Parable of the Good Samaritan: Tests of Character

 

How do we grow in godly character? The parable of the Good Samaritan forces us to recognize the power of context as we face tests of character.

The man lying in the road was barely alive.

The muggers who robbed him had left him naked, wounded and sprawled along the road like a piece of discarded trash.

Unless help came soon, he was a dead man.

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before a traveler happened upon the wounded man. He immediately took action … by stepping to the other side of the road and continuing his journey. Later, a second traveler passed by and did the same thing.

It’s difficult to understand how these two travelers were able to leave the wounded man to his fate. Given the situation, it seems impossibly cruel. What could possess someone to walk away while a fellow human being slowly dies? Surely such an individual would have to be a heartless, unfeeling monster, devoid of compassion and humanity.

The truth, it turns out, is a little more complicated—and a lot more unsettling.

The Good Samaritan

You might recognize the above story as the parable of the Good Samaritan—a story Jesus told to illustrate that, when it comes to loving our neighbors as ourselves, everyone is our neighbor (Luke 10:25-37).

In Jesus Christ’s story, the third traveler to come upon the wounded man is a Samaritan—an individual who, in the eyes of the average first-century Jew, was an inferior and abominable human being.

The Samaritan sees the wounded man (who was likely a Jew, having come from Jerusalem; see verse 30), is overcome with compassion, and proceeds to clean the man up, care for his wounds, and personally convey him to an inn where he could rest and recover—all at the Good Samaritan’s own expense.

The Samaritan, we’re told, is the neighbor we all need to be.

Recreating the parable of the Good Samaritan

How does the Good Samaritan relate to life today?

In 1973 John Darley and Daniel Batson conducted an experiment inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan. They started by surveying a group of seminary students concerning their views on religion—was it a means of spiritual fulfillment? A tool for finding meaning in life?

Next, they assigned each student an impromptu topic for a speech they would be delivering in a nearby building. (One of those topics was, in fact, the parable of the Good Samaritan.)

Finally, each student was sent individually to deliver his speech. Some students were told that they were running late and needed to hurry, while others were told they were ahead of schedule and could take their time.

On the way to deliver their speeches, students encountered a man, slumped over in an alley, coughing, groaning and in clear need of help.

This is where things get unsettling.

Tests of character: a matter of context?

As they analyzed their findings, Darley and Batson discovered the factor that affected whether students would stop to help the man in distress.

It wasn’t their assigned topic—the researchers noted that “on several occasions, a seminary student going to give his talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan literally stepped over the victim as he hurried on his way!”

It wasn’t their view on the purpose of religion.

It was simply whether or not they were in a hurry.

That’s it.

When the students weren’t in a hurry, 63 percent of them stopped to help the man in the alley. When they were in a hurry, that number plunged to 10 percent.

Ten. Percent. Nine out of 10 students saw a man who was potentially dying and kept on walking because they had somewhere to be.

The power of context: how our situation affects our actions

The implications here are staggering. In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell explores this study alongside several other groundbreaking findings that muddy the waters when it comes to how we traditionally view character.

When social scientist Philip Zimbardo created a mock prison and filled it with psychologically healthy volunteers to play the roles of prisoners and guards, he discovered that even self-identified pacifists quickly fell into the role of brutal taskmasters or mutinous criminals.

The experiment spiraled out of control so quickly that Zimbardo was forced to end it eight days earlier than he had intended.

When New York City cracked down on the graffiti and fare-beating that were plaguing its subways, the crime rate plummeted. Criminals were still riding the subways, but by targeting two seemingly insignificant details—graffiti and not paying the fare—New York officials created an environment where crime felt out of place instead of normal.

In The Tipping Point, Gladwell makes a compelling case that behavior isn’t just a product of who we are. It has a great deal to do with where we are as well.

Experts conclude from these examples that the key to changing behavior is often as simple as changing the context. Put people in a context where crime seems normal, and the crime rate skyrockets. Scrub the graffiti off the walls, send the fare-beaters to jail for a night, and suddenly crime starts to vanish. Put the same people in a different context, and suddenly they’re doing things differently.

