Rites of Passage — Column by Mark Martinez
“My grandfather was a pastor, my parents are Christians, so yes, I am a Christian.”
I never miss an opportunity whenever somebody tells me that they are a Christian because somebody up their DNA chain is one.
“No, you’re not,” I replied. Let me tell you, he was not too happy to hear that response.
“Spiritual faith is not handed down through lineage. Likewise, going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to Killer Burger (my local favorite) doesn’t make you a bacon cheeseburger.”
This is the season we celebrate the annual holiday of Easter. The event recognizes the death of Jesus Christ as payment for our sin, and His rising from the dead to demonstrate His victory over death. While this free gift is available to everyone who would receive it, not all people do. It is a deliberate, conscious act of the will (mind) in order to experience forgiveness and set you free from the debt of sin (which should fill your heart). We each come to Christ on our own, not through our bloodline.
I mentor families that have 11- to 15-year-olds. One of the things I emphasize to every teen (and their parent, as a byproduct) is that there are two messages constantly battling for our mind, heart, spirit and soul. They are the Message of Culture and the Message of Christ, and they are in direct opposition to one another. What you believe will determine your values, and your values drive your actions. Your parent’s faith cannot be your faith. You must make your faith your own. That’s why people are often shocked when they learn that 3 out of 4 kids raised in a Christian family walk away from the church by the time they reach their mid-20’s. They have never claimed their parents’ faith as their own.
Think about it. Why do people wind up as alcoholics, drug addicts, liars and thieves, with unplanned pregnancies outside of marriage, murderers, sexual predators and all sorts of criminal behavior? It’s because their actions were in alignment with their values, and their values were compromised by their faith. The message of Christ is not in alignment with these actions. However, the message of Culture is.
This may be a hard message for you to read right now, and this article is not intended to be one of condemnation and accusation. Rather, it’s to emphasize the importance of knowing what you believe, because your actions will become the by product.
I’ll never forget the 14-year-old girl in one of my CROP classes who bravely admitted that she had not personally made a decision for Jesus Christ and had not accepted Him as Savior. Her mom, who was sitting right next to her, was shocked and wondered why not. I interjected by telling her how proud I was that she answered honestly about her faith, and I let her know that it’s okay to wrestle with the beliefs of your parents.
Just know that every good question that you have about the Christian faith has a great answer. You just have to be willing to ask it. She did ask me two questions that she had difficulty reconciling to this point about the Christian faith. I answered them, which gave her the clarity that she was looking for. About three weeks later, she went into her mom’s room and told her mom that she was ready to accept Christ as her own. Her mind was satisfied, and her heart followed.
This Easter season, I encourage you not to just play along if you’ve never truly received Jesus into your life for the forgiveness of your sins. Make a decision and ask someone to help you understand whatever issues may remain unsettled in your mind. Only when you surrender to Him can you truly be set free. Life will still be hard. It is for everyone. But it’s a lot harder without Him in your corner.
