The Serious Christian

Ever notice that some Christians are more serious than others? Not that their countenance is stony and their heart is hard, rather, their pursuit of Christ is something that catches your eye. You want to be like them. They inspire you. Their easy, yet steadfast faith almost takes your breath away when compared to your own. What is it about these people that seems almost as if they’re clothed even now with the glory of Heaven?

Usually, when we think of a “serious” Christian, we might think of one who is legalistic or stern, someone who is more disciplinarian than disciple. Surely that seems to be the caricature of evangelicals by unbelievers. But I’m not talking about legalists or those who think having a tattoo sends you to Hell. I’m talking about those Christians who are so in love with Christ that their walk with Him is almost like a love affair. They seem to have an understanding of Jesus that the average pew-sitter does not have.

I am of the opinion these Christians are forged by Christ Himself to stir up His church to look unto Him. For reasons only Jesus knows, He gives some Christians a fuller measure of grace to chase after Him as He skips across the mountains like a young stag. The Spirit does a work in their hearts so that they adore studying Scripture and never forsake their prayer closets. They have no distractions in their lives, or if they do, they don’t let these distractions distract them from their pursuit of Christ.

Part of how Christ shapes these Christians is through their own prayers. I believe He inspires these to pray for Him to make them into serious Christians. “Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!” This is the prayer of those who chase after Jesus. They seem to instinctively know the will of God is for them to be a strong and faithful believer. The Spirit inspires them to pray in that direction. They ask God for more faith, more drive, more desire for Him. They know they cannot love Him in the way He commands in Scripture, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, without His help. So they ask for Him to help them love Him.

Serious Christians have a deeper communion with the Spirit of God because of this. They know the fruit of their lives is the result of their pleading prayers, and therefore they take no credit for their demeanor, and know the work in their hearts is God’s alone. It is this mark of the Spirit upon them that others recognize. Old theologians call this mark “unction”, and it’s what allows the serious Christian to also be a fruitful Christian.

When a believer seeks after God with all their heart, they begin to see and understand the depths of God’s truth in Scripture. When they explain these things to others, they are seen as having gifts of wisdom, discernment, and often teaching. Scripture recall is easy for these, as they have meditated on God’s Word, and His Spirit brings the Word into their remembrance. Often, God gifts them with various ways to communicate these truths in deep, yet simple ways, sometimes via sermons, writing, speeches, art, or song.

God uses these serious children of His to raise the spiritual temperature of the believers around them. He gifts them to various churches, and often, the congregations they fellowship with transition from superficial teaching to deep, meaty doctrine over the course of a few years. It’s also possible God cleans house within these congregations and removes sinning or unbelieving leadership. This happens not necessarily due to direct involvement by the serious Christian, rather, it is due to their prayers for their church and for their pastors, and God hears them.

Very often what is done in secret is rewarded openly. Church leadership might not know why God is moving so mightily in their congregations, but the serious Christian knows. The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

However, these serious Christians are the ones you wouldn’t expect. They have no pomp or circumstance. They are often the widows, the orphans, or the ones bent over in pain. They are the ones God has mightily humbled, the soft-spoken ones, with easy smiles and warm hearts. Their faith shines from them like the sun, and you cannot help but want to stand in these rays, hoping for some of their warmth to warm your own heart.

Like a lit match, these Christians are the ones who ignite others and inspire them to likewise be serious about their faith. This is how God incites revival. Rarely does revival come to the big tent meeting; revival comes to the heart of the serious Christian, and that passion for Christ spreads to the hearts and minds of those around them. Due to this, God makes sure the vessels He uses are the weak, the broken, the downtrodden, the overlooked, in order to show the world the glory of His great power to move among the hearts of men.

You do not need to be around a serious Christian for long to know they are being used mightily of God. They have an air about them, a fragrance of Christ, and often you find yourself glancing over at them in curiosity. It is even possible to recognize these Christians with “unction” of the Holy Spirit in history. Their lives shined so brightly in their day and age, the unction is obvious. Men like Jonathan Edwards or Charles Spurgeon. Women like Amy Carmichael or Corrie Ten Boom.

How can one become one of these serious Christians? How can one come to pursue the Living God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? Do you recognize superficiality in yourself? Do you notice a certain boredom when reading Scripture? Does your mind wander in prayer? Are you always tired in church? Do you feel cold and at times shut off from God? The good news is there is a cure for these maladies. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

God forges serious Christians on the anvil of humility. He will not reveal Himself to anyone who wishes these gifts for their own gain, to be seen as “mighty” in their church. He only moves in the heart of the believer who wants to adore Christ for Christ’s own sake, not their own. Cater your prayers to ask God for what you do not have. Drive. Passion. A heart on fire. Ask God for a strong desire to study, to pray, to know Him above all things lest you die!

These are the prayers of those who shine forth like the sun at full strength. Ask God for the unction of His Holy Spirit, not for your glory, but for His. But be advised, these are dangerous prayers. The serious Christian does not have dry eyes. They often have broken hearts. They weep and cry like Jeremiah, wondering why no one listens to the things they have to say. The sad truth of the serious Christian is they are sometimes overlooked by other Christians. They’re not understood, they can be seen as morose, or perhaps the more superficial believers feel threatened in their presence. Conviction of their thin faith isn’t welcome, and this pains those who are lovers of God.

Just as in Scripture, God conforms these children in the wilderness - on their own. It matters not if they have fellow believers in their family. The serious Christian is often required to walk this road alone, without family, friends, or even their own spouse. In this way, God tests their resolve. Do they love their spouse, their family, or their friends more than they love Christ? Or are they willing to lay them all aside to chase after the all-consuming fire of the King of Glory?

Ultimately, the greatest test to give yourself to know whether or not you are a serious Christian, or that God is about to mold you into one, is this: How much do you love and adore the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is He to you? Does your heart take flight at His name alone? Do you fall at His feet as though dead when you meditate on all that He has given to you through His crucifixion, death, and resurrection? Does this literally take your breath away? Is your mind drawn to Him again and again throughout the day, no matter what you’re doing? Does Christ seem to be the great obsession of your heart? Do you have a secret inner life of prayer that no one knows a thing about? Do you often find yourself weeping to Jesus that no one else around you is as serious about their faith as you are about yours?

These are the marks of a serious Christian. While it can be terrifying to know you’ll be required to walk this road alone, I daresay there is no more fulfilling road to walk this side of Glory. You will have a communion with Christ other Christians don’t share. You will have wisdom rooted in His Word that He only reveals to those who humbly seek Him. You’ll have a greater sense of His presence and love upon you. He will become your all, your everything, the One for whom your heart beats. If this is God’s calling upon your life, you cannot run from it. He will chase you down until you submit to Him lavishing this grace upon you.

But do not fear this, beloved. Our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen you out of His other disciples to be one of His closest friends. This is a magnificent honor. Be a light unto your church and your brethren, and go forth clothed in the fragrance of Christ. Never, never be ashamed to wear His name, and know that His banner over you is love. The serious Christian is Christ’s own gift to His church. If you recognize these marks within yourself, then Jesus will guide you, lead you, and make you fruitful for His Kingdom.

Through your one passionate heart, O serious Christian, God is on the move. Praise the Lord.