Pennant Races?
How long have you been a Christian? Has it been just a short while, or many, many years? From time-to-time I’ll hear young folks comparing the amount of time they’ve been “saved,” almost like it’s a contest or something… It’s as if they’re saying, “Well, I’ve been saved two years longer than you, so I win the theological pennant!” The problems with this type of thinking are too numerous to consider in this writing, but I would like you to consider just one question. What’s more important–to have known the Lord longer, or to know the Lord better?
“We have much to say about this [Jesus being the “high priest”], but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” Hebrews 5:11-12
If you’ve won any of these, what I’ll call “church lobby pennants” and you’re not as far along as you should be in learning to know and love the Lord, then your “pennant” may actually be witnessing against you to the God who saved your soul. My advice: Get into the Word today… and pray that God will help you make up for lost time. You’ve got a mission from God that you’re ill prepared to take on! There are no “tenured” Christians!
In Christ,
PastorJimKilby @Kilbin8er Jim@JamesKilby.com