“Christ did not die to make good works merely possible or to produce a half-hearted pursuit. He died to produce in us a passion for good deeds. Christian purity is not the mere avoidance of evil, but the pursuit of good.” — John Piper
I love this quote by John Piper! I think sometimes we get this idea that our Christian life is all about avoiding sin. How do we ignite passion in our soul to serving God in more than just not sinning?
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. 36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38
What do you love enough to die for?
It is an honest introspective question. Passion addresses our biblical of where we have placed our hearts, our love, our trust and our sufficiency. We can determine our passion by learning about what we are willing to die for and what we are living for. This is the passion of our lives.
Purpose, the intentional life that pursues a supreme purpose, begins with a passion. Passion is the foundation of a home. Our foundations need to be be strong in order to build anything that is going to last the storms of life. Where we find our passion is where we find our foundation.We need to build our foundations with the endower of new life, exemplar of new conduct, energizer of new motivations, and empowerer of new actions – Jesus Christ!
The Bible clearly commands Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, as the foundation for our lives. Jesus qualifies by virtue of being God. All that God is, Jesus is. Jesus created all things and is not only God, as the First Person of reality, He is the First person of present, ongoing reality.
17 He is before all things,
and by him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:17
Jesus is the director and determiner of present reality.
How does Jesus become the bedrock foundation of our lives?
If Jesus you have not embraced Jesus, you must first deal with the critical issue that separates you from God: sin. Sin separates us from God. But God built a bridge between you and Him to overcome that separation. Jesus, being fully God and human, spans the gap between you and God.
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
When you trust and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior of your life, you have grasped the first thing in finding life’s purpose. Christ becomes the new foundation in your life by repentance and faith.
6 Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, Hebrew 6:1
We need to wholeheartedly set our hearts upon the Lord Jesus. We need to be affected by Jesus and be willing to serve Him no matter the cost.
Further reading: Romans 10:1-13
Part 1: Passions: What are you willing to die for?
Part 2: Building Foundations
Part 3: Building your Life
Part 4: Love – the Soul’s Passion
Part 5: Work to Do!
It Starts Small 
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