Godly character: not just what we do, but why

The experts uncovered a profound bit of insight, but as followers of God, I think we need to go one step further.

These studies and experiments ought to give us pause: If environment can influence our behavior, then it’s entirely possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason. If context factors so heavily in determining action, then, when it comes to character, what we’re doing plays second fiddle to why we’re doing it. Are we doing what’s right because it’s right, or just because it’s easy?

When your environment stops rewarding you for doing good—or worse, when it starts punishing you—will you still do good?It’s easy to do good when we’re in an environment that encourages good behavior. Character comes into play when the context changes. When your environment stops rewarding you for doing good—or worse, when it starts punishing you—will you still do good? When you come across the wounded man lying on the road—when you’re in a hurry and no one would ever know if you just keep walking—what will you do?

Do not be conformed to this world: character transformation

Our human nature makes it easy to follow the path of least resistance. We default to choosing whatever is easiest, whatever appears to be the shortest route to the quickest gains.

God calls us to fight that instinct. He calls us to do what’s right, regardless of the context, regardless of what’s easiest. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

I’m simplifying things, of course. Discerning what’s right and acceptable before God requires a healthy knowledge of the Bible, coupled with wisdom and prudence. There are nuances we need to consider in every situation, and not every scenario we encounter is as clear-cut as Christ’s parable of the Good Samaritan.

But the point remains: There’s a part of us that would prefer to conform to the world—to fit into the mold created by context and environment. But building godly character requires us to shatter that mold—to do what is right because it is right, proving the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Changing the context by pursuing godly character

It’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. We’re talking about an uphill battle against yourself and the world around you. It’s going to require enduring hardship, making sacrifices and wrestling with instinct. It’s going to be extremely difficult, but it’s worth it for the payout.

The payout is getting to turn the tables. The more we pursue the will of God and refuse to let the world’s contexts dictate what we do, the more we begin to have an impact rather than simply being impacted.

Jesus told His disciples, “You are the light of the world. … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16). Becoming men and women who value and pursue godly character is going to create a more positive context for both ourselves and those who interact with us.

Modern-day Good Samaritans

In Darley and Batson’s study, only 10 percent of the students in a hurry stopped to help the man in distress. Only 10 percent had enough character to resist the pull of context telling them they didn’t have time to stop and help, or that someone else would take care of it.

We have a choice here. We can point our fingers at the 90 percent who kept on walking, or we can acknowledge that context is a powerful force requiring effort to overcome. If we’re not vigilant, we, too, can become victims of context, allowing the situation we’re in to override the morals we aspire to live by.

We all like to believe we’d be the Good Samaritan, but walking past the wounded man is a lot easier than it sounds.

In the end, either you’ll shape your context, or your context will shape you.

Godly character makes all the difference.

What Does It Mean to Be Called by God?

 

Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws [calls] him.” What is God’s calling? Are you sure you are among those who are called?

Jesus Christ told His disciples, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). What did He mean by that? This article will explore:

• “No one can come to Me unless …”
• The called must choose to put on a “wedding garment.”
• What is a calling from God?
• The parable of the sower describes God’s calling.
• How to interpret the parable of the sower.
• How is it possible to be called but not chosen?
• How early Church members responded to God’s calling.
• God is calling people in stages.
• What happens to people who aren’t called or chosen in their lifetime?
• Is God calling me?
• You can know if God is calling you.
• Responding to God’s calling is a lifelong commitment.

“No one can come to Me unless …”

Earlier in His ministry, Jesus explained, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws [calls or invites] him” (John 6:44).

Can you imagine your telephone’s caller ID displaying “God calling” when your phone rings? Of course, His calling is much more subtle than that, but it is just as real. Jesus was telling the assembled crowds that no one can come to Him—that is, no one can become a Christian—unless the Father first calls that person.

Moments later, Jesus proved His own point. He told the crowds that His followers would have to eat His flesh and drink His blood (verses 53-60). Jesus’ teachings were shocking—so much so that John said many of Christ’s disciples took offense at His words and walked away for good (verse 66).

