My family and I saw the new A Christmas Carol movie starring Jim Carey a few days ago and were very impressed. The animation is amazing, and the the original storyline is followed for the most part. Each member of the family enjoyed the movie and agreed that it was well worth watching.
It is a movie that always causes me to reflect on my own life and consider those things that are truly important. I always come away contemplating missed opportunities to serve others and share God's love as well.
I was also impressed again by the sudden and noticeable change in Mr. Scrooge; the miserly curmudgeon became a catalyst for philanthropy and good-will overnight, literally overnight! As I was contemplating this phenomenon in old Ebenezer I was reminded that one who has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior truly is a new creation. One who was once spiritually dead has been made alive in Christ by the Holy Spirit and now has a new life on every level. The Christian has a new purpose and Lord he serves as well as a renewed relationship with God. Every aspect of life for the Christian should be filtered through the reality that it's all about God. Loving God with all of our being and loving others is our sole passion. With this in mind I was rattled again by the reality that so many professing Christians live lives that appear to be anything but loving, kind, or marked by sacrifice. The "change" doesn't seem to be there in the lives of so many professing Christians.
The sad fact is that this is not biblical salvation at all. The Bible does not espouse a faith that does not lead to a new life. In fact, the Bible is emphatic in teaching that true faith in Christ will lead to a new life. A life changed in regard to thoughts, words, actions, and purpose. I am not suggesting that we earn God's favor or salvation at all, but I am suggesting that a new creature in Christ should have a new desire to serve God by serving others. After all, Christians are Jesus' ambassadors on this earth.
Perhaps pastors and Bible teachers are raising up legions of "Ebenezer Scrooge Christians," Christians who are not being taught the reality that "anyone in Christ is a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Maybe the malaise that marks many Christians is partly due to apathetic spiritual leadership. Are we teaching true biblical Christianity, a life lived for God on every front where loving others is an outpouring of our love for God? May we as God's people show the love of God as we sacrifice for others, and may we remember that there must be a change in our life once we become followers of Christ. In this way we can follow the lead of Charles Dickens' famous character.
