Of course the answer is 'yes' but I understand why this is a question asked by young people all the time.
There is a fundamental (which means basic, it's ok to utilize a thesaurus and a dictionary every now and again because I am a fan of big words) problem with the way most young people view Christianity. We think of being Christian in terms of all the things that we "can't" do. So when we consider whether or not we can be Christian we think about having to give up: lying (I mean how hard is it to tell the truth about EVERYTHING?), cheating (which would force you to actually study), cursing, having a bad attitude (no matter what your parents do to you- YIKES), violence, etc. So it's not ok for a young Christian to borrow the answers to someone else’s homework and it is not ok for a youngish Christian to borrow someone else’s utilities... A really tough one for most young people to deal with is that it is NOT ok to talk about other people in a way that is very likely to hurt their feelings. Not even when you think it is truly funny and not even when your friends expect you to do it.
[Side-note: If your friends are among a group of people who are always talking about other people, bet money that when you are not around, your "friends" are talking about you.]
HOWEVER, thinking about Christianity in terms of all the things you think you will be missing out on, is extremely backwards. If you want to make it as a Christian, you have to have a renewed mind (Romans 12:2) which means that you have to allow your relationship with Christ to change the way you think. People who don't know Christ think about all the things we can't do. When God renews your mind, you can open your eyes for the first time and see that we are NOT the ones who can't do what we want to do, it is people who don't know Christ who can't say no to anything. These people are like slaves to their impulses.
The truth is that many of the non-Christians you know wish they could change but without handing your life over to Christ, you are not free to change yourself. Take a minute and think about your friends who are having so much "fun" doing whatever they "want" to do. How many of them are miserable, angry, depressed, tired? Think about how many of them are unhappy with themselves. Think of some of the young guys you know who go from one girl to another, just so they can say they slept with a bunch of girls (and then did what? I mean really is that normal to you?). Think about the girls who gave it up too soon and really wish they could get it back because deep down inside they really want to be loved and not just used in the same way a guy might use his hand.... The college kids who party ALL the time but can't stand the sound of silence or their own thoughts. The popular kids with all the friends who are terrified to be themselves because they want to stay "popular." The tough kids who use their fists for everything because they are so angry all the time (and someone probably used their fists on them). Consider all these people living their lives doing all the things they criticize us for not being "able" to do. Do you really believe that they don't want to change? You think they don't want happiness, peace, joy and hope? They are the ones trapped in a way of thinking that does not allow them to see what they have to gain through a relationship with Christ.
Listen up people, it's time for you to change the way you think. We get to CHOOSE! If you want to go run the streets and act a fool, you can choose to do that. But the flip side is that if that is not what you want to do you can CHOOSE NOT to do it. We are the only ones who have the ability to make that choice. If you feel trapped by Christianity or like living this life is impossible, it's because you are being tricked. Christ gives us the ability to do ALL the right things we choose to do. Additionally, we have access to the feelings of significance, belonging and security that other people are looking for in all the wrong things they do.
Tomorrow (when most of us are snowed in) we are going to look at some scriptures which address the issue of Christian freedom. If you want to get a jump start on us read Romans 6:14-19. I figured you probably read enough for today and need some time to just think this over- I do what I want to do, there is just some stuff I don't want to do anymore!
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