Practical Christianity

I have been impressed with the subject of the influence of the church—what this influence should be. By earnest prayer the members are to obtain power that will make their influence a savor of life unto life. What is needed today is practical Christianity, not merely for a day or a year, but for a lifetime. The man who professes to be a Christian, and yet reveals in his life no practical godliness, is denying Christ. Opposite his name in the books of heaven are written the words, Unfaithful steward.
How is the world to be enlightened, save by the lives of Christ’s followers? You profess to believe in Christ, to be a follower of his. Do you do his works? Can the world see plainly that you have been with Jesus, and learned of him? How are unbelievers to know that you belong to Christ if you show no zeal in his service, but instead cherish worldly ambition and follow worldly plans? Christ declares, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
God can not prepare for the day of trial before us those who are careless and indifferent. With those who are neither cold nor hot he has nothing to do. “I would thou wert cold or hot,” he says. “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” The half-hearted Christian exerts an influence more harmful than the influence of the avowed infidel.
There are many whose lives are but a pretense of godliness. They are a law unto themselves, and they always will be, unless the grace of Christ subdues their hearts. They lift up their souls unto vanity, and God has no use for them in his service.