The Basics of Being ChristianSample

What difference do I make?

Sadly, a common misconception a lot of people have about Christianity is that it’s all about going to church, praying a prayer, and believing the right things so that when you die you can go to heaven and be with Jesus.

While being involved in the Church, enjoying time with God in prayer, and having true beliefs about God are all important, being a Christian is about so much more than just going to heaven when we die.

Being a Christian is about partnering with God in His mission to rescue humanity and restore Creation.

All the way back in Genesis, human beings were given a job to do. Partner with their Creator in caring for and cultivating creation. Being made in God’s image is being made as a representative of Heaven here on earth. But when God’s human partners sinned, Heaven and earth were ripped apart, and our relationship with God was fractured. Since then, God has been working in history alongside human partners to bring people back to Him and undo the damage of the Fall.

Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus enacting God’s plan by calling His disciples, healing the sick, casting out demons, and teaching people what life in God’s Kingdom is really like. All of that is Jesus demonstrating how the Kingdom of God, Heaven, is now breaking into the world.

And as His followers, we have been called to continue the work that He started: rescuing humanity from sin and restoring Creation.

But this isn’t something we have to do on our own. One of the last things Jesus said before ascending into Heaven was that He will be with us always, to the very end of the age.

How does that work if He went to be with God in Heaven? Jesus is with us by the Spirit who is in us.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” Romans 8:11 NIV

When we become Christians, we are filled by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit moves in us to guide us, direct us, and transform us so that we can do and be all that God has called us to.

Think about this for a moment, as human beings, we were made in the image of God. When we begin a relationship with Jesus, we are made one with Jesus, we are in Christ. And, the Spirit of God is alive in us.

We have everything we need to do what God has invited us to do—partner with Him in His mission to rescue others from Sin and restore Creation.

This is the difference we are called to make. But how exactly do we go about doing that? That’s what we are going to explore tomorrow as we learn more about discipleship, the wonderful adventure of becoming like Jesus for the sake of others. For now, take some time to reflect on the questions below.

Consider: How does it feel knowing that Jesus wants you to be His partner in His mission to rescue people from sin and restore the world? What are some ways you can grow in your understanding of the part you’re supposed to play?