We tend to get order mixed up.
On the rare occasion I try to cook even the smallest dish, I usually fail in this area.
Once for Thanksgiving I was asked to make stuffing for my family. So I got out the box, read it over and thought I had it all figured out. I went ahead and prepared it but then realized I had made a mistake. Although I don’t remember exactly, I believe it had to do with me not waiting until the water was boiled BEFORE I put the mix in the water. Embarrassing mistake it was.
The stuffing turned out a little mushy, but thankfully by God’s grace my family liked it. My dad even thought it was better than usual.
When we get order mixed up in life, we usually aren’t so lucky. Especially in faith.
In Jesus’ day the teachers of the Law and Pharisees were prime examples of how people can get their spiritual priorities mixed up. Jesus said about them:
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” -Matthew 23:25-28
The teachers of the Law and Pharisees were all about doing things right on the outside. They went out of their way to do “works” for God; which were really just an attempt to cover up their lack of a real connection with God internally.
In our spiritual lives, we must remember to keep our priorities straight and in order. Otherwise we will end up like the teachers of the Law and Pharisees; the spiritual equivalent of mushy stuffing. And unlike my dad, God doesn’t like mushy stuffing.
I believe in what I call “Inside Out Christianity”. What I mean by that is faith should start on the inside and work it’s way out. I want to highlight four ordered steps in this process of growing in faith:
1) First you MUST get right with God in your heart by accepting His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and repenting. No one can be saved unless they start here with a personal relationship with God and receive the Holy Spirit.
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6
2) Secondly, you must develop a strong relationship with God through seeking Him. This includes prayer, Scripture reading, worship, getting connected in the body of Christ etc. There are other disciplines you may or may not practice but can be equally beneficial for the growing believer.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13
3) Thirdly, I believe it is best to start working out our faith through how we treat those closest to us. Our family, friends, coworkers, etc. should be able to see a change in us. If they cannot see Christ in us we need to consider what is hurting our testimony.
"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." -1 Timothy 5:8
"…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” -1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
4) Fourthly, we should live out our faith to those outside our immediate circles. This is where evangelism, works of service, and other forms of ministry fall. While it is #4 on this list, most people try to start here. The mistake is a big one as we cannot expect to encourage others to start a relationship that we are not experiencing and/or living out in our daily lives.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -Matthew 28:19-20
Order is absolutely critical for the Christian. We must have our priorities in line if we seek to know God intimately and be effective witnesses for the gospel. If we humbly seek after God with all our hearts we can watch Him work through us from the inside out.