Yes, I know that title engenders controversy.
What?!!! Being agreeable? I thought we Christians were supposed to be counter to the culture. We’re supposed to be set apart from the world.
When some secular voice states that we should not pray in public, we don’t agree.
When strident atheists scream that we Christians are haters, or bigots, or intolerant, we don’t agree.
So what’s this “Christianity=Agreeableness” ???
It’s this:
The Christian life is essentially about agreeing with God.
Because just about everything Jesus Christ calls us to requires a mind and heart attitude of agreeableness:
- Agreeing that God exists (Heb. 11:6)
- Agreeing that I am a sinner
- Agreeing that Jesus Christ is the only way to a relationship with God
- Agreeing to place my trust in Him
- Agreeing to listen to and obey the Word of God
- Agreeing to His prompting to do Kingdom work
- Agreeing to confess my sin and embrace God’s definition (not mine) of holiness
- Agreeing to believe by faith and not what my natural mind and eyes determine
- Agreeing to pursue Him above all other attractive things and philosophies
- Agreeing to live in love and unity with other Believers
And at any point along this continuum of the Christian walk that I don’t agree with God, I erect a stumbling block that hinders my journey with Him.
It’s a strange little word: agree.
Because it denotes both the passive and the active.
“Agree” can mean that one concurs or assents. Passive.
But “agree” can also mean to grant, as in, signing an agreement, or to work to harmonize with others. Active.
Kind of like a marriage agreement, don’t you think?
What a great little word!