Seeing people struggle with His teachings, Jesus told His disciples, “Therefore, I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6:65).

The called must choose to put on a “wedding garment”

The phrase “Many are called, but few are chosen” comes from a parable (a story with a spiritual lesson) that Jesus told to illustrate the coming Kingdom of God. In the parable of the wedding feast, a king “arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding” (Matthew 22:2-3).

Long story short, the original wedding guests rejected their invitations (verses 3-6), and the king ultimately sent his servants to “go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding” (verse 9). As a result, “the wedding hall was filled with guests” (verse 10).

But the story didn’t end happily ever after for everyone. The king discovered that one of the guests arrived without a wedding garment, and the Greek words of the original text imply that this was an intentional, deliberate choice the guest made (see Vincent’s Word Studies on Matthew 22:12). By coming to the wedding in normal clothes, the guest was snubbing the king, the king’s son and the son’s bride.

In response, the king ordered the guest to be tied up and thrown into outer darkness (verse 13). Jesus concluded the parable by reminding His audience, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

What is a calling from God?

A calling from God is the process by which the Father draws (or calls) a person to Himself. It includes God’s opening a person’s mind to understand spiritual truth, and it is literally an invitation to salvation for that individual.

There is much confusion about the meaning of salvation, so let’s simplify it. In the physical sense, salvation means being rescued, usually from death. A person pulled from a burning building has been saved from a terrible death.

Similarly, spiritual salvation means being rescued or saved from eternal death. The difference is that spiritual death is a death from which there is no return, literally ceasing to exist. Christians who are saved, even if they experience physical death before Christ’s return, will be changed to spirit and live forever when He comes.

(Discover an important key for salvation in our article “How to Repent.”)

The parable of the sower describes God’s calling

So what does it mean that many are called, but few are chosen?

Jesus told another parable about God’s calling—the parable of the sower. “Behold, a sower [a farmer] went out to sow [plant seed]. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

“Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear [who can understand] let him hear!” (Matthew 13:3-9).

Do you know what Jesus meant? His own disciples didn’t. They were confused by the parable and privately asked for an explanation (Mark 4:10).

How to interpret the parable of the sower

In the parable, a farmer planting seed is likened to the work done by Jesus Christ and His Church. The seed is the gospel of the Kingdom.

Notice how Jesus explained it: “Therefore hear [understand] the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

“But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:18-23, emphasis added throughout).

This parable demonstrates that there are many people who have heard the message, now and throughout history. But God’s calling is something you have to respond to.

How is it possible to be called but not chosen?

Some people hear the gospel message, but Satan, “the wicked one,” snatches it away before they can even begin to process it. Some people hear it and receive it joyfully but without conviction, only to let go of it as soon as it creates a conflict in their lives. Others hear it but neglect to give it the time and attention it needs to thrive.

The seed only grows in those God the Father is calling and who choose to follow His way of life.

In other words, not everyone hears the gospel of the Kingdom. And of those who hear it, not everyone understands it. And of those who understand it, not everyone accepts it. Many are called, but few are chosen.

Not everyone who heard this parable understood what Jesus was talking about. Although the entire multitude heard the same words, different reactions were taking place in those who heard the message. Some did not “hear” the call. Some did hear, but chose not to respond to the call.

It is important to note that within the context of God’s plan of salvation for humankind, He is not opening everyone’s mind to the truth at the same time.

How early Church members responded to God’s calling

Another example of God calling only some during this age is found in the book of Acts. At the conclusion of Peter’s powerful sermon on the Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given, many who heard him were sorrowful and repentant, realizing that their sins required the death—the sacrifice—of Christ.

Notice their response: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [they were repentant] and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37).

Real repentance requires the person to act on the knowledge he or she has received. Conversion is much more than an emotional reaction.This is critically important: Real repentance requires the person to act on the knowledge he or she has received. Conversion is much more than an emotional reaction.

