Are we really christlike christians, or just kinda?

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

​Sometimes things a preacher talks about get burned deeply into our hearts and our minds.

That certainly happened to me many years ago when, as a college student in the Boston area, I heard Romanian Pastor Richard Wurmbrand speak. You may recall that he wrote the book "Tortured for Christ" based on his painful experience in Romania at the hands of his Russian captors. He also became the founder of the wonderful ministry, Voice of the Martyrs that continues to touch many lives around our world today. 

As Richard described his 14 years of being tortured as a Christ-follower in Romania, he took a few minutes and removed his shirt so we could see his many scars from the cruel treatment he had received. His purpose in doing that was not to elicit our sympathy, but simply to show what all of us Christians are often required to endure as we seek to follow our Lord wholeheartedly in this sinful world.

Then, after putting his shirt back on, it was the words that Richard said that have stuck with me to this day. He said this: "In Romania, there is only one kind of Christian, a Christlike Christian. But, in America, you have lots of kinds of Christians!"  

That statement hit me between the eyes. If what Richard said was accurate, it would seem that, as painful as persecution was, it still helped him and others in Romania to become, and remain, wholehearted Christ-followers.

Friends, isn't it true that pain brings us to a fork in the road? Truly, it forces us to choose whether we will be ALL IN with Jesus, or we will continue to live for self-protection, self-promotion, or self-advancement. Here is a quote from Richard's book, "Tortured for Christ": “Persecution has always produced a better Christian—a witnessing Christian, a soul-winning Christian. Communist persecution has backfired and produced serious, dedicated Christians such as are rarely seen in free lands. These people cannot understand how anyone can be a Christian and not want to win every soul they meet.”

So we need to ask the tough question: will it take greater persecution for us easy-going American believers to become more like Richard Wurmbrand and others like him?

Our ultimate example, of course, is Jesus Himself. He lovingly chose to be ALL IN for the Father and for us as He endured the incredible pain, punishment and death on our behalf.

(And keep in mind that there is no way that we can live the selfless Christian life in our own fleshly strength; we need the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in and through us to make it happen.) All glory to Him!

But, as we trust Him, our Lord can even give us love for those who oppose us! Listen to what Richard said in his book, "I hate the Communist system, but I love the men. I hate the sin, but I love the sinner."

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, despite the pain and opposition we may face on this side of eternity, we are on the ultimate winning team! So let us surrender completely, and have our hearts open to Him at all times. And when He prompts us to DO something (or NOT to do something), we quickly obey in the Spirit's power!  

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