Be A Participant ...

Here is an honest question; I am not trying to patronizing about this, so please don't read me that way. But why do most Christians in America (I'll pick on American Christians since these are those I have experience with) never move beyond baby Christianity? Why are most Christians okay with simply being the "laity," and not driven to cultivate the saintly status as Christian which they have been granted as a result of union with Christ? I know that fundamentalist anti-intellectualism is still highly present even in its Evangelical form, and so this might help answer my questions as far as understanding a socio-cultural aspect of this problem. But maybe the answers to my questions are more simple; maybe it is simply because most American Christians are lazy. I know, I know (tell me about it!), life is extremely busy and we have many priorities that often are used as the excuse for not digging deeper with Jesus. But this seems to be a weak excuse! Didn't Jesus tell Martha that she should be like Mary and sit at his feet; isn't this the priority that Jesus would have for us? Didn't Jesus say to seek him first and his righteousness, and all these other "priorities" will be added unto us?

Anyway, I know this sounds like a rant; but it really comes from a heart of concern! I feel like so many Christians are ripping themselves off by settling  for baby pabulum and the milk of the Gospel (cf. Heb. 5); instead of growing mature and feasting on the meat of the Gospel. There really is no excuse for this. Unfortunately, as a result of the Fall, and continuing to live in this in-between time (between the first and second Advents of Christ); knowing God in Christ involves toil and work. As we are all Priests unto God in Christ (the 'Priesthood of All Believers'), we have the responsibility and stewardship of working at our walks with Jesus. We need to move beyond the basics, and get deep and situated in the depth dimension of the wonderful reality of what it means to truly be a Christian. Don't settle for cultural Christianity, or lazy Christianity; battle on, and press into the kingdom of the Son of His love; act as if you a participant in God's life in Christ by the Spirit! Why? Well, because you are ...

*rant.