Let the Competition Stop

Christianity is Jesus - Only Jesus

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

True Christianity appears when only the life of Jesus appears. Whenever there is any competition with the life of Jesus, then Christianity immediately disappears as true Christianity. Christianity is the appearing of life of Jesus in me as I live as one with Him. Competition is the death of oneness.

This is why I must die with Christ in order to live in Christ. This is why I must constantly consider myself already crucified with Christ and already alive in Christ to God. Romans 6:11 “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Moment by moment I must live the life I now live by faith in the Son of God and not by faith in anything or anyone else - especially faith in me. Faith in me is competition with Jesus. It is time to let the competition stop.

Jesus taught us to think of Christianity as a kind of light or a kind of salt. Matthew 5: 13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Both light and salt are by their very nature fragile on the one hand and powerful on the other.

Both light and salt are judged by their moment by moment availability and readiness. They are only as good as they are good at the present moment. If they are not good at the moment of someone’s need for them, they are no good at all.

My Christianity is only as good as it is right now. The moment my Christianity comes into contact with someone’s need for light and salt it must be ready. Jesus is ready moment by moment. He has proven this once and for all as He lived among us and died for us. When I am not competing with Him, I am ready. If Christianity is not ready all the time, it will not be ready at the right time. Jesus is ready. Am I?

For Christianity to appear in me as good at any moment, I must be one with Christ. To be one with Christ I must lose my life in this world and find it in Him. There must be no competition with Jesus in me for me to be good light or salt - good Christianity. Anything that competes with Christ in me is sure to stop the revelation of Christ in me.

Matthew 10:34 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Moment by moment the very reality of true Christianity being visible and available in the world is directly linked to where I am finding my life at the moment. To abide is to find one’s life in Jesus moment by moment. To abide is to be enjoying a barrier-free relationship with the perfect presence and life of the true Vine. To abide is to live one moment at a time satisfied in Jesus.

For this to occur I must hear Jesus say “without Me you can do nothing.” This is poverty of Spirit and this is where true Christianity always begins in a human life.

Christianity is communion with Jesus. It is never competition with Jesus. Competition is always the death of communion. When there is arguing and debating in your mind, emotions and will, you are not dead enough to be living salt and light in that moment.

Christianity is the ultimate, eternal reality because Jesus is Christianity. Though Christianity cannot lose, it can lose its saltiness and light as Jesus waits for me to abide. True Christianity will be hidden when competition with Jesus appears in me.

“Abide in Me” says Jesus. Let the competition stop now.

Abide.