Okay so the title may be misunderstood. To be a vigilante is to take the law into one's own hands. Yet to be vigilant is to be watchful, aware, attentive, living "wide-eyed" and alert. I'd like to think that God wants us to be vigilantes, taking God's commands into our own hands, not to make others keep them, but so that we might remain faithful. I'd like to be known as a Christian Vigilante as one who stays true to myself and true to Christ in a radical fashion.
"But be vigilant, lest you be seduced away and end up serving and worshiping other gods and God erupts in anger." (Deuteronomy 11:16, The Message)
Why is it so important to be vigilant? Casual observance of faith is dangerous. In a casual faith, other doctrines and practices sneak in unexpectedly. For example spirituality is one of the most popular topics in our world today. Being spiritual is a good thing and there are many books and practices on spirituality. Most of them can be very good when the object of our spiritual practice is God, but many of these spiritual practices have arisen from other religions and have as their focus other gods.
New Age spirituality, in a broad generality, believes that collectively we are a part of God, that together we are God. So the quest is to become more and more god-like, to reach deep within and claim our divine nature. On the surface it doesn't sound bad, to be more god-like, but aren't god and our nature sure isn't divine.
I've noticed a creeping Buddhism within the Christian faith and I'm sure it doesn't please God. It's not that people are turning away from God toward Buddha, but that the tenets of Buddhism are replacing Christian ones, especially when it comes to who goes to heaven. The way of salvation in Buddhism is enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation which releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth (reincarnation).
I mention this because there is but one God. Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloiheinu, Adonai echad. (Deuteronomy 6:4, my Hebrew transliteration) It's called the Shema (shee-ma'), or listen, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is one God, the Lord alone." And God desires us to be true, not fickle.
"If you diligently keep all this commandment that I command you to obey - obey God, your God, do what he tells you, stick close to him - God on his part will drive out all these nations that stand in your way." (Deuteronomy 11:22, The Message)
It's simple, casual faith can lead us astray. It's not usually our intention to look toward other faiths for answers although sometimes we might. It happens almost accidentally when we discover something that makes us feel good (meditation, yoga, chanting, etc.) only to discover we've been honoring other religions and focused on other gods.
All God desires is that we stay close to him, which means be in a tight relationship with God. Vigilance is what God has called us to. Learn our faith, be diligent in practicing it, focusing on the one true God and we'll have all we need in this life. God is faithful and will provide all we need. There's no reason go to anywhere else!
A Vigilante for Christ ><>
pc
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AMEN
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