Why do Christians go spiritually bankrupt? | Editorial by Radu Blendarencu

We live in times when many Christians are no longer victorious through the trials of life. Many abandon the life of faith, taking only a form of Christianity, which unfortunately means renouncing Christ. Just as many Christians are no longer strong because they have not learned the discipline to study the Scriptures every day and apply it to life situations. If we call ourselves children of God, the Bible clearly tells us that we must live by faith. The Bible also tells us that “the righteous shall live by faith,” which means that we must take God at His Word. It means believing regardless of whether we can explain that Word or not. It also means believing in God in spite of my feelings, or in spite of the circumstances in which I find myself.

Christians also fail because they conform to the image of this age, and out of lack of spiritual discipline they begin to lead their lives differently than required by the Holy Scriptures. We must know that the word faith means more than accepting at the level of the mind that there is a divine power, it actually means putting total trust in everything God says. If we, as Christians, understand that faith implies full acceptance of the Holy Scriptures and obedience to all that God says, which will result in Christ-like behavior, then we will not go bankrupt before the world that can’t wait to swallow us and cause us to fail. It is a deception to believe that a form of religion will bring you spiritual fulfillment. I have also heard that some advise us to take our lives into our own hands, which in my opinion has no biblical support. God teaches us that to keep from falling, I must NOT take my life into my own hands, but place my life with respect and trust in God’s hands, because only God has control and not man.

I think that somewhere the man who takes his life in his own hands forgets the Creator, and without realizing it falls into pride, an attitude that also contributes to the fall and inefficiency of a Christian. It is well known that the proud act according to their own desires, because pride does what it wants, when it wants and how it wants. And more than once have I seen people who call themselves disciples of the Lord Jesus, but act out of blind pride. I remember the prophet Jeremiah, who tells us what happens to Christ’s disciples who do not go spiritually bankrupt. They are, says the Word of God, like a tree planted by the waters. I have seen this image more than once, when in an indescribable heat, a stream flows in the desert, and the trees planted on the river bank are green. These trees are not afraid of heat, and their foliage is green. And the most interesting thing is to see these trees full of fruit when there is only sand and dryness around. This is exactly what happens to the Christian who does not go bankrupt. His daily source is the Word of God. From there he takes his power, vision and purpose for life. And when the trials of life come, he knows how to apply God’s Word to that situation. Dear reader, God does not want you to go bankrupt in life. It’s all about our choices and the priorities we set for ourselves.

Surely you would like to be like a green tree that always brings good fruit to those around you. That is why I urge you to check your spiritual state, because only the righteous will walk by faith, regardless of the droughts that come into their lives. Let’s avoid the spiritual drought in our lives the most. A drought that will lead to bankruptcy and frustration if we do not examine and correct ourselves.

Translated by Didina Vicliuc