Paul is writing of choices - the choices we make everyday. And especially the choice to "Choose Christ."

When we say that we must choose Christ, our minds generally think about our initial choice to receive Jesus as our Savior. This is the most important choice a person can make. When we choose to receive God’s gracious gift of salvation - when we choose to receive Jesus as our Savior - this choice is made once and changes the direction of our entire life.

But, the Christian life goes beyond this choice - each day we are constantly asked to “Choose Christ” - the choice of obedience to God - the choice of servanthood. Each morning when we open our eyes, plant our feet on the floor, and hopefully stand up - we have a choice to live what we believe or not.

Paul had been accused of choosing to compromise his faith - of being more interested in the approval of man - the society around him - than God’s approval of his life. This accusation - when we consider the life of Paul - is absolutely ridiculous.

The truth behind the accusation was that the Christians of Galatia had wimped out on their faith. Too often we accuse people of the same faults that we are afraid to deal with in our own lives. They wimped out. If a bully kicks sand in the face of wimp - he immediately begs for mercy - cowers - becomes the bully’s instant slave. The society in which they lived had kicked sand in the face of the Galatian Christians. And, rather than choosing Christ the Galatian Christians were now choosing compromise and convenience - choosing to adapt the Gospel to fit the beliefs of the community in which they lived.

In his letter to the church, Paul mentions false teachers from within the Church - those who were teaching a different sort of gospel - a teaching - which sounded plausible and compared nicely to the Gospel - and it was much more easily accepted by the community - but upon examination, of course it was heresy. What they were teaching was a type of religion that required adherence to many laws and regulations rather than obedience to Jesus Christ.

This is why Paul responds, in verse 10, using himself as an example, he says, “If, I claim to be a Christian - a servant of Jesus Christ - and yet I am still trying to please men - if I’m choosing anything else than 100% daily devotion to Jesus Christ - then my claim to be a Christian would be false.”

This morning we want to consider the life of Saint Hripsime.

I know that this might seem a little unusual for us. Admittedly, we in the protestant church do not usually spend much time talking about “Saints.” However, at the very least these “saints” are brothers and sisters in Christ. They're Christians who are a part of our church history - and especially in the case of Saint Hripsime, our Armenian Church history - they have gone before us and left us with a legacy and an example to follow.

Saint Hripsime was a descendant of the royal family of Rome. According to tradition, Hripsime, along with some 70 other Christian maidens - and their leader Saint Kayiane, escaped from Rome because of persecution. They came to Armenia and established themselves in the vicinity of the City of Vagharshabad where they found an old building of an abandoned wine press - and there they lived.

Saint Hripsime was prettier and more attractive than the others. I've been to the Church of Saint Hripsime and its a beautiful church. Under the alter is the tomb where Hripsime is buried and on her coffin is a picture of her. If the picture is any accurate representation, she was really beautiful.

Because of her great beauty, King Dirtad of Armenia fell in lust with her. So, King Dirtad, who was still a heathen at that time, wanted to marry her and ordered that she be brought to his palace. When Hripsime was brought before the king, she refused to deny her Christian faith and also refused the marriage proposal of the king.

This must of been a very difficult choice. It doesn’t matter how spiritual a person is - consider what is on the line here. The king is offering her the role - the position - of Queen. Instantly she would go from living in an abandoned winery - crowded with 70 other people - basically homeless - to a position of immediate recognition, reward, dignity, and comfort - and envy. Of course, this would also mean adopting the kings pagan religion and renouncing her faith in Jesus Christ. The alternative - to hold firm - without compromise - in her dedication to Jesus Christ - at best would be a return to the winery, or more likely, probable death. Faced with that choice a great number of people have compromised on their faith - wimped out.

When Saint Hripsime refused marriage, King Dirtad called Saint Kayiane, the leader of these Christian maidens, to his palace and asked her to persuade Hripsime to submit herself to the command of the king. We can imagine that this was not a friendly request - it probably held the threat of death. In other words: “Convince her or die.”

