While teaching my theology class last night one of the women said something I had never heard.  She referred to Saturday Christians.

We were talking about the churches we had been raised in.  I mentioned that I thought the church I was raised in may have stressed too much of our sin.  I remember thinking that I was nothing more than a filthy rag.  I think that likely came from the verse in Isaiah 64:6 that says – “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

Then I remembered a song we sang that said we were like worms.  It was written by Isaac Watts and goes like this: ”Alas! and did my Saviour bleed, And did my Sovereign die? Would he devote that sacred Head For such a worm as I?”

The true gospel of Christ has balance.  There is a balance between the love of God and the judgment of God.  God is both full of love and full of justice.  True preaching and true gospel cannot have one without the other.

I Peter 4:17 says, “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

Matthew 12:36-37 says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

God is just!

But then we also read that God is so loving.

John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

And Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God is BOTH just and loving.  But then what is a Saturday Christian.  A Saturday Christian is one who doesn’t celebrate the resurrection.  They are stuck in the, “I am guilty” “I am a worm” “I am worthless” phase of life.  They are stuck in the day before Jesus’ resurrection.  They are not happy and rejoicing over the resurrection of our Savior.  It is because of His death and His resurrection that we are no longer worms and filthy rags, but are now adopted children of God.

John 1:12 joyfully says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

Because of Christ’s sacrifice we are now RIGHTEOUS.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” And I John 1:9 further states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Joy came into the life of the Christian on Sunday, the third day when Jesus rolled the stone away from His own tomb.  Immeasurable, unspeakable joy!  In and of myself, I am a worm.  I am nothing, but because of Jesus death and resurrection I am now righteous before God.  He looks at me as blameless!  We are no longer guilty.  We are free!  “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8.

So I don’t want to be a Saturday Christian, one who is struggling day to day to find joy and peace.  I want to be a Sunday Christian!  I want to revel in the fact that my Savior is alive!  I want to be a Christian who finds great joy in the fact that I am redeemed.  I want to be a Christian who knows and celebrates the fact that death no longer has a hold on me, it has NO STING!  I want to be a Christian who understands the words, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” I Corinthians 15:55.

I care not to be a down in the dumps Christian walking around with a long face.  I want to be a Christian full of celebration!  I will sing the joyous song of redemption!

Redeemed – how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through his infinite mercy. His child, and forever, I am!