He's having some serious health problems and his ability to work has been seriously compromised so much so that, for months, he's been unable to pay his rent or meet the most basic living expenses.
Were it not for the sacrificial aid of members of his family and Evie and me and the people of Faith, he'd have lost his home by now.
But, due to acts of mercy shown to him by a number of people, all of whom, as far as I can tell, have been motivated by a desire to practice mercy as disciples of Jesus, he is surviving.
This guy knows that the people keeping him in his home and putting food on his table follow Jesus...
...and he knows the Good News...
...and, based on contact I've had with him over a number of years, he believes the gospel, at least intellectually.
Yet, he is not living as a follower of Jesus.
He's an alcoholic. He lives in a odd shack up relationship with a girlfriend, even though, based on the last I've heard, they both are still married to other people.
And, again, he knows the Good News. And, he believes that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He rose, etc.. The whole story.
He believes it all. Without doubt.
So, why doesn't he live as if Jesus is his Lord?
He loves his old ways too much.
He likes booze.
He likes having sex with his honey.
And, based on observing the choices he's been making, while his knowledge of the gospel creates tension for him, there's no question that his love for the old ways is stronger than his desire to live for Jesus, no matter how firmly he believes the Jesus story.
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The preaching of the gospel by Jesus and His New Testament followers, wisely, made believing a second action in becoming a disciple.
The Gospel of Mark tells it succintly.
Jesus began to proclaim that:
1. The time had come.
2. The Kingdom of God was near.
Then he called for two acts in response:
The second of those two was to believe the Good News.
What act was first in order and first in importance?
Repentance!
"The time has come. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News."
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Believing comes from the mind. It's rather easy to do.
Repentance, though, while it is a change in the way a person thinks, is an act that comes from the heart.
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Jesus said that the greatest command in the law is, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart..."
More and more, as I live among the unrepentant, I think that what separates people who merely believe from those who repent and believe is obedience to the so-called Great Command.
Our acquaintance whose life is crumbling accepts the gospel message as being truth but he won't live the life that the Lord Jesus demands..
...because what he loves with all his heart is the booze and the sex and the other pieces of his old life.
What his heart clings to won't permit him to repent, no matter how firmly he believes in the truth of the gospel.
It strikes me that many churches today are filled with people who firmly believe the Good News but whose hearts are not entirely in love with the Lord.
They live believing, yet unrepentant.
By the definition of Jesus, they are not apart of the Kingdom of God.
We must repent.
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