Welcome everyone to Deeper Waters where we dive into the ocean of truth! Lately, we’ve been walking down the path of bad argumentation and seeing how Christians use sound bites to argue. These are short little sayings that sound good enough that they get repeated often, but they’re just harmful to the Christian message.
Some of you might be surprised by tonight’s title. Aren’t we to love Jesus? Of course, and it should be our desire to love him more every day. However, what I am talking about is what I have heard often from young men seeking to date Christian girls. They will turn down a date saying something like “I’m in love with Jesus” or “I’m dating Jesus” or “Jesus is my husband.”
If you stopped to think for a moment about those sayings, just realize the conclusion. If you meet three different people who all say they’re in love with the same man, are dating the same man, or are married to the same man, what’s the view given of that man? He must be a two-timer or a polygamist or some other terms that would be even less charitable.
But aren’t we the bride of Christ? Collectively, we are. Jesus is not a polygamist. He has one bride. If you are a young girl, you are not married to Jesus. You are not in a relationship with Jesus in the hopes that that relationship will develop into the eros kind of love. You are sure not going to be having sex with Jesus, but your future husband will be hoping you’re having it with him.
Treating Jesus like this is treating him flippantly. It’s making the great Lord of the universe on the same level as the kind of person you’d date. I am reminded of how Christian comedian Brad Stine has said that if he gets behind a car with the bumper sticker that says “God is my co-pilot,” that he speeds up because he wants to see who’s driving. You have to be good if God is riding shotgun!
Another great danger is saying you’re in love with him. Why? I think it’s a great danger that too many relationships are built on a romantic feeling instead of a romantic devotion. Now you can have both, but let us not mistake the feeling for the devotion. The truly devoted person is the one who serves regardless of how he feels. If you feel great, great! If not, oh well. You have a commitment.
The Christian life is not always a feel good happy time. In fact, we’re promised the opposite. We are promised suffering. Didn’t Jesus say he came that we might have life abundantly? Oh yes he did, but don’t think he’s necessarily meaning what a 21st century American counts as abundant life. Too many kids seem to think love of Christ is all about getting a really good feeling. These kids think they’re being nourished by pizza parties at youth groups and going on these weekend big youth gatherings. They’ll come back really excited, and then a week or two later, it’s back to normal. Then they go off to college and it seems that feel-good has a hard time holding up against a professor with 25 years of atheism.
Finally, you’re also doing a disservice to the guy who’s asking you out. For all you know, this could be a man who will draw you closer to Christ. That’s something we marrieds need to be looking at more often. It shouldn’t just be “Am I having a good time?” It should be more importantly “Am I becoming more like Christ?” Marriage is great, but it’s also work.
By all means, love Jesus. Love him more every day. However, do realize he’s not like any love you will have down here. He is Lord. Treat him with the reverence he is owed.
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