The False Impressions
of ‘Celebritised’ Christianity
The one thing that has me frustrated recently is many
articles and apparent Christian quotations from Paul Walker who died recently
in a car accident. Paul Walker was well known for his star role in ‘The Fast
and Furious’ movie series. Many of these articles are quoting Paul Walker as a
Christian, and therefore we as Christians should be at peace with his death as
a response. I want to make it very clear that I’m not attacking Paul Walker,
nor am I saying that Paul Walker is in hell. As a Christian I strongly believe
that judgment completely rests in God’s hands. At the same time, there are
signs of knowing what to look for in
a true believer.
Jesus says in Matthew 7:15-17
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.”
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.”
In this particular passage Jesus speaks of
two kinds of people, both outwardly agreeing to be believers in some measure.
However there’s a distinguishing difference between the two, both might appear
to have come from the same proverbial tree but the outward signs of the fruit
show what is produced is either good or bad. So what is good fruit? In
Galatians 5:22-23 we see the signs of the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,[a] 23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such things there is no law.
These are the essential fruits of knowing a
true believer. Jesus goes on in saying in Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My
Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t
we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles
in Your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’
Jesus emphasises that although a person may emphatically call Jesus Christ ‘Lord’, it most certainly doesn’t save them. And they may very well have done many things, even miracles but still be cast out as a lawbreaker. So what does the difference look like? Jesus certainly doesn’t leave anyone in the dark on this one! He goes on to explain what is meant by the above statement.
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!”
Jesus speaks here of two kinds of people. Both of which are actively building houses yet the house that survives is grounded on the rock. Essentially Jesus is saying that unless your life is so dependent upon Christ, than you’re building on sand! We should be a people who continually check the foundation for what it is we’re building our lives on. Do the things we do and say reflect the glory of God?
As I mentioned earlier, I do not have the power to say “Paul Walker is in hell!” But as a Christian who has read and understood these passages, it is clear that Christ has given us a foundation of understanding true biblical Christianity. So what does true biblical Christianity look like in a celebrity? Consider someone like Tim Tebow, the American footballer who has made frontline in sporting magazines, sporting interviews and who openly shares his faith about Christ. I admire someone like Tebow who puts Christ first above his celebrity career, he’s a man who checks the foundation to make sure he’s building on the rock!
Jesus emphasises that although a person may emphatically call Jesus Christ ‘Lord’, it most certainly doesn’t save them. And they may very well have done many things, even miracles but still be cast out as a lawbreaker. So what does the difference look like? Jesus certainly doesn’t leave anyone in the dark on this one! He goes on to explain what is meant by the above statement.
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!”
Jesus speaks here of two kinds of people. Both of which are actively building houses yet the house that survives is grounded on the rock. Essentially Jesus is saying that unless your life is so dependent upon Christ, than you’re building on sand! We should be a people who continually check the foundation for what it is we’re building our lives on. Do the things we do and say reflect the glory of God?
As I mentioned earlier, I do not have the power to say “Paul Walker is in hell!” But as a Christian who has read and understood these passages, it is clear that Christ has given us a foundation of understanding true biblical Christianity. So what does true biblical Christianity look like in a celebrity? Consider someone like Tim Tebow, the American footballer who has made frontline in sporting magazines, sporting interviews and who openly shares his faith about Christ. I admire someone like Tebow who puts Christ first above his celebrity career, he’s a man who checks the foundation to make sure he’s building on the rock!
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