** The following is a transcript of today’s episode of The Royal Family Podcast. I felt it was an important topic, so please take the time to read through it. Feel free to comment below or email me with questions or concerns. **

The year was 1981. The wedding was to be televised to an audience of approximately 750 MILLION people. They’d been engaged for five months and had dated a year before that. However, Princess Diana revealed before her death that she’d had mixed feelings about the wedding, but ultimately decided to go through with it because “my face was already on the tea towels” In a new book out about Prince Charles, the author reveals that the heir to the throne told a royal advisor on the eve of the wedding that he couldn’t go through with it.

We all know that he ultimately did go through with it, but wow – is it any wonder the two divorced? Both had to be made to marry the other! They hadn’t really committed to the marriage at all. It seemed it was mostly lip-service. And that’s definitely not the way to enter into a relationship that is meant to be permanent.

And yet, that’s how some people approach their relationship with Christ, isn’t it? Deciding to become a disciple of Jesus is the biggest and greatest decision a person can make – even greater than the decision of who to marry – and yet some people seem to have to be coaxed into it. But just like that was a terrible mistake for Charles and Diana, it’s a terrible mistake for someone who wants to be a faithful follower of Jesus.

One of the reasons Prince Charles was said to be having cold feet was because he still had feelings for an old flame, Camilla Parker Bowles. Maybe you’re familiar with the name – that’s because ultimately Charles would end up marrying Camilla in 2005. But do you see then how dangerous it is to be coaxed into a relationship? If someone has to be MADE to become a Christian – forced, really – are they really becoming a Christian? If they’re still in love with their old flame – if they’re still regularly involved in sin and ultimately love to be involved in sin – are they really ready to take on the commitment of being a disciple of Jesus? Of becoming a member of the royal family of God?

Princess Diana went through with the wedding for convenience sake. Her face was already all over Britain. But is that really any reason to enter into such a sacred covenant? Our Father knows if we are baptized simply for the sake of getting people off our back, or because we already show up at church on Sundays anyway. He knows if we are just offering eye-service, or if we are actually, truly invested in being an active member of His family. And ultimately, other people will probably be able to tell as well. Just like Charles went back to Camilla, so too will an in-name-only Christian return to the old flame of sin if they haven’t been truly changed, truly repentant, truly converted.

Think about when you became a member of God’s royal family. Why did you decide to make that commitment? Is it because you told someone you would and you just felt like you had to go through with it? Is it because you knew people wouldn’t stop asking until you did? If you decided to contact the blood of Jesus through baptism for any reason other than the remission of your sins, you didn’t do it correctly.

You see, Christianity is a religion of the heart. God wants all of us – heart and mind and action – to be wholly devoted to Him. He doesn’t want lip-service. He doesn’t accept vain worship. He doesn’t do hypocrisy. Instead, He requires His children to be pure in heart, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, doers of the word and not hearers only who are deceiving themselves.

What kind of relationship do you have with the Father? Are you one who made a rash decision that didn’t really change your heart? If so, maybe it’s time to rethink that decision, and make an actual commitment to God and put on Christ in baptism for the forgiveness of your sins – this time, changing your life to reflect your decision. If you are a royal family member who made the whole-hearted commitment, maybe you’ve slipped back into your old ways since that decision. It’s easy to do if you’re not constantly making the commitment every day when you wake up. If that’s the case, recommit your life to our Lord. Ask Him to forgive you and strengthen you and help you make your relationship stronger. And if you are a thriving member of God’s family, I am so thankful for that. Keep on doing what you’re doing, maintaining your close relationship with our Maker.

Regardless of what state you find yourself in, please know you can contact me at any time with any question! My email is emily@thelightnetwork.tv.

And before we go, please know that this relationship that we’re in with Jesus, it’s such a comforting one. We don’t have to wonder if our bridegroom had to be coaxed into the commitment. We know that He willingly suffered the agony of the cross on our behalf, so we can know will full assurance that He loves us so much and wants us to be His. If you’re not His, or not wholly His, I beg you to reconsider. More importantly though, He begs you to reconsider.