The Check-In Christian
We live in a culture of “bless ups,” “heavenly salutes,” and “spiritual shout-outs.” Acknowledgement has replaced accountability and it’s become acceptable to take one speck of God and attempt to smear Him over our entire lives like jelly on a piece of bread. In every other category, our society requires consistent visible proof that someone is “about the life” that they claim.
Whether it’s a rapper required to keep up the thuggish mentality he spits about in his music or a vegan environmentalist who is expected to stand up for all forms of life. One category in which the world requires we be held to no ongoing standard is in our walks with God.
Illustration by Michael Andrew @mandrewspalding
The moment that rapper is caught “acting soft,” his entire street credibility is questioned and as soon as that vegan environmentalist is seen eating meat, her whole lifestyle is viewed as a lie. Yet, an individual can live a life unrepresentative of Christ every day of the week, but because they attend church on Sunday, all the other aspects of their life are deemed as simply another part of who they are. The common belief is that those other aspects are still in line with their faith because overall, they’re a good person. Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Here, God is telling us to ignore the world’s idea that we are able to live a life of unrepentant sin under the facade we are in His grace simply because we take a moment to actively recognize His existence.
NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. EITHER YOU WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR YOU WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. –MATTHEW 6:24
Have you ever wondered why at award shows, everyone claps so hard when the winning artist, usually the one that proudly dropped the most vulgar and explicit songs of the year, thanks God for all they’ve accomplished and gives Him credit for everything they’ve done? We’ve gotten to a place where we view God as the source of success. Which He is, but the danger in viewing Him as only a source is that it creates the belief He needs nothing from us. A renowned unfaithful man going on about how much he loves his wife would have every woman’s eyes in the room rolling because naturally the love he claims and his persistent infidelity don’t mix. The same goes for our relationship with God. It’s a two-way street. Ephesians 5:8 says, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” In other words, how can we walk as children of the light, if we cover ourselves in darkness? Better yet, how can we claim to be children of the light and be covered in darkness? God confirms it for us. It’s definitely not possible.
“FOR AT ONE TIME YOU WERE DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD. WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.”
—EPHESIANS 5:8
It’s easy to fall into the ways of the check-in Christian because the world tells us our faith is one area where we can live however we want as long as we give God some air time here and there. However, God doesn’t just want to be on our lips, he wants to be in our hearts and evident in our lives. He wants others to know you walk with Him without having to say a word.
“GOD DOESN’T JUST WANT TO BE ON OUR LIPS, HE WANTS TO BE IN OUR HEARTS AND EVIDENT IN OUR LIVES.”
The difference between being a check-in Christian and a follower of Christ is that one knows He’s there, the other has actually taken the time to know Him. Think about the areas in your life outside of your faith that you know people would never call into question because it’s a consistent part of who you are that shows up in everything you do. Perhaps you’re the hooper who always has on basketball shorts under his pants because you never know when somebody might need to get dunked on or the photographer who never leaves home without her camera because you see the world in pictures just waiting to be taken. That’s how God wants the two of you to be. He wants to be your home, not just a hotel. See, when you live in Him, there’s never a need to check-in.