Our society has trained us to think that busyness or activity equals productivity. Many people equate seriousness or commitment with a constant state of being on the move. There certainly is value in being busy and getting things done because, at the end of the day, someone has to get things done. Most cultures (if not all) across the globe condemn laziness, and so does the Biblical way of thinking. The Bible has plenty of verses that warn us against laziness or inactivity (Proverbs 10:4-5, Proverbs 15:19, Proverbs 26:14-16, Romans 12:11).
An Interesting Mix
Our faith is intricately woven into our way of life, and our beliefs about the physical world often influence how we express our faith. There’s a delicate interplay between religion and culture that, when properly balanced, can enrich our understanding of faith. However, an imbalance can lead to unhealthy views of our faith. For example, your perception of God can be distorted by your experiences with your parents. The temptation to view God in certain antibiblical ways will always be there, but we have the power to resist.
A common misconception in the Christian fraternity is that being busy for Jesus always signifies earnest faith. Many wrongfully believe that if God sees us constantly in motion, he will approve of us and bless us. We may even think that our faith is most valid if we’re caught up in church activities every day of the week. In this article, we will challenge these misconceptions and reevaluate the relationship between religious activity and a genuine pursuit of Christlikeness.
Who is a Christian?
The Bible tells of a conversation between Jesus and a man called Nicodemus about salvation (John 3:1-21). Nicodemus was a religious leader who wanted to know what it meant or what one needed to inherit the Kingdom of God. Being a teacher of the Law, he probably thought that he had a direct ticket to heaven, but listening to the teaching of Jesus made him question a few things. By this time, the word Christian had yet to be coined as it comes way later in the Book of Acts as a mockery of the believers by the people of Antioch (Acts 11:26).
The basic understanding of the term ‘Christian’ refers to anyone who is not atheist and does not subscribe to other world religions. While this might suffice at face value, it falls short of the New Testament teaching of who a biblical Christian is. The word Christian is used in two other places in the New Testament (Acts 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16), and all these instances point to something more than mere association. A faithful Christian can be safely defined as someone who has put faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ; these include his death on the cross as payment for our sins and his resurrection from the dead.
Therefore, contrary to popular opinion, a Christian is not just any random person who attends church weekly and participates in Christian activities. John said in John 1:12 that only those who received him and believed in his name can be referred to as sons of God.
The Marks of Genuine Spirituality
Love for God
We are spiritual beings and subscribe to some form of belief system. In Africa, where people are highly spiritual—having ancestral worship and other religious beliefs—we need to know what true spirituality means for Christians. Biblically, not everyone is part of the great household of God. It is, therefore, essential to know who the Bible qualifies as a genuine believer and who is disqualified.
To begin with, John helps us to understand the kind of person that passes the test (John 1:12-13) of sonship. The main characteristic is that one must put their faith and trust in Christ as their Lord and Saviour (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10). The basis for any God-exalting, Christ-honoring service is a relationship with the Son of God. That is what Nicodemus needed to understand if his ministry would be objective and worthy before the presence of the Father (John 3:3). Nicodemus was a busy man in matters of ministry as a Pharisee, but his heart was in the wrong place. It is easy to get busy with ministry work without being truly transformed at heart.
Jesus alluded to the love conversation when he said that those following him must hate their father, mother, brother, sister, and even their lives (Luke 14:26). This is a major prerequisite for serving God in truth and having a relationship with the Savior. Busyness does not necessarily imply spiritual depth. However, spiritual depth birthed from a relationship with Christ always produces God-exalting activity. Those who function from the latter will not be among those who will, despite heavy labour, receive the damning words, “I do not know you” (Matthew 7:21-23). Do you love God? Do you know what it is to be born again? Follow this link to listen to the gospel message.
