Esse Quam Videri- "To be, rather than to appear"
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLrrBs8JBQo&hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=344]
Galatians 5 1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Mathew 10 32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Philippians 2 14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
James 2 8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
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So what will you do, then, whom will you serve? We can choose to be happy with the gift of salvation and try to coast to the finish line and say, "Thank you Jesus for your miraculous gift!" Or we can say that we want more. We can decide that we want to finish this race looking toward the prize when we hear Jesus hopefully utter the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
I do not want any of us to create this illusion of grandeur that we are better than we really are. Be careful with that assumption, because God will judge the secrets of all men. It is through Christ that we are sanctified and he calls us to live holy lives and to go and disciple others.
So here is the bottom line: As for me and my househould we will serve the Lord. So what about you? Esse Quam Videri - do you choose to be a Christian or rather prefer just to appear to be. Whatever you choose, remember that you cannot choose to serve two masters, what do you have to let go? Who are you going to have in your life hold you accountable? Are you reading God's Word daily? Are you praying regularly? Are you making time for God in your life?
