dhalltoyo
Veteran Expediter
Is This the Ultimate Sign of Success for Christians?
Most people, including Christians, want to find success. In the Finance article this week, we asked the question, “What if I’m wrong?” But now we have to ask a different question, “What if I’m successful?” Most people aren’t prepared for the consequences of success, especially Christians.
I say “especially Christians” because most Christians don’t realize what happens when Christians are successful. And I’m not just talking financial success here. I’m talking about living a life that God would consider successful.
You see, being a successful Christian comes with consequences. And those consequences aren’t always pleasant. In fact, we have a very clear example of a very successful Christian in the Bible. What happens to him is not something any of us want to experience. But if we really want to be successful Christians, we have to expect unpleasant consequences.
The Scriptural example is Job. Most people think of Job as an example of someone who handles hard times. But that’s not how he starts out. In fact, Job starts out as someone experiencing what I would call ultimate success. He was righteous. So righteous, in fact, that two things happened to him.
First, his righteousness impacted his entire life. He had a strong family, a thriving business, and a good reputation in the community.
Second, his righteousness caught the attention of Satan. And that’s where the consequences came into play. Had Job not attained ultimate success with his relationship with God, then Satan would not have paid as close attention as he did. But the fact that Job was so successful in this area made him a threat to Satan.
As a result, Job became the target for Satan’s persecution. He suffered terribly because of his success.
And, if you really think about it, persecution is the ultimate sign of success for a Christian. It means he’s so successful with his Christianity that he’s become a threat to Satan and his worldly system. He’s actually pushing the world to emmulate what he’s doing.
The world has only two responses: Give into it or attack it. When Christians aren’t successful, the world doesn’t have to make that decision. They can coexist without many problems. That’s a sure sign that Christians are acting too much like the world and are, therefore, failing as Christians.
Christians don’t have to force people to convert at the end of a sword. Their lives should be enough to force the world to make this decision. Unfortunately, too many of us live for the world. There is no persecution or conversions.
Is your life one that forces the world to make this decision? If not, can you really say you’re a success?
– Steve Kroening
2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
- God
Note: God did not say all that will live godly in Christ Jesus might, probably, possibly, may, ... suffer persecution. He says they shall suffer persecution.
- Reverend Dave
Most people, including Christians, want to find success. In the Finance article this week, we asked the question, “What if I’m wrong?” But now we have to ask a different question, “What if I’m successful?” Most people aren’t prepared for the consequences of success, especially Christians.
I say “especially Christians” because most Christians don’t realize what happens when Christians are successful. And I’m not just talking financial success here. I’m talking about living a life that God would consider successful.
You see, being a successful Christian comes with consequences. And those consequences aren’t always pleasant. In fact, we have a very clear example of a very successful Christian in the Bible. What happens to him is not something any of us want to experience. But if we really want to be successful Christians, we have to expect unpleasant consequences.
The Scriptural example is Job. Most people think of Job as an example of someone who handles hard times. But that’s not how he starts out. In fact, Job starts out as someone experiencing what I would call ultimate success. He was righteous. So righteous, in fact, that two things happened to him.
First, his righteousness impacted his entire life. He had a strong family, a thriving business, and a good reputation in the community.
Second, his righteousness caught the attention of Satan. And that’s where the consequences came into play. Had Job not attained ultimate success with his relationship with God, then Satan would not have paid as close attention as he did. But the fact that Job was so successful in this area made him a threat to Satan.
As a result, Job became the target for Satan’s persecution. He suffered terribly because of his success.
And, if you really think about it, persecution is the ultimate sign of success for a Christian. It means he’s so successful with his Christianity that he’s become a threat to Satan and his worldly system. He’s actually pushing the world to emmulate what he’s doing.
The world has only two responses: Give into it or attack it. When Christians aren’t successful, the world doesn’t have to make that decision. They can coexist without many problems. That’s a sure sign that Christians are acting too much like the world and are, therefore, failing as Christians.
Christians don’t have to force people to convert at the end of a sword. Their lives should be enough to force the world to make this decision. Unfortunately, too many of us live for the world. There is no persecution or conversions.
Is your life one that forces the world to make this decision? If not, can you really say you’re a success?
– Steve Kroening
2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
- God
Note: God did not say all that will live godly in Christ Jesus might, probably, possibly, may, ... suffer persecution. He says they shall suffer persecution.
- Reverend Dave
