Not Called to be Any Fan, Rather Am the Called

Not Called to be Any Fan, Rather Am the Called
by David Brenneman

What's bothers me the most about  fans of people, groups, things, even teams or corporations is the reckless abandoning of the principles of God's Word that occurs without any regard to the impact on a person's testimony and what happens to the Name of Jesus because of it. 

I'm sure that I will be told that I am taking this too seriously...to refer all such comments appropriately...Jesus took my sins seriously unto death and paid for them on the cross. 

No where in the Scriptures is it ever excused to willfully put aside the character of Christ in favor of fitting in, of making fun of, of belittling, berating, speaking angry words about anyone for any reason.  Nor is there anywhere it's appropriate to set up what amounts to shrines in homes to show dedication to a person, place or things.

I will not willingly participate in anything that will ruin my testimony in Christ.  This is my choice. I get it if others don't agree. However, I am trying my best to not grieve the Spirit of God. I am trying my best to not add to the things to what I already have to give an account about before my Savior Jesus Christ.

I know what I am capable of doing in the name of fitting in.  Of being a fan of and it eventually left me appalled.  I was passionate about being a fan and I was ripping people, trash talking, and honestly felt disappointed in myself, disgusted even, for doing that.  So I stopped cold turkey.  I looked at my life and saw other things that I unwittingly had allowed to become, by the Biblical definition, an idol in my life.  Those went too. 

As a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ there's no room for such an attitude about things or people or any such thing in the life of those who claim the Name of Jesus.

The temptation to return to such things doesn't go away.  It's to me the very definition of what it means to stand firm in the Lord.  That Satan and or simply my sin nature is going to try to get me to return.

Pointing people to Jesus means more to me than fitting in with any crowd.

I won't promote any person, place, thing, that gives anyone the chance of the notion that I am a fan of it.  I stopped buying any shirts or hats that promote people, places or things that do not have Christ in mind.

What Jesus thinks of me is more important than if a person or group of people thinks well of me.

Going on...
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!  Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” Romans 6:12-16.

     "In the 1960s, an Episcopal priest named Joseph Fletcher developed a theory of Christian ethics known as "situational ethics." He said that the highest biblical law was selfless (agape) love and that other, lesser laws could be disobeyed if necessary in the pursuit of love. Therefore, the ends can justify the means. And one's circumstances or situation can determine which of
God's laws one keeps.
     This unbiblical approach to God's laws can also lead to "circumstantial character"-character that is dictated by one's circumstances. If God says He does not change (Malachi 3:6),
and if it is God who lives in us (Galatians 2:20), it's hard to see how we could be justified in changing who we are our
character-as a response to our circumstances. One of the characteristics of those who dwelt in the presence of God in the 0ld
Testament was a willingness to suffer loss rather than compromise their character (Psalm 15:4).
Character has often been described as what people do when they know no one is looking. Because God's eyes are always open, our character needs to be constant before Him." Dr. David Jeremiah "Walking with God".

The CSV for the passage in Romans 6:12-16, where we read "instruments" says "weapons".  Reread that with that word changed.

We ruin our character before others when we take off Christ for to follow after anything or anyone in this world.  We ruin our testimony before others when what comes out of our mouth would never come out of the mouth of Christ.

Would we ever think that Jesus would treat others the way many Christians do before, during, or after a football game the way Christians today do? 

Would we see Jesus behaving as many today do in their homes, wearing what they wear? 

No we wouldn't because He would only be looking to think, speak, act, as His Father in Heaven would want Him.

I get it that this will mean being shunned by others in this world.  I get it that it means not being included. 

My Dear Reader...living a life approved by Jesus Christ means and should always mean, something more important than anything the world thinks must be.

We who are called out of this world, for such we become in Christ Jesus, are fully His representatives to the rest of the world. 

We ruin our testimony by sounding like the evil of this world. 

We give no reason to draw near to Jesus when we show the world there's nothing different enough to leave their present darkness for the light of Jesus Christ.

We are representatives of Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

I know such teaching isn't going to be popular.  I know the hard choices and decisions that a Believer must make in pursuing a life that exemplifies being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. But never do we read of Jesus setting aside anything He was here to do, be, in order to please people, not even unto Himself.  He was here in full obedience to His Father in Heaven.

You may have similar choices to make as I've had to do all my life.  Choices about movies, music, sports, people, everything.

Scripture says that we are called out of this world to represent Jesus and glorify His Name, grow with respect to our salvation, and to make more Disciples because of all He's done for us. 

You must examine your life to see if you are pursuing that objective.

No you won't be popular but you will be living a life that is what you were called to be in Christ.

We are to reflect the light of Jesus Christ from sun up to sundown.  A follower of Christ sets aside their wants and desires in favor of the One whom they follow.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
A corporation not for profit.  
La Habra, CA All rights reserved
www.lockman.org