me to wait on God. What has he got to do with that?”
This
kind of Christian get angry with others who make a bold stand for God, accusing
them of being “too spiritual”, “taking religion too seriously”, “chrife”,
“pretenders”, “fanatics” and other things.
Such
Christians refuse to correct or advise others because they say its only God who
can judge. They are so fearful of people’s judgments and opinions that they
cannot make a stand for God and believe that worshiping God in the “heart”
alone and staying out of trouble is enough.
But
word of God says that our words and actions reveal what’s actually in our
hearts. Actually, faith without works is dead. You show your faith by your
works. After all, even demons believe in their “hearts” the lordship of Jesus
and the existence of God. (James 2:14-18)
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