No-Lose Proposition

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Home > Men > Connect with God > Believe & repent

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Men of Integrity, Mar/Apr 2001

No-Lose Proposition
This Week's Theme: Repenting
Saturday, March 24

Q. Why do you love being a Christian?
A. Because it's the ultimate no-lose proposition. In virtually every arena of our lives we are evaluated and rewarded on the basis of performance.

On athletic teams, at the level where my playing performance peaked, I lost the opportunity to move to the next level of competition.

I also have 25 years of formal education under my belt. As long as I performed well I was able to advance academically and be rewarded with high grades and advanced degrees.

Even in ministry my success or failure is based on my performance. If people are helped I am praised and affirmed. When my performance slips or I fail to communicate effectively, I receive criticism. Enough criticism and my job is at risk.

The problem with this is that it puts us under incredible pressure. We all know that in every arena in which we perform we are eventually bound to fail.

So how is being a Christian different?
Becoming a Christian was the one experience of my life that was not based on my performance. I became a Christian on the basis of my failure and Jesus Christ's performance. The church is the one organization in the world that has as its criterion for membership our corporate failure. We come together because of our powerlessness and lack of performance. I've always believed that the ultimate motto of the church should be "We're all bozos on this bus!"

Bob Beltz is a pastor at Cherry Hills Community Church, Englewood, Colorado.

Adapted from: Becoming a Man of Prayer (NavPress, 1996).

Prayer for the Week

Father, You sent Your Son to overcome the power of sin. Please make me clean—and help me to be free from my sin.

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