Are You a Part Time Christian? Num. 12:7 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In this sermon we are going to look at what it means to be a part time Christian. Now I realize that once you are saved you are always saved, that is the doctrine of eternal security. But as we will see in this sermon just because you are saved doesn’t necessarily make you a Christian. This will be illustrated with the example of a part time worker verses a full time worker.
Numbers 12:7 and Hebrews 3:1-5
In these two passages we see the example of Moses being faithful in all his house. This is what we mean by being a full time Christian. Being full time is being faithful in all the things that God would have us to be all the time. We must remember that we as saved people have a testimony to give for the Lord Jesus Christ. We must strive to put forth that testimony in a good light each and every day.
What about this word Christian :
The word Christian only occurs 3 times in the word of God. In Acts 2 we see that the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and about three thousand people were saved. These people were saved and born again but note that they are not called Christians until Acts chapter 11.Therefore we see that the term Christian applies scripturally to one who follows Jesus Christ. You can be saved and not follow Jesus Christ.
3 Time the word Christian appears in a KJB :
1) Acts 11:26
- Here they are called Christians because of their action and the way they lived. The people of Antioch were probably making fun of them for being so different.
- A saved person’s lifestyle should be different from the world if he is following Jesus Christs.
2) Acts 26:28
- Here Agrippa says “almost thou presuadest me to be a Christian”.
- From this we see the word is connected with our persuasion. If we live for Jesus Christ then there ought to be something about us that would persuade others to want to live for Jesus Christ.
3) 1 Peter 4:16
- Here the word Christian is connected with suffering. The fact is that if we live for Jesus Christ we are going to suffer (2 Timothy 3:12).
There for scripturally speaking a real Christian (not a saved person) will have a good testimony, have some persuasion about them, and also endure some suffering.
Why is being part time no good?
The main reason that a person would want to be a full time employee is because there are benefits that come with being full time that part time workers simply do not have. The same is true with Christians.
1) Part time Christians do not know what is going on.
- When you only attend church every now and again you do not know what is going on.
- Hebrews 10:25 speaks of assembling more and more as ye see the day approaching.
2) Part time Christians cannot be counted on.
- Part time workers usually do not advance or get special promotions. The same is true with part time Christians.
- In Luke 16:11-12 we see that if you are not faithful in little you will not be faithful in much. Therefore we must first be faithful with the little things for God to bless us with bigger things.
3) Part time Christians have no benefits.
- All saved people will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ one day and give an account of what we did after salvation.
- In 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 we see that if we have the right motives in our works then we will receive a reward, but if we don’t we suffer loss. This is not loss of salvation but loss of rewards.
Our goal should be that of Matthew 25:21, and have the Lord say to us “well done thou good and faithful servant”. Don’t be a part timer, be a full timer when it comes to following Jesus.