Is your Christianity an app or an operating system?

You can get an app to tell you what song is playing over the loudspeaker.  Or an app to identify what that bright star is – or maybe it’s a planet.  You can get an app to locate where Girl Scout Cookies are sold, or to compare prices on everything from canned corn to stereo components, or to track the distance you’ve run and measure your heartbeat.  All of these apps are designed to save you both time and trouble; to make life simpler and easier.

And, for the most part, it works.

Some things, though, are more useful as an operating system; as a fundamental and unified operational structure.  Like Christianity.

If you’re only “clicking” on Christianity as you need it, then it’s really just a band-aid.  That is, it’s only a suggested add-on to what’s already happening.  It might be helpful or it might just be inconvenient, too much trouble to activate and take advantage of.  But if Christianity is your operating system, then everything you do is governed by its principles.  You can’t stray outside of its basis.

Jesus was the master Christian.  Everything he did was controlled by the Christ.  Not one detail of his existence, or his ministry, or his interactions with others, had a starting point outside of Christianity.  It governed his actions and his words.  It enabled him to heal and to save.  It allowed him to raise himself and others from the grave.

If you’re familiar with the Gospels, you know it took his disciples – his students and followers – quite awhile to move from Christianity as an app, to it being a full operating system.  More than once Jesus said to them “how long shall I suffer you?” (see Matt 17:17 for example).  They spent every hour with him and saw him perform countless acts of healing, they heard him preach over and over, yet they challenged him, and failed him, so often.  But transition, they eventually did.  The New Testament book of Acts states, “by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.”  (5:12)  They finally understood that Christianity was their very being, not just something they “did.”

We can – must – gain that understanding too.  Jesus said we would.  He stated, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.”  He was talking to you and me.  And what he expected of us can’t be gained through adding Christianity to our busy lives.  Our lives must first be formed by Christianity, and then we can be about our Father’s business, just as Jesus was.

How about you?  Is Christianity an app or your operating system?

Melissa Hayden is a Christian Science practitioner in Salem, OR. You can find more information and additional articles at this link.  If you like what you’re reading, click the “add me” button.