Defining My Terms

For myself, my family, and for my church one of the things that I most desire is that we would discover that what our soul longs for the most is the person of Jesus Christ. I want to live (and help others live) like the man in Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

“Should Christianity” is trying to do the right religious thing but doing it primarily out of a sense of duty or obligation.

“Want to Christianity” is being blown away by who Jesus is and what he is done so that we live for him with a sense of gratitude and joy.

Seeing This Theology In The Gospel Of John

I am currently preaching through the Gospel of John. Very soon I will come to John 14 and there are two important verses that will help undergird the argument that I am making.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” -John 14:15

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.” -John 14:23

Jesus is the one who is making both of these statements in John 14. So what is the main point that Jesus is making? Jesus is telling us that that the greatest motivation to live for him, to obey him, is a heart that is filled with love. Jesus is saying that true Christianity is “want to Christianity.” I believe it is fair at this point to begin asking ourselves, which version of Christianity best describes how we are currently living?

Does All Of This Really Make That Big Of A Difference?

I believe it makes all the difference in the world. Imagine the children that grow up in a home filled with “should Christianity.” These children will naturally conclude that Christianity is all about keeping the rules and then when they leave the house they very well may go in pursuit of something (anything) that leads them to greater happiness than the cold religion they experienced from their parents.

But experiencing “want to Christianity” is also critical when it comes to overcoming all the temptations of this world. The following quote will help explain why understanding this topic is so important when it comes to living a flourishing Christian life:

“Love for Jesus must also be the motivation to obey his commands. Obedience must flow out of a heart of love. Obedience without love is nothing more than the pursuit of self-righteousness. We will never obey his Word if all we feel is a sense of moral obligation. We will never obey his Word if all we want is to shore up our standing before God. If we look at the words of Jesus and think, I can make him happy if I do this one, or He won’t be angry or disappointed with me as long as I don’t mess up on that command, then we are not obeying him out of love for him. We are simply trying to earn his favor. If you want to conquer sin and obey Jesus, you don’t simply try harder to obey. You stoke the flames of your love for him. The antidote for disobedience isn’t obedience but love. If you struggle to obey Jesus, then focus on loving him more. Beg God to give you a passion for Jesus. The greater your love grows, the easier obedience becomes.”

Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus In John (pages 297-298)

Final Practical Thoughts

So what can you do to “stoke the flames of your love for him”? If we find that we are operating more and more out of a “should Christianity” what can we do to change the way we are living?

I would say the place to begin is to believe that there really is a better, deeper way to live. It’s possible that you and those you know have been stuck in “should Christianity” for so long that it just seems…normal. Do you honestly believe the Psalmist when he writes, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore”? I think we must start with actually believing that this life of joy in Christ is really possible.

Something else that will help make all of this a reality in your life is fighting the tendency to think how this article applies to someone else! Spend the next few weeks asking God to light a fire in your personal life.

Lastly, spend time during the week enjoying and delighting in the person of Jesus. Not merely going through the motions of your “quiet time.” Think about how that passage of Scripture you are reading points you to Jesus. Contemplate in your heart how beautiful, gracious, powerful, and merciful Jesus Christ is. Spending your week like this will lead to Sunday morning worship with your church family being a emotionally and spiritually powerful experience because your heart is already filled with the beauty and majesty of Jesus.

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” -Philippians 3:8-10