But, contrary to his command, Kayiane advised Hripsime not to submit to the demands of the king, and continue in her resistance, even to a martyr’s end, if necessary. Hripsime and Kayiane escaped from the palace of King Dirtad and returned to the winery.

By order of King Dirtad, executioners came to the winery. They tortured Hripsime; first they cut off her tongue, then they chopped her body to pieces, and put them on a wood pile to burn. They also killed all the other maidens by fiendish tortures, including their leader Kayiane. Because of her brave choice, Hripsime suffered great torture for her faith.

It is humbling to consider the life of Saint Hripsime - for in everything she sought to choose Christ - to do what pleased God - to obey Him - to hold God’s value of her life ahead of the value of man. As the queen - and in her high social position - with all the pagan trappings - she could never have pleased God. She could have been the Queen - with all that that implies. But, she choose the love of her Savior - obedience to Him - over the accolades - the adoration - of man.

Real Christianity, means real - 100% - daily commitment to Jesus Christ. Faith is not faith unless our life is on the line - 100% committed to what we believe - to "Choose Christ" regardless of the cost.

There is always a choice before us - to choose Christ - to stand firm or to wimp out. Even though our choices may not be as extreme or as easy to see as Hripsime’s - those choices are there.

It has always been a struggle for me that the NFL plays football on Sunday - and especially on Sunday morning. But, let’s face it - to even be at a game by 1:00 usually means missing church. And, I have a confession to make - when I was living in Los Angeles I missed one Sunday service and went to a 49'rs - Rams game. By the way, the 49'rs won.

So, I’ll say this with a little humility. It is amazing that “Christians” can be in seat 12, row J, isle 128, early, for each home game and easily excuse not being in church. In fact, it is amazing how many things so called “Christians” will find to do on a Sunday morning rather than be in church worshipping God, growing spiritually, fellowshiping with other Christians - or just serving God.

I have another confession to make. This is a great day for confessions. Sometimes I feel like throwing in the towel - of giving up - of wimping out. Sometimes I think that it would be easier to just visit a few people during the week - preach on Sunday - and do a Bible study or two per month. Hey, why press on to cover the extra mile. The status-quo - just pleasing men and getting by - seems so much easier.

Of course someone has said, “Sure the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. But, it still has to be mowed.” There is a consequence for living as a status quo Christian. One consequence is that the Christian life - life in general becomes predictable - boring. Another consequence is displeasing God - and God really does not like disobedience - ouch. But, more so, status-quo Christianity is ineffectual, without purpose and meaning.

The people who are 100% committed to Jesus Christ are the people who are making a real, eternal, difference in this world. These are the people who are giving everything they can. People who live life on the edge. Who are often misunderstood, constantly under fire, and generally shunned by society. But it is these people - committed Christians - who are having the greatest impact for the Kingdom of God.

Hripsime’s no compromise choice led to a radical change in the spiritual life of the Armenian nation - she helped to change the eternal destiny of an entire nation. She is a greater example to us today than she ever would been had she chosen to be the queen.

Sunday morning is not the only time when we are tempted to compromise our faith. It is so easy to sit at home and watch T.V. and not care that billions of people around us will spend eternity in hell. It is so easy to eat our 3 - really good Armenian meals - each day and then assume that someone else should care for those who are hungry. Someone else should teach Sunday School - Someone else should help the homeless - Someone else should go to the mission field - Someone else should visit the sick the elderly - Someone else should - whatever... Our society is so selfish - self-centered - and the vast majority of Christians have compromised with the self-focused attitude of the society around us.

But the reality is that a 100% committed Christian first asks, “Is that someone else me?” “Is this how God would have me to serve Him?” I choose Christ - to serve Him - to live in obedience to Him - whatever the personal cost to me. The Gospel of Jesus Christ does not stop with the choice of receiving Jesus as our Savior. The Gospel of Jesus Christ - being a Christian requires radical devotion - daily choosing 100% commitment to Jesus Christ.

The great choice before each of us is whether we will wimp-out - compromise and take the easy way out - or whether we will be used to make a radical difference in this world.