Peter responded, “Repent [turn your life around], and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (verses 38-39).

Notice the phrase “as many as the Lord our God will call.” Did everyone who heard the call positively respond that day by repenting and being baptized? No. “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized” (verse 41). Not everyone gladly received Peter’s words.

To be sure, God added about 3,000 people to His Church that day, but even so, many others who heard the call chose not to respond.

God is calling people in stages

Does the idea that God isn’t calling everyone today strike you as strange? If it does, it might surprise you to know it’s a truth you have most likely read many times—even though you might not have realized it!

You might be familiar with the biblical phrase the elect. An election is a means of choosing people for specific jobs or offices. The result of any election is that some are chosen or selected, and some are not. The biblical use of “the elect” has a similar meaning, only a spiritual application (see Romans 11:7; Colossians 3:12; 2 Timothy 2:10).

Only some people hear God’s calling in their lifetime. When they respond to that calling with repentance, they are selected, or chosen, by God to receive His Holy Spirit in this age.

This is what Christ was telling us when He said, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Of all the people who hear God’s calling, only those who respond with repentance become His chosen people—His elect.

What happens to people who aren’t called or chosen in their lifetime?

But this does not mean that most people are lost! God is working through a carefully laid-out plan whereby every individual who has ever lived will eventually hear and understand God’s calling. Those who respond in faith and obedience will be saved from eternal death.

God will not give eternal life to those who did the best they could with whatever religious beliefs they practiced—but He will give every human being the opportunity to hear and respond to His calling.

(Our article “Resurrections: What Are They?” covers the when, where, why and how of this part of God’s plan.)

Is God calling me?

How can you know if God is calling you—if you truly are being called to become a Christian and follow Jesus Christ? Answering the following questions will help:

• Have I accepted Christ as my personal Savior (for salvation from the death penalty for sin—breaking God’s laws)?
• Do I understand the Bible when I study it?
• Have I developed a relationship with God through prayer?
• Do I recognize that my natural inclination is to do things contrary to what God expects?
• Has my mind changed from resenting God’s laws to appreciating those laws as standards to live by?
• Do I recognize the need to live according to God’s laws in response to Jesus’ sacrifice for my sins?
• Do I put knowledge I gain from the Bible into action?
• Am I striving to obey God in every area of my life as I learn how He wants me to live?
• Have I discovered that the more I learn and act on biblical truths, the more I desire to learn still more?

The first awakening to this need for personal change often begins with the discovery of some element of God’s comprehensive truth in the Scriptures. Paul explained it this way: “God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification [setting apart] by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).

A person being called might suddenly find himself or herself understanding part of the Bible that he or she never grasped before.

You can know if God is calling you

If you understand what you are learning from the Bible and you see the need to change your life, God is beginning to work with you. If you see a need to obey His Commandments at the same time that you see how hard it is for you to do so, God is working with you.

He is drawing you—calling you—toward His Son and His way of life. He is showing you that you, too, need to repent, just like those who heard Peter’s instruction (Acts 2:37-38).

God will not force anyone to respond to His calling against his or her will. He never does that. It is up to you whether you will respond to His invitation to be part of the “firstfruits,” the first group of humans who will be changed to spirit and enter His Kingdom.

If you do not respond, God will eventually stop working with you in this age. If you respond, God will open your mind even more, and you will begin to build a stronger and stronger bond with Him.

(Looking for the church behind Life, Hope & Truth? See our “Who We Are” page.)

Responding to God’s calling is a lifelong commitment

We mentioned above that there is more to conversion and God’s calling than a fleeting emotional reaction to hearing God’s Word. It truly is a process that requires time, prayer, study, effort, change—and more. But every step you take is greatly rewarding!

Your actions don’t earn your salvation any more than the process of a stalk of grain growing from a seed earns life for the plant. But the growth process is still necessary, or else there would be no grain—and no salvation.

Choosing to respond to God’s calling means embarking on a life of personal, spiritual growth. We explain that process in many of the articles listed below. There you will find detailed biblical instructions on conversion, repentance and baptism. You will find specifics about how God wants you to live as a Christian.

