An Open Letter to Justin Beiber's Open Letter Pen Pals

One of the biggest transitions I have learned about the Christian life is that this life is not something that I create.

This life is a gift which Christ lives in me, and that He is alive, and alove carrying us through all our hard times.

There will be storms in our lives, but we can come to trust that the same Lord who quieted the storms will lead us across the sea of these turbulent times.

What has most often bothered me, however, among church people -- and I write with full disclosure, I do not attend a church, or what must rather be called a little building on Sunday -- "It is not enough to know the Christian life. You have to live it." Other comments I have often heard: "The Christian life is so hard. What was God thinking?"

All of this talk betrays a deep misunderstanding of the full ministry of Jesus.

Jesus did not come to make bad men good, to help so-so men live better lives, or to be an example for us to follow.

He came to be our Savior, to help dead men  to live.

From the Book of Beginnings, it could not be clearer: man which thought he could live on his own found out that he needed God for Life, for everything.

To this day, so many Christians still believe that they are responsible for producing "The Christian Life", when in fact. Christ is our life, and He is producing His life in us!

Justin Bieber (Daniel Ogren)

Jesus did not declare to His disciples: "I am the vine; ye are  the branches" to fill up space in a book, or to offer some spiritual nicety. He was telling the truth like it T-I-S.

Justin Bieber wants to live like Jesus.

Guess what? The only one who can live like Jesus is. . . Jesus Christ Himself.

Why else did Paul, one of the most important teachers and preachers of our time declares to the Galatians, and by extension all of us who believe on Jesus:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comeby the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

Please stop talking about living like Jesus. We need Him to live in us!