Sometimes people think of Christians as self-righteous people who believe they’re better than everyone because they can sin and then say they’re “Covered in grace.” They think they’re an unaccepting judgmental people group who couldn’t care less about the souls of others but only about the name they make for themselves by proclaiming Jesus’ name.
In fact, sometimes Christians act like that.
Shocking? I’m sure it isn’t. I am certain you’ve met your fair share of “fake Christians”.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Christian, and I love the Christian faith. But I am not a good Christian.
And I don’t really like the feelings the word “Christian” brings out in people. I don’t like the fact that I can tell someone that I’m a Christian and immediately they assume I’m judging them because they think I believe that I’m perfect, that I’m going to shove Bible tracts down their throat, or that I’m going tell them everything that they’re doing wrong with their life.
Maybe you’re afraid of the Christian faith because you’ve had a similar experience with “Christian” people.
The fault in the “Christian” views of this generation is that we seem to believe that if you believe that Jesus came to die for you, if you’re baptized and “covered in grace” you can do whatever you want in this life because you think just believing gets you a one-way ticket to Heaven.
Wrong.
The Bible says, “Whosoever believes will be saved.” (John 11:26) People hear that and they’re like “WOOHOO! All I have to do is believe that Jesus died for me, that I’m saved and I’m gonna live forever! Nana nana na, I’m better than all you people because I can sin and still go to Heaven.”
I’m sorry but that is NOT what being a Christian is about.
Reality Check: If we really believe that Jesus died for us, if we know what He went through for US it would kill us inside to live like the world because we would know that He did NOT come die for us just so we can say His death covers your sin, while we’re still living in it.
Most Christians have shallow faith. Shallow because, if they really knew who they were serving, if they really knew what He went for so that they can live in freedom they would use their freedom differently. They claim to be free, saying Jesus has broken all the bonds of sin (and He has) but then they go back and pick the bonds back up and entangle themselves again thinking they’ll go to Heaven because their words praise Him. Jesus didn’t come so that a bunch of sinners would proclaim His name with their tongues yet praise the Devil with their hands, minds and hearts. Jesus came so that a bunch of sinners would proclaim the freedom He bought them. Yes, bought. Our freedom wasn’t free. He came so we could live with Him forever, away from the hurt, the tears, the darkness of this world.
Reality Check: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” (1 John 1:6)
Most Christians have prideful faith. Prideful because they think that because Jesus came to die for them then they just must be some sort of amazing human being. “I mean, if God wants me so much He sent His Son to die in my place? I must be pretty stinking cool!” They think they immediately should be raised up on a pedestal above everyone else in the church, in the work place, and especially those on the streets.
Let me ask you: How can we expect to reach to people who are living in darkness if 1) we’re claiming to be Christian yet living in the same darkness or 2) we’re not even willing to go reach a hand of help out to them because we’re worried about our name and our reputation, we’re thinking we’re better than them and that they deserve the life they’re stuck in.
Reality Check- Teen pregnancy statistics are through the roof, right along with the drug and alcohol statistics for adults and teens. Gangs are popping up everywhere and violence is seen as some sort of real life video game. Let me ask, where are the parents, the mentors of these people? Why are they being put in an avenue where this stuff is readily available?
Sometimes, people are placed in the lifestyle they live and they just don’t know a way out. Sometimes it’s all they’ve known, it’s how they grew up. And if every person that claimed to be a Christian in America alone tried to help the poor, the sick, the hurt, the broken, there would be an epidemic of grace ad mercy, of people singing God’s praises and meaning them like there has never been before.
We live in a desperate generation. People need Jesus. People need YOU to show them Jesus, but if you’re still living in the darkness of the past, if you’re too concerned about making a name for yourself, they will not find Him.
Pride comes easily. Living like the world isn’t hard, especially when everyone else is doing it.
So I guess I’m just asking myself, and you. Where are you? Are you on the side of the road that means it when you say you’re a Christian or are you on the side that says it but lives like they’ve never heard of what Jesus did for them?
Because sounding like a good Christian gets you no where.
You are not a good Christian//You are a redeemed sinner.
Let’s live like it.
A Daughters Calling 