I heard a new phrase yesterday, Red Letter Christian. Tony Campolo was speaking to the students of Lee University during chapel when he made the reference.
A Red Letter Christian is someone who lives their life by the red letters of the Bible. Basically, they live life according to the words of Jesus.
Now, I've been a Christian for nearly 38 years, and in all that time, I can assure you I've rarely lived the life to which Christ called me. I am ashamed to say, I have never lived my life as a Red Letter Christian.
I want to. Each day that passes I long more and more to live the life Jesus modeled. But each day I find myself falling into the traps of this world. You see, I've allowed myself to fall into the myth that is American christianity. I've bought the lie of the prosperity gospel.
If you follow this blog, you will know my wife and I have made it our life's goal to give away money to further God's kingdom. We even have a name for this giving, Kingdom Works funds. And while our desire is Godly, our approach isn't.
You see, we have a line-item in our budget for these Kingdom Works Funds, but that is as far as we've been willing to go. There is a line we have not crossed.
When asked by the Rich Young Ruler what he lacked in his ability to truly follow Jesus, our Savior's response was, "One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mark 10:21 - NIV)
Those are red letter words. That is the example needed to live the life of a Red Letter Christian.
But wait, you scream. That was Jesus' call to that man. His wealth was hindering him from truly following Jesus. That isn't Jesus' call to me.
It isn't? What did Jesus say to Peter, Andrew, James, John? He said, "Come, follow me" ... and they LEFT THEIR NETS and followed Him. (see Matthew 4:18-22 - emphasis mine)
Red Letter Christians leave everything to follow Jesus. And that is what Jesus expects of us. Material possessions are meaningless to Red Letter Christians. They are simply tools, or in many cases hindrances, to their ability to live the life to which Jesus has called.
So while I strive to live the life of a Red Letter Christian, I so often fail. Fortunately, my God is a God of grace, and each time I fail, I know I'm already forgiven. All I have to do is accept that forgiveness, take up my cross, and follow.
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God's grace includes God's gift of the empowering Spirit, who enables us to do what Jesus says. In terms of Jesus' words about selling treasured material possessions and giving to the poor, Paul describes "gifts of grace" (gifts of the Spirit) as including "contributing generously," and "doing acts of mercy cheerfully" (Rom. 12:6,8). Paul portrays a good example of this in 2 Cor. 8-9, where the grace of God leads even poor Macedonian Christians to give cheerfully and generously to poor saints in Jerusalem.
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