Making it Difficult

Posted by Dion Todd March 18th, 2015 14,179 Views 0 Comments

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. Acts 15:28–29 NIV

After Jesus ascended to the Father and the gospel started to spread, non-Jewish people (Gentiles) started to follow Jesus. They started out joyful and free but soon men came that taught them: unless you are circumcised according to the law of Moses you cannot be saved. This became a sharp dispute and the apostles had to meet in Jerusalem to resolve it. The letter above was their verdict. Also: We should not make it difficult for those turning to God (Acts 15:19).

There is an invisible force, like a gravitational pull, that draws the church to legalism. So many times I have witnessed churches too Holy for a sinner to visit at all. Their motto is that you need to get your life in order first, and then you can join them. When in reality, if people come to Jesus He will wash them in His own blood. We that are followers of Jesus have no right to make it difficult for others to know Him.

If you are a follower of Jesus, make it easy for others to come to know Jesus as well. Drop the rule set and focus on introducing them to a Friend. He will ultimately decide who goes to heaven, not you, so lighten up. The pressure is off. If you are not a follower of Jesus: accept my apologies for the way that we have presented Him. He is much more forgiving, loving, considerate and kind than His followers are. Give Him a chance, even though we make it difficult.