Inoculated

This weekend we talked about how a lot of people take a religious approach to God, a checklist kind of Christianity – go to church once a week, pray a little, give a little, maybe serve a bit. And it can look, and maybe even feel, like that makes you a Christian. But the reality is that what you’re doing may actually inoculate you from true Christianity.

To prevent someone from getting a disease a doctor will inject them with a miniscule amount of the disease. It effects you a bit, but not much and it doesn’t last. And you build up an immunity which prevents you from getting the real disease, you’ll never be ravaged by it.

A lot of people do religion, they do their duty, look the part, talk the talk, and fool everyone (even possibly themselves) into thinking they have the real thing. But it’s just a miniscule amount, just the external stuff. And it may effect them a bit, but not much and it doesn’t last. And you build up an immunity which prevents you from getting real Christianity, you’ll never be ravaged by it.

But is becoming a radical follower of Jesus really something to be avoided? Or is it the only path to true, abundant and eternal life?

Question: Are you inoculating yourself from truly following Jesus, or do you have the real thing?