By Paul Alberts
A sellout is someone who totally abandoned – even betrayed – his beliefs, principles and possibly relationships to join or satisfy others associated with a different view. Examples of such individuals are pretty easy to find in the worlds of entertainment, politics and business – usually because they value fame and riches more than almost anything else. So one might wonder, “What does a sellout (related to our February topic) have to do with being a disciple of Christ?”
Think about where we began in life. We had a desire to satisfy ourselves, didn’t we? Even a baby will cry until it gets what will make it “happy.” Moving into childhood and then adulthood we found ourselves having the attitudes and ideas typical of the world in which we live. We were followers – which is the definition of “disciple” – of the world. In this the Bible is quite sharp: “A friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4 NASB); “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn. 2:15); and “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 Jn. 5:19).
As this is what we were physically born into, we need to become sellouts ourselves – completely abandoning worldliness for that which is infinitely better. We need to be devoted disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ! The path begins by being born again, spiritually entering into life everlasting. Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (Jn. 3:7). Through Paul, God continues, “I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God … Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1-2) and “deny ungodliness and worldly desires” (Ti. 2:12). Contrary to the fame and riches found in this world, as followers of Christ we have “the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:12).
So, this begs the question: “Are you sold out to Christ – a disciple following Him and Him alone?”