Vampire Religion

Do you practice a vampire religion? I hope not. But some do and call themselves Christians.

“Now hold it right there for just a minute,” you say. “Isn’t that sacrilegious?” Maybe. But it’s worse if it’s true. (No, I’m not talking about drinking someone’s blood—Give me a break!)

Vampire religion is a shortsighted focus on salvation, on being a ‘Christian’ to the neglect of becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. So says Dallas Willard in his book, “The Great Omission.”

Willard’s point is this: “The individual says to Jesus, in effect, ‘I’d like a little of your blood, but I don’t care to be your student…in fact, won’t you just excuse me while I get on with my life, and I’ll see you in heaven.’”

In other words, “Thanks for dying on the cross for me, Jesus. I’ll accept the blood you shed for my sin. I’ll even remember it through the Communion cup. Just don’t ask me to change my life, give up my sin or live for you.”

Such a ‘Christian’ is more interested in the benefits and blessings of God than in becoming a Christ follower. And that’s selfishness at it’s worst.

To follow Jesus involves more than just a confession of faith. It’s a whole new focus for life.

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

For the Christ follower, if faith in Christ is worth anything, it is worth everything.

Jesus does not call us to a life of ease but to one of self-denial, complete dedication and willing obedience. And it is a joy to follow him because of his unconditional love for us.

Being a Christ follower is not about memorizing the Bible. It’s about undergoing a profound transformation in our hearts and minds where we become more and more like Jesus Christ.

The result will be what Jesus described when he said, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”

Sadly the church’s emphasis on Communion and Confirmation has failed to produce such a relationship of transformation. For the most part it has produced Vampire Christians.

If your focus is on your own life, what you can get and what you can keep—in the end you lose. You leave it all behind. But if you give your life to Jesus Christ, put him in charge and become his follower—you gain everything that is important, including eternal life.

Missionary martyr Jim Elliot said it best: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep in order to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Instead of a self-centered life, Jesus points us to a God-centered life of serving others. He calls us to deny ourselves the comforts of life to achieve a mission far greater than riches: The eternal salvation of the world. And what you gain is far greater than what you lose!

Jesus sacrificed himself to give the human race an eternal hope and future. He calls us to do the same--to live so that our life points others to the Savior who lived, died and arose from the dead. Then they, too, may experience peace and receive the gift of eternal life.

If you are a Christian, I don’t mean to discourage you from taking Communion. Take it as Jesus intended when he said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” The cup reminds us of his blood shed for our sin. And that’s especially meaningful as we approach Holy Week and Good Friday.

So follow Jesus. Stay close to him. And don’t be a ‘Vampire Christian.’

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!