As we were driving along M-15 or M-46, somewhere between Bay City and Sandusky, we passed an old, run-down church that was in desperate need of repairs. On the sign it read: “Sellin' Out! Make an Offer!” Now, I don't know the story behind this little church and why it was “selling out” (perhaps the congregation size had dwindled to only a few and they merged with another congregation or maybe they just didn't have the budget to cover the costly repairs that the building required, so they moved to another location), but it struck me that the concept of “selling out” is too prevalent in Christian society today. Wikipedia defines “selling out” in the following manner (I don't usually put much stock in the information on Wikipedia, but I needed a nice description):
Selling out refers to the compromising of one's integrity, morality, and principles in exchange for money, 'success', or other personal gain. It is commonly associated with attempts to increase mass appeal or acceptability to mainstream society. A person who does this, as opposed to following the original path [he or she] laid (or claimed to lay) out for him/herself, is labeled a sellout and regarded with disgust and immediate loss of respect. Selling out is seen as gaining success at the cost of credibility. (“Selling Out.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selling_out.)
This message is for people that have followed Christ or have at least professed to follow Christ and then have turned back or turned away. In other words, this is for Christians and people that at least proclaim to be a Christian, but have given up the Christ-life for something else. You call yourself a Christian: you've made a commitment to follow Christ and you've laid a path before you—you're going to follow in the footsteps of the Lord. Then, for some gain or other advantage, whether real or perceived, you change that path. Maybe it goes completely in the opposite direction. Or, maybe it just doesn't follow the Lord's way quite as closely or takes a few other turns. Whether your faith isn't as sincere or strong (backing off), it's a little bit mixed with worldly desires (compromise), or it's completely dead (turning your back on God)—you're a sellout.
Some people directly choose to sellout. They decide that they've given God a try and now they want to do something else. They want to go and live life to the fullest. They want to do all the stuff that Christians aren't supposed to do. They perceive that their faith has limited their possibilities in finding love relationships, lots of friends, happiness, or success in their career. They think it's held them back and been a hurdle so now they want to leave the Christian life and find a secular life. They chose to sellout and then began looking for the right offer. Other people don't choose to sellout, at least not directly. These people are going along, living the Christian life and then someone or something comes along, making an offer that seems too good, and next thing you know, they've begun to compromise a bit, selling out in certain parts of their life. I guess the end result is still the same. They haven't been faithful to God. They sold out.
Revelation 2:4
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 3:1
...I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
So, maybe you're a sellout. Maybe you decided that you'd give up your faithful relationship with God for success, happiness, friends, popularity, or whatever. Are you hearing offers? Are there temptations in your life to compromise the commitments that you've made to God? Do you sometimes have the urge to just give up or back off a little bit because things are too hard? There will be offers to sellout! But stand firm! Have you already sold out though? Are you living a “Christian” life, always in church, singing the songs, praying the prayers, and proclaiming your love for God? At least you say you're a Christian. You have little bits of testimony to share with some of the people with the church, although you may have harsh words for others. You seem joyful, sweet, and Christ-like when you're with some Christians, but angry and hurtful around others. You fellowship in unity with some of the church and at some times, but with other people and at other times, you are divisive and cold. You profess a Christ-like life, but beneath the surface there are spots and blemishes. Somewhere along the line, for some reason, whether a selfish motive or some perceived attainment of happiness, you have replaced the Love of God in your heart with your own selfish love. You have traded in God's peace for your own solutions. You have sold united fellowship with God (and ALL of God's people) for self-serving friendships and alliances. You have put your life on a track that you built instead of the path that God has laid to His heart. Your life is a weird mixture of love and hate, peace and unstability, promises kept and promises broken, people helped and people hurt, encouragements and discouragements, joy and depression, truth and lies...a mixture that doesn't make any sense at all because you've tried to mix faithfulness to God with selfish pleasures. Your life has that mixture, instead of the glorious life in the Spirit that produces love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:19-26
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
So you sold out. But there is still one offer on the table. Maybe up until today you have considered offers from every which way, all of them begging you to sellout to the world and compromise your integrity and faithfulness to God. But God still has an offer on the table. He calls you to come home. Come back to Him. Sell out all for Him. Leave all those other things and repent—receive His forgiveness. He is faithful.
Revelation 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 3:2-3
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
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