The Once in a Blue Moon Christian
It’s New Year’s day and most of us are breathing a sigh of relief that 2009 and all its highs and lows has come and gone.
A New Year has begun. In 2010, we have everything to look forward to and nothing yet to regret, at least in this brand spanking New Year.
Reading over the new stories about New Year’s Eve, I find that a ‘Blue Moon’ occurred during the last day of 2009. I began pondering what this could mean while preparing this article.
Living in the south, the term ‘Once in a Blue Moon‘ is common term and customarily used to refer to events that rarely happen, ie. ‘Once in a blue moon, something comes along and shakes your perspective’.
So, let’s apply that to someone who, when asked ‘Are you a man/woman of Faith?’, defines himself/herself using the term Christian. And since the term Christian has been so misused recently, let’s pinpoint a working definition.
A Christian is not someone who adheres to the teachings of Jesus Christ or today’s form of Christianity. A Christian is someone who has surrendered his/her life to the authority of Jesus Christ by first doing what Jesus said we must do, namely, becoming Born Again.
Before one can be born again, there must be an admission of sin and acknowledgment that without accepting the virgin birth of Jesus, the sinless life of Jesus, the sacrificial death of Jesus, and the supernatural resurrection of Jesus for the sole purpose of reconciling us to God, they have no hope.
There are many that admire the teaching of Jesus Christ but reject the idea that He was God. This idea alone is what separates them from being ‘Christian’ in the truest sense of the term.
Many of the those who answer ‘Christian’ when asked about their faith. Mormons, Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc… many of these groups say they are Christian but do not meet the criteria listed above. But, we are not discussing those who ‘call’ themselves Christians, we are discussing those who are.
With all that said, what is a ‘Once in a Blue Moon Christian?’ A Blue Moon Christian is one who has meet the criteria but appears to languish in their behavior, worship, and prayer life. They have become too tangled up with the many distractions of this world.
How do you know if you are a ‘Once in a Blue Moon Christian?’ Let’s borrow from Jeff Foxworthy and ask…
If your kids ask you on Sunday morning if you are going to Church today,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If the co-workers are not ashamed to tell you dirty jokes,
...you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If you engage in flirting and flattery with someone who is not your husband/wife,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If your attendance at Church is limited to Christmas and Easter,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If you cannot recall your pastor’s name,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If you feel no remorse watching, reading, or listening to vulgarity,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If you don’t know that a ‘little white lie’ is still a lie,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If you allow your daughter to wear immodest clothes,
...you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If your first response to crisis and tragedy is not prayer,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
If you cannot find at least one good thing to say to someone,
…you might be a Once in a Blue Moon Christian
What was the quote we used earlier? ‘Once in a blue moon, something comes along and shakes your perspective’. It’s a New Year. In 2010, we have everything to look forward to and nothing yet to regret. Make it a great year. Dig deeper in the Word.
