BARANGAY RAWIS, Legazpi City, Philippines — Waves clawed on the shore as children of ages three to five tumbled and ran on the sand. They wore scant clothing, some in their undies and others with no undies. There did not seem to be an adult around to watch them and if they decided to plunge to the sea, I guess no one would notice until probably they drowned. They stopped momentarily when they saw me. "Ate, mag-Bible story ba tayo?" I was punctured. It was getting dark.
A coastal community in Legazpi City, the children of barangay Rawis are among the malnourished, underweight, stunted and wasted children in the country. In this very moment when they needed spiritual feeding, I was caught with my spirituality down. The authenticity and chastity of my being a Christian and my vow to serve God was challenged.
Sometimes those who choose to accept Christ in their lives, those who profess to heed the calling to serve God, those who say they labor in God's vineyard as His ministry workers need to look inwards and find out for themselves if they have the food to feed the spiritually hungry or if they have been too stingy with food for themselves. Many Christians today are walking on thin ice between being a cultural Christian and an authentic Christian.
In his 2000 book, "The Case For Faith," Lee Strobel writes that "there are many, many true Christians who are in visible churches; but just because a person is part of a church doesn't necessarily mean he or she is a follower of Jesus. Some people are cultural Christians but not authentic Christians."
The authenticity of a Christian anchors on a two-worded directive: FOLLOW ME. The Old Testament bares record when God told Moses that to love the Lord with all one's heart, mind and being, He must obey God's commandment first and love thy neighbour. Then in the New Testament, Jesus the Christ told his disciples to deny self, take up the cross and "FOLLOW ME." The authenticity test of a Christian is a thin ice, a thin line called "FOLLOW ME."
When Peter asked Jesus to make him walk on the water, Jesus gave him a one-worded directive, "Come" but Peter faltered and doubted and he ended up sinking. No matter how thin the ice, an authentic Christian can walk on the water if and only if that Christian can follow and obey God's command with all his heart, mind and being. This means that an authentic Christian must bear the seal and indwelling of the Holy Spirit and be Holy Spirit intervened so God can use him according to His Will and Purpose.
Of Doubters and Cravers.
The problem with many Christians today and that includes even those in ministry work is that we live in a life of smokescreens. We are "congenital doubters" and consigned cravers. We like to take detours believing it is a shortcut, only to find out it was a tortuous trail.
To be an authentic Christian is to find time to sit down and gather the children and give a Bible story even if it is getting dark and boisterous wind and waves are clawing on their bodies. To be an authentic Christian is to reach out to those who have hurt you, backbited you, gossiped about you and offended you because no matter what you do, he is your neighbour and God commanded you to love and have compassion for your neighbour.
To be an authentic Christian is to look for ways to preach God's word, perform God's music and preserve God's message fully aware of the risks of persecution and separation from things that are not of God. It is true that many of those who choose to serve God are materially depraved and deprived. To be physically hungry and malnourished are but light afflictions in comparison to the affliction of humanity who are spiritually hungry and malnourished. How many Christians are just Christians in lifestyle and culture but when the going gets tough, give in to doubt and obey their worldly cravings. How many Christians are too busy nurturing their "cerebral doubts" and intellectual arrogance rather than getting on their knees and pray with anguish seeking for Holy Ghost fire? How many preachers and priests today deliver eloquent messages but live and walk a life devoid of repentance and offense?
Mustard Seed.
Jesus the Christ bares record that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Faith is not to be mixed with feelings. Faith is not a spiritual high. Faith is a surrendered will, completely believing on God to take control. One can only become an authentic Christian when in a surrendered will, the Holy Spirit intervenes and takes full control so that an authentic Christian bears God's image, is a testimony of the Christ in him and is sensitive to sin. He lives a life as if each day were Judgment Day.
It only takes doubt as small as a mustard seed for Satan to enter, claw his way into a Christian's life with waves of doubts and cravings. Before a cultural Christian knows it, he will be tumbling in sands of sin, walk in thin ice and drown.