Love for Others
Secondly, genuine Christianity is marked by a love for others. Jesus said the mark of genuine love for him is evidenced in the way we love others (John 13:35); a love that is selfless and minds other people more than it does itself (Philippians 2:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
The story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is perfect evidence of how our apparent ‘ministry busyness’ can fall short of God’s standard when we fail to show others the love of Christ without measure. The people who seemed busy with God’s things failed to serve and become what God needed them to be for a wounded man. They were busy, alright, but they had no heart for God and those needing God’s love. Many people today want to look busy before the eyes of men but fail to do the small things that show that their hearts are transformed. How do you love others? Is there proof that you are selfless in this regard? Other than looking busy before the eyes of men, let us purpose to do those silent yet profound acts of love that show that we truly love God.
Outright Obedience
Thirdly, obedience to God’s Word (1 John 2:4, 10) is another sign of genuine Christianity. We have already mentioned that being active in ministry is not necessarily a sign of spiritual depth. Many today are involved in ministry work, but many loopholes exist in matters obedience. Jesus said that if we love him, we will keep his commandments (John 8:31, 14:15). There are many commands in Scripture that we are called to obey. These commandments, Jesus said, are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). Whatever God calls us to perform is always for our good. For instance, when we are called to adhere to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), he is not asking that of us so that our lives can be miserable but so that we can have a functional and impactful life here on earth. All the men and women who served God genuinely, both in Scripture and in Church history, did so from a place of obedience and not mere busyness and activity. Before you get caught up in church and ministry activity, ask yourself if your obedience is outright and joyful before the Lord. If we obey only out of duty, we risk dismissal and disqualification at the end of the road (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Let us always be wary of this reality even as we seek to serve God.
The Place of Religious Activity
Having already examined the prerequisites for active ministry engagement, the following segment will explain how Christian ministry connects with maturity and commitment to the faith.
Faith and Works
In his epistle, James discusses the relation between faith and works (James 2:14-26). He submits that genuine faith produces works in a believer and never the opposite. We might be busy and active, but our work cannot bring the God-sized faith necessary to please God.
Also, James clarifies that genuine and functional faith in the Lord will always produce works. Essentially, our activity is an overflow of what is happening within us–God’s sanctifying work. Paul talks about salvation by grace through faith and not works (Ephesians 2:8-9), which echoes James’ argument.
God is not Mocked
Joy and fulfilment fill the heart when we engage in Godly activity–even for the unregenerate. The unfortunate bit is that the unregenerate hopes that their good works can blindfold God, as it were, not knowing that God cannot be mocked (Galatians 6:7-8). And since God is perfect and holy, he does not take bribery lightly. Acting busy does not and cannot prove anything to God. He knows our hearts. He knows whether we are busybodies or truly spirit-filled servants.
Rest is a Sign of Genuine Faith
The other truth that should consume our hearts is how Christ calls us to rest in him (Matthew 11:28-30). Being busy stretches our bodies and emotions, especially if we hope to win God’s favour through it. Many believers get angry when their ‘efforts’ go unnoticed because they have the wrong idea of serving Jesus. Our sweat and hard work are not what God always wants from us (consider Mary and Martha in Luke 10:41-42). In Hebrews 4:3-8, considering Israel’s journey to the promised land, the writer hints at this need for rest. He says that God’s people will enter into a rest when they are brought to Canaan. Rest here implied that they would know God’s providence and walk in his purpose. When we serve God, we need to do so while resting in his ability to accomplish his purpose for our lives (Ephesians 2:10, Genesis 2:2, Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Rest also refers to abiding in Christ and his finished work (John 15:1-5) and to draw our strength from him alone–something that Martha had to learn about in Luke 10:41-42.
In summary, a committed Christian doesn’t always need to be in active ministry. A genuine Christian is always submitted to his master, lives in obedience to him, loves those the master brings their way, and takes time to rest. A committed Christian knows that their activity doesn’t earn them favour with God; however, their good works are a product of their identity in the Lord. May our commitment to our faith shine forth from a place of rest and not vain activity.
References
Gotquestions.org, what is a Christian?