There is no Cause of/for the Real Christ

S - "But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, "Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also." Acts 23:11 NASB … “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,” Philippians 1:-12-13

O - These verses are the two times in the NASB New Testament where the idea of a cause for or of Christ is presented.  Both times the term "cause" is completely absent in the Greek.  In Acts 23 Jesus actually says to Paul "as you have solemnly witnessed the things concerning me".  He did NOT give witness to a cause but to a person.  In Philippians it says literally "the bonds of me manifest in Christ" i.e. imprisonment in Christ … not in a cause.  Humans want other humans to think there is a cause worth giving one's life to. Hell wants humans to think they are called to a cause. Heaven wants all humans to know they are not called to a cause but to a person.  Jesus never called one person to a cause … only to himself.  "Follow Me" is the call (money, missions [i.e. causes/projects] and methods all want to divide us). Jesus wants us all together in one spirit, mind and heart following him. Any cause for Christ comes not from heaven but from earth or hell.

A - Communists, Capitalists, Atheists, Military, Political and Religious Leaders all love causes.  The cause provides them with a tool to enlist, direct, judge and even execute others.  All causes eventually end in division and death … all of them (religious causes are among the worst).  Jesus calls the entire human race to himself … never to a cause.  While he has given me various assignments over the years they were never the point of my life or daily activity.  He is the point … and all who follow him are known by the only one qualifier he identified: all will know you are following me if you love one another. The cause will want me to love it more than someone who appears to be hindering or resisting it.  It's what tragically divided Paul and Barnabas (cf. Acts 15:36-39). Jesus doesn’t' want us divided but united.  It's very specific in his living (John 10), teaching (John 15) and praying (John17).  We're called to Jesus and to live as an answer to his prayer rather than a cause of it.  I want to be an answer and not a cause … I will follow him.

P - Lord who is life,

I accept your call to yourself … and am grateful to work with you in what you've already decided to do.  Thank you for wanting us to work with you and never for you.  Thank you for not calling me to a cause but to your very self.  You lead and I'll follow according to love. 

I love you back,

Steve