We encourage you to read and study these articles to get a more complete picture of what God expects of you. If you have additional questions after reading this material, please contact us. We are always here to help.

The Problem With “Just as I Am” Christianity

 

The hymn “Just as I Am” has become shorthand for a type of easy, feel-good religion. But what does the Bible really teach about becoming a Christian?

“Just as I Am” is one of the most recognizable hymns in Protestant Christianity. Charlotte Elliott wrote it in 1835.

The story of “Just as I Am”

As the story goes, she was once visited by a Swiss preacher who asked her if she really was a Christian. This made her uncomfortable. She later admitted to him that the question greatly troubled her, and she told him, “I want to come to Jesus; but I don’t know how.”

The preacher answered simply, “Why not come just as you are? You have only to come to Him just as you are.”

Years later, Miss Elliott thought back on this conversation and penned the hymn “Just as I Am”—which eventually became a standard in Protestant hymnbooks. The hymn has seven stanzas, each beginning with the phrase just as I am and then describing aspects of Miss Elliott’s understanding of what it meant to come to Christ.

Nearly 99 years later, a young Billy Graham converted to Christianity after hearing this hymn at a revival meeting. He later became one of the most prominent evangelists of the 20th century.

Billy Graham would rent large venues for his crusades, work with the local pastors of many denominations and give powerful sermons centered on “coming to Christ.” The crusades would end with a stirring altar call where Mr. Graham would urge attendees to come forward to publicly accept Jesus as their Savior.

As hundreds filed down to make this profession, “Just as I Am” would play in the background. Some estimate that almost 3 million people have responded to these altar calls—but how many of those people remained committed churchgoers is debatable. 

“Just as I Am” and feel-good religion

The “just as I am” approach has come to imply that there is no need to change, and it is just a symptom of a major trend in today’s Christianity.

Many churches teach and practice a feel-good religion. Instead of focusing on commitment, struggle and character growth, many churches teach an easy form of Christianity. All one has to do is accept Jesus. Jesus loves you just as you are and just wants you to feel better about yourself.

Becoming a Christian is portrayed as being as easy as coming forward for an altar call or repeating a prayer for Christ to “come into your heart.”

Tanya Luhrmann, a psychological anthropologist, researched evangelical Christianity for years and authored the 2012 book When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship With God. In an interview with Christianity Today, she summed up modern evangelicalism this way: “What people want from faith is to feel better than they did without faith.”

In simple terms, it’s all about feelings and experiences.

Jesus’ message was very different

If Jesus was walking the earth as a man today, would His ministry be anything like the modern evangelical approach? Would He preach a “just as I am” message that focuses primarily on positive feelings and asks people to just believe on Him without making any changes in their lives?

His purpose was not for them to stay just as they were—but to help them become entirely new people.A central theme of this column is that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). We evaluate modern beliefs and practices by His words and example. We genuinely hope that our readers will reevaluate their beliefs and practices to make sure they align with Jesus Christ’s.

Sadly, the modern approach neglects many elements of the calls to action Jesus actually taught. Jesus interacted with and taught people who were looked down on in society for their moral failings—tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:10). But, as we will see, His purpose was not for them to stay just as they were—but to help them become entirely new people. 

Consider these elements of Jesus’ message that are often missing in the modern approach.

1. A strong call to real repentance.

Modern evangelical Christianity emphasizes belief and profession.

Believe on Jesus. Just accept Jesus. Give your heart to Jesus.

Of course, believing Jesus in faith is a crucial part of Christianity—but belief cannot stand alone. What is often less emphasized is believing and acting upon what Jesus actually taught. There is an immense difference between just believing in Jesus—and actually believing Jesus!

Jesus Himself lamented that many people believed in Him (calling Him “Lord”), but did not believe or do the things He said (Luke 6:46).

We mentioned above that Jesus at times would associate with sinners and was even harshly attacked for doing so! But when you read the account, you learn that He likened Himself to a physician (Matthew 9:12). He wanted to make them better—to raise them to a higher standard—to call sinners “to repentance” (verse 13).

