People Mover
Have you ever been to a large airport? If so, at one point in time you've probably stepped on a people mover. People movers are like exceedingly long treadmills that move people along a flat surface in one direction. Some people stand and rest while the belt moves them along. Some people, like me often have to make quick connections, so we walk or even jog to get to our gate more quickly.
People movers are interesting when observed from a distance. If you're watching from far enough away, it can be hard to discern the difference between those who are on the people mover and those walking along side of it. And so it is with Christianity.
It has come to my attention that there are those who believe and teach that all you have to do is simply acknowledge Christ as God and then you're saved. Some proclaim that they're Christians because they said a prayer. Others are convinced that because they go to church they're on the up and up. But the truth is, unless you surrender your life to Christ, you aren't saved. James reminds us that even demons believe Jesus is God (James 2:19), and demons are obviously not going to Heaven. What is the difference between demons who believe Jesus is who He says He is and Christians? Demons don't follow Christ. They follow Satan.
Let's think of a people mover as an analogy for Christianity. At the moment a person surrenders their life to Christ, they give up the right to demand their own way and submit to God's ways. God, then places the person on the people mover and begins to draw that person closer and closer to Him. In other words all Christians begin to follow Christ. It is not possible to "accept" Jesus and demand your own way. It is not possible to be a Christian and always refuse to follow. You do not get to say, "Yeah, I believe Jesus, but I'm going to do my own thing." If you won't surrender to Christ, you can walk alongside the people mover and appear to be following, but at any moment, you can turn around and go the other way. Unless you submit to God's ways and surrender your own way, you will not be placed on the people mover.
Some people on the people mover move slowly. Some people even stand backwards for a time. But the people mover moves everyone on it in the same direction. Some people run in the same direction as the people mover and go much faster than those standing backwards. But ALL Christians have surrendered to Christ. Those who haven't surrendered are wandering in their own directions outside of the people mover, and they are not Christians.
Who moves the people mover? God. Who put you on the people mover? God. Can you get on the people mover without knowing it? No. Can you trick bystanders into believing you are on the people mover by running alongside of it for a time? Sure. But at any point, people off the people mover, can permanently change direction.
The people mover is the narrow path. Everyone on that path follows Christ. John 10:27 says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." Sheep, those on the people mover, hear God's voice and they follow Him. They don't just hear and do nothing. The nothing doers are goats. Goats observe and do their own thing.
People movers are interesting when observed from a distance. If you're watching from far enough away, it can be hard to discern the difference between those who are on the people mover and those walking along side of it. And so it is with Christianity.
Let's think of a people mover as an analogy for Christianity. At the moment a person surrenders their life to Christ, they give up the right to demand their own way and submit to God's ways. God, then places the person on the people mover and begins to draw that person closer and closer to Him. In other words all Christians begin to follow Christ. It is not possible to "accept" Jesus and demand your own way. It is not possible to be a Christian and always refuse to follow. You do not get to say, "Yeah, I believe Jesus, but I'm going to do my own thing." If you won't surrender to Christ, you can walk alongside the people mover and appear to be following, but at any moment, you can turn around and go the other way. Unless you submit to God's ways and surrender your own way, you will not be placed on the people mover.
Some people on the people mover move slowly. Some people even stand backwards for a time. But the people mover moves everyone on it in the same direction. Some people run in the same direction as the people mover and go much faster than those standing backwards. But ALL Christians have surrendered to Christ. Those who haven't surrendered are wandering in their own directions outside of the people mover, and they are not Christians.
Who moves the people mover? God. Who put you on the people mover? God. Can you get on the people mover without knowing it? No. Can you trick bystanders into believing you are on the people mover by running alongside of it for a time? Sure. But at any point, people off the people mover, can permanently change direction.
The people mover is the narrow path. Everyone on that path follows Christ. John 10:27 says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." Sheep, those on the people mover, hear God's voice and they follow Him. They don't just hear and do nothing. The nothing doers are goats. Goats observe and do their own thing.
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