RevWrites - July 12

Does God have a check list? Last week I suggested a list we could look at in order to see if we might be in danger of “falling away from the living God.” I suggested some things in your life to look at that are good warning signs.

Somebody asked me if the list was merely works and it would be good to ask if we “loved God and loved our neighbour.” It is a good question and worth some time to think about.

There’s no doubt that we’re “not saved by works, so none can boast.” We come to Christ on the basis of his saving work alone through faith alone.

Now that we belong to Christ we are to live as his disciples. We are to love God and love our neighbour. But what does that love look like? Several times I have met women who were abused by their husbands. Sometimes very badly. I was amazed that on each occasion they protested that their husband loved them.

I still struggle to see how a husband could really love his wife and beat her regularly. I don’t think that he loves her. At least, not in the way I see love.

So love must be defined. Our world defines love in many different ways. So we need to turn to the word of God for our definition. Obviously, 1 Corinthians 13 is a good place to start. There we read about the character of love, primarily God's love.

Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me you will do what I command you.” Clearly, Jesus taught that love is something that leads to action. While the world might see love in terms of emotion, Jesus sees it in terms of action. Obedience is love in action.

In that case it is wise to have a good look at what we do. Not a vague look but a good look with our Bibles in our hands. So money, generosity, listening to God, talking to God, ministry, witness, church, small group and our continuing spiritual growth are all good things to look at.

So let me ask you: Did you do the check list last week? I provided it to you in my role as a watchman, as one who must give an account (Heb. 13:17). You know what my fear is? So often in the Christian life it is those who are going OK that use things like the check list. Those who are struggling or starting to wander just simply let it go. Did you just let it go by?

Please don’t be so busy you don’t have time for a personal spiritual check. Why not ask your small group leader to go through the check-list with the whole group? Encourage each other to do it and help each other to have a hard look at how you score.

I think it’s in your small group that you will be best able to see if you’re growing spiritually. Others see us growing and notice if we don’t. Surely it’s better to know if you’ve become stagnant spiritually. It’s better to know while you have time to turn it around. After a while it’s much harder to turn around. Do the spiritual check list now.

Neil