Why Christianity is More Than “Just As I Am”
I love the song, “Just As I Am.” The words–especially the opening lyrics–are some of the most soul-stirring that we sing.
Just as I am without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come; I come.
The concept is simple, but so moving. When we come to Jesus, we are not already “cleaned up” from our sin. Instead, we realize that only His blood can cleanse us, so we come just as we are.
If I am one who has a problem with alcohol, I admit it and let the blood of Jesus forgive me.
If I struggle with homosexuality, I come with that sin and allow Jesus’s blood to take that sin away.
If I am a gossip, I come with that struggle, realizing that Christ is my only hope.
But then, the struggle continues.
One of the hard things about becoming a Christian is that too many do not realize just how strongly we will be tempted after we put Christ on in baptism. Though we are cleansed of our sin at the point of being baptized, we are still tempted, and sometimes very strongly. Satan continues to war against our soul and, sadly, we often give in.
But for some, they carry the idea of “Just as I Am” too far in their Christian life.
Here’s what I mean. We live in a time when there are many people who wear the name of Christ, but who also say that we should be like the world so that we can win the world to Him.
If you have friends who drink, they say we should go ahead and drink some, but just make sure to talk about Jesus over your glasses of wine or while knocking back a few beers during the game on Saturday afternoon. That way, you are showing that a Christian is just another person, not some holier-than-thou saint.
If the people around you use coarse language, then, by all means, go ahead and use that same kind of language, just so long as you throw in some gospel with it. That way, others will see that you aren’t “too good” to talk to.
If the community around you isn’t very church-going, then why have services on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, or even on Sunday for that matter? Just move worship to whenever you choose, without regard for the dictates of Scripture. That way, people will see that the church isn’t out of touch with the culture.
When people act this way, they give reasons that sound very kindhearted. They are reaching people that the church doesn’t care about, they say. They aren’t judgmental in the way most Christians are. They are showing people that Christians are just people and still have struggles.
That all sounds good, but let’s think just for a moment. Is this the way the world was won for the Lord? Do we have the God-given right to reach the world this way?
Paul went to Corinth and brought the Gospel with him. Can you for even one second imagine Paul going to the pagan temple prostitutes and committing such sins, just so he could show people that he was “just like the culture”? After all, that’s what was popular in that society, so shouldn’t he have just fit in, so they would see that he was just another guy?
Yes, Jesus went to people who struggled with many sins, but Jesus never took part in those sins in order to win them over. Instead, He lovingly confronted them, all the while remaining pure.
When Peter and the other apostles were accused of being drunk on the Day of Pentecost, they did not wear that accusation as a badge of honor which showed they were just like other people. Instead, they defended their purity and taught a very powerful message about salvation in Christ.
When we choose to do sinful things we are not shining the light of Christ. We are dimming our lamp.
I am not perfect. I came to Jesus “just as I [was]” in 1990, but I still sin at times. I readily admit that.
However, I do not wear my sins as a badge of honor, or as some way through which I can win other people to the Lord.
Instead, I see the sins I commit as an affront to a Holy God, a rebellion against the undeserved sacrifice His Son made on my behalf, and as the exact opposite of the example I need to show before a watching world. I am ashamed when I sin, not proud that it makes me look just like other people.
So, while it may start with “Just as I Am,” maybe our kids have it right when they sing the little words, “He’s still workin’ on me!”
Let’s not try to be like the sinful world in order to win the world to a sinless Christ. Let’s show them how beautiful and pure heaven will be, all the while realizing that we need to continue to realize, confess, and repent of our sins.
“Do not change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within by a new way of thinking.” (Romans 12:2, NCV)
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
