Strive With Me, Part 1 (Part 2 here)
A pastor of mine, years ago, preached that the Christian life is very difficult. That got my attention. Is Christian life impossible?
It’s hard to stand up in a culture that is so antithetical to the message of the Gospel. It’s hard to withstand temptations that bombard us from every direction. It’s hard to overcome past habits and present distractions.
Then we read verses like Luke 13:24: “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” What are we to make of that?
That word “strive” means struggle. The Greek word for “striving” gives us the English word “agony.” Well, if that’s what it means to be a Christian, how can I ever manage it? How can I ever work so hard that my striving becomes agony?
I could give up if I were to stop right there. But the Christian was never meant to stop at striving. I could never achieve heaven by striving alone. I could never succeed in my Christian walk with endless struggling.
Late theologian RC Sproul commented on this passage from Luke: “What Jesus is saying is that there must be passion, real effort in striving, not that human effort would ever get anybody into the kingdom of God, but the person who has been quickened by the Holy Spirit, who has caught a glimpse of the reality of Jesus, must make the seeking of the kingdom of God the main business of his life” (A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke). The element of most importance here is the Holy Spirit.
We sometimes forget that the Christian walk is not a solitary one. I mean that in two important senses.
First, and foremost, before He suffered on the cross, died, and rose again, Jesus made a promise. He would not leave His followers alone. “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you,” He says in John 14:25-27, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
The Holy Spirit is the power of the Gospel living inside each believer!
Second, the Christian walk was meant to be lived alongside other Christians. The walk was never meant to be solitary.
If you are discouraged in your faith, if you are a new Christian just trying to figure it out, if you’ve been one for a long time and find yourself running low on energy, answer these questions:
Are you part of a fellowship of Bible-believing Christians? Do you study the Word with other believers? Are you looking one another in the eye and holding one another accountable?
You can’t do that if you’re still watching church services online. You can’t if you are only reading blogs about Christian living either!
You need to be walking side by side with other believers. Praying with them. Studying with them. Worshipping with them.
Many examples from the New Testament support this. In Acts chapter 2 believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” The book of Acts describes many times the early believers—the early Church—had gathered together to hear preaching, to worship, and have fellowship with one another.
Paul tells believers in Ephesians 5:15-21, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
When you isolate, you will begin to doubt. You’ll get discouraged. You aren’t giving others the opportunity to know you, to love and encourage you, to hold you accountable to the faith that you profess. And you will miss out on the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with other believers. You have no idea of the riches you will miss out on by NOT getting involved!
So Christian, if you are discouraged by trying—striving—to be a Christian in an un-Christian world, stop striving alone! Realize that the Holy Spirit is with you to encourage you and give you peace. And know that a Bible-preaching church is where you need to have the fellowship with other believers who will help to build you up in the faith. You’ll find other people who, just like you, find life challenging, and who know that there is power in the Holy Spirit.
If you’re struggling to find a Bible-preaching church, you can start at 9marks.org for churches in your area.
Writing Rhetorically 