Ever since I was introduced to the church arena from a child to the present; forty some odd years ago, I have heard the phrase; “come as you are.” I’ve often heard many people say, “The Lord says to come as you are. Today I heard the phrase again and immediately the Holy Spirit began to give insight.
Many times, the phrase come as you are used to justify a way of life or ways in our lives that we don’t want to let go of. The way of life or the ways in our lives are ways that the word of God exhorts and admonishes us to turn away from. With this being true based on the word of God, why do we feel that God accepts ways that are displeasing to him?
I’ve personally never read in the word of God the come as you are scripture. I can’t say John 1; ??? reads, “And Jesus said unto them come as you are.”
Jesus’ invitations of “Come” throughout scripture is always a prerequisite to “Change.” Meditate on this for a second or two. I repeat…”Come” is an invitation to change.
One particular passage of scripture that the Holy Spirit directed my attentions to is Mark 1: 14-20 which reads as thus:
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel. Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets and followed him. And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him.
Notice the prerequisite: “Come” and take note of what Jesus says after the prerequisite: “I will make you to become.” In other words, Jesus is saying change will take place.
Our walk with and in Christ is for change as we spoke about in the April 16th and 17th post entitled “Change.”
I do understand fully what people are saying when they say to come as you are. What is being said is “bring all of your garbage and junk with you when you come to Jesus yes, however, know that he will help you to dispose of all that is unrighteous, uncleaned; all that hinders and leaves you imperfect and make you to become…. brand new. Our lifestyles change. We are given strength by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to turn away from a life that is unpleasing to the Lord; a lifestyle that kept and keeps us separated from God in the first place.
There are many with whom I’ve spoken with who have said and still say “Oh I believe in Jesus, or I was baptized, and I go to church, but their lives have no reflection of any kind of encounter with Christ. Their speech is different from his, their interests are different than his, their immediate and intimate associations are totally different than his and have no righteous intents or motives. With some things in our lives change is gradual yes…and with others; change is instantaneous. Affiliation with Christ should be indicative.
This week at work I sat with a co-worker with whom I’d had no prior introduction. Once introduced and seated this co-worker immediately began to share her faith in the Lord Jesus and began to proclaim the mighty works of God in her life. Followers this was the best thirty minutes of my whole week at work. I left her presence encouraged and filled with great joy. Her sharing was about the changes that took place after the acceptance of the prerequisite: “come.”
What has transpired in your life after the prerequisite? What is or has “come as you are” done in your life? Selah
Flip the Scripts Admin.