Jesus’ message was all about a call to repentance from sin (Mark 1:15; 2:17). That requires identifying exactly what sin is—“the breaking of law” (1 John 3:4, Holman Christian Standard Bible). That is why the 10 Commandments must be regularly taught. If churches don’t teach about God’s law, people won’t even know what to repent of! Teaching about God’s law and sin should produce guilt. Not the kind of guilt that debilitates and festers in our lives; it should produce the kind of guilt—or “godly sorrow”—that motivates us to repent and change (2 Corinthians 7:10).

The apostle Paul strongly taught that we must change: “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19). Unfortunately, in an effort to get away from the “fire and brimstone” messages of past preaching, many preachers today focus entirely on a feel-good, “just as I am” message. God does love you, but He doesn’t want you to stay just as you are. He wants you to fundamentally change your life through true repentance.

To learn more about this often neglected message, study our articles on “Repentance.”

2. The necessity of baptism.

Many churches do practice baptism in various forms. Some practice full immersion; others, sprinkling or pouring. Others bypass any form of baptism altogether and encourage new converts to simply make a verbal confession of Jesus Christ as their Savior.

But if we accept the premise that Christianity should be based on following the example of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:21), then we can easily cut through the confusing melee of modern practices. In Matthew 3 we read that Jesus came to John the Baptist and was baptized. That baptism was clearly by full immersion because Matthew describes Jesus coming up out of the water (verse 16).

Technically, Jesus had no reason to be baptized. Baptism is a symbol of repentance (verse 11)—and Jesus had no sins to repent of. But He did it to set an example.

Just as His ministry began with His own baptism, His work on earth ended by giving His followers the command to make disciples and baptize them (Matthew 28:19). The rest of the New Testament shows many examples of the early Church following this command closely (Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12; 18:8).

It is to modern Christianity’s shame that true repentance and baptism have been replaced by many churches with a shallow, spur-of-the-moment verbal confession of belief. To learn more about biblical baptism, read “What Is Baptism?” To learn more about the kind of belief Jesus desires, see “Believe in the Gospel.”

3. Christianity is a struggle.

The acceptance of a feel-good, “just as I am” Christianity has also veiled another important part of Jesus’ message. Jesus did not describe Christianity as just feeling better about ourselves because we have been forgiven. He did not portray His Church as a place where Christians go to feel good and be entertained.

Jesus described Christianity as a struggle—a lifelong battle against sin!Jesus described Christianity as a struggle—a lifelong battle against sin!

Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily [an analogy of self-sacrifice], and follow Me” (Luke 9:23, emphasis added).

When Jesus talked about self-denial, He wasn’t talking about penance—punishing or denying the self in an attempt to achieve forgiveness. He was talking about a life of battling against sin.

In one of His most shocking teachings, Jesus said that if our eye or hand causes us to sin, we are to “pluck it out” or “cut it off” (Matthew 5:29-30).

This was a powerful word picture to show the importance of fighting sin. Our eyes and hands don’t literally cause us to sin; sin begins in the mind. If our mind is dwelling on sin, we have to remove those sins from our mind. If we are practicing sin through our body, we have to make drastic changes to stop.

The Christian life isn’t built around just feeling good about ourselves and avoiding guilt. It is a continual, disciplined struggle against sin and a proactive effort to develop the character of Jesus Christ with the help of God’s Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 9:27; Romans 13:14).

From “just as I am” to “just as He is”

The whole premise of today’s “just as I am” approach misses the mark of Jesus’ teachings. Christ’s message was not that God wants you to stay just as you are—but instead that God wants us to become just as He is. This means struggling, day by day and year by year, to inch closer and closer to becoming “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)! Jesus set the ultimate standard for Christians very high.

Will you embrace His standard or stay just as you are?

We have prepared two booklets that explain how to begin the process of becoming just as He is. Download and study Change Your Life! and The 10 Commandments: Still Relevant Today to learn more about how to fulfill God’s high standard for you.