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All In

All In

Poker players can reach a point where they commit all of the cash they have to bet on one hand. They push their chips to the center of the table and declare “all in”. If they loose, they loose all they have. In previous generations phrases like “betting the farm” or “do or die” have also been used to convey a total commitment. This concept would be the opposite of “hedging your bets”.

Marriage used to be seen as something that was undertaken with a view towards permanence. Many people today enter into marriage thinking that if things don’t “work out”, they can pursue other options, not fully understanding the price one pays in going through a divorce.

Many of those today who call themselves Christian also often have only a partial investment in their faith. They may view their church membership as a sort of fire insurance to avoid some vague prospect of afterlife penalty. James warns those administering the church who seem to have no observable influence of Christ in their lives by asking if such a “faith” can save them. He further declares that “belief” is an insufficient substitute for faith (James 2:19).

This can be an alarming revelation for the Christian who was under the impression that an acknowledgment of the historical existence of Jesus constituted salvation. Christians who rest in the assurance that their faith has been confirmed by some act or meeting some criteria may consider the admonition Paul gave the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if they were in the faith.

Many Christians that do not have actual faith go “all in” for church activity and business. These are those who will be mystified to stand in front of Christ being judged for their works (Matt 7:22-23). Even some who go “all in” for seminary and become well versed in theology miss the mark. This type of “commitment” (without faith) is works oriented and tends to build up pride often leading to contempt for others (Luke 18:9).

In Hebrews we learn that without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore establishing this foundation first is critical to living a life “all in” for God. This trust in and reliance upon God is manifest in humility and love. Without this faith, going “all in” often results in an embarrassing level of self-aggrandizement (Matt 6:2).

The Christian walk is supposed to be one of growth and maturation (Eph 4:15 , 2 Pe 1:8). However, Christians can get stuck and fail to grow (1 Cor 3:1 Heb 5:12). There comes a point where a Christian has to decide if he wants to live for Christ. This is sometimes called discipleship. It is described as a singular point of action by the aorist verb tense (Ro 12:1, James 4:7). Those who are Christian but neglect him in this life will be shamed in the next (1 Cor 3:15).

Going “all in” for Christ is a call to discipleship. Not activity, accomplishment, study, or mastery, it is a decision to relinquish control of one’s life and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us towards greater Christ-likeness. Some can be driven to this point by crisis such as in a hospital or jail. However, those who know Christ and thirst for truth, wisdom, love, and righteousness can also be drawn to follow him in discipleship.

Information about Christianity and the Christian life.