In today’s world a lot of people young and old call themselves Christians but do not act or treat others how Christ did. I think that is a problem. Most Christians I know get mad that we are losing our strong hold on the USA. Meaning people aren’t saying ‘Merry Christmas’, or praying before a sporting event. Is that really what defines you as a Christians, that you say certain things or symbolically do things before an event. It is true that Christ said “But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:33. Some may think this is the way to fulfill that or it is what the mas polpuli does, so they follow along. That scares me that people calm and do things that show they are Christians yet they do not understand what it means to be a true believing Christian.
I like to think that if Jesus came back to earth I would not have a problem following him. Giving up everything I know and have to follow him. To me that actually sounds like a pretty good deal. Thinking about it though how many people who preach and teach God’s word would actually do that. Leave their family, their comfortable bed, and the easy life to be persecuted and hated by pretty much everyone. The 21 century Christians has it pretty east, we can sit behind our screens and post that we are a Christian. Even better we go to Church on Sunday for at the max two hours and walk out being a Christian. That’s not a Christian.
There are many people who have prayed a ‘sinners prayer’, that says I believe you are the Lord, forgive me of my sins, and I will follow you. Well, I have prayed that, I even got baptized. I was “old” to be baptized in my home church I was 14. How is that old? When you are 14 you are just figuring out that who you are. I am not saying it is bad to be saved while you are young. I know people who were baptized when they were 7 and they fully understand what it means to be a Christian. There are many others that do not understand at all, they follow other people because it seems like the correct things to do. I am now 19 and I think I may understand what it really means to be a Christian.
To be a Christian, you have to change who you are to follow Christ. Or take up your cross. I will admit that I have not been the best Christian, I have done many things I am not proud of, I judge people, I tell people they are not good enough, I hate myself for how I look and act. When I finally figured it out, it clicked in my head. I can remember when I first felt God’s love. As stereo typical as it sounds I felt it at a church camp. But it was not come down to the front and say you are a Christian. We were singing and something came over me, I started crying. A lady that is like a second mother to me saw that something in me had changed and hugged me. It was one of those hugs where it was not I am doing this because it is the right thing. It was out of LOVE. That was not when I figured out what it meant to be a Christian. I figured that out when I was driving to coach. I was listening to my favorite country music station. I was thinking and then it clicked. Grace, that simple word is what it meant to be a Christian.
When you become a Christian you stop things that took you away from God. Even if that is the smallest thing. As stupid as it sounds, every time I turn away from God I over eat and gain weight because I am looking for worldly satisfaction. You have to be uncomfortable. For the early Christians they were extremely uncomfortable. Yet I have to meet a young Christian that has been uncomfortable. It is to simple. You have to give up the food, give up the sexual acts, the judgment you cast onto other people. You have to give up the old you and when you do that other people will be able to tell the change.
I cannot tell you how much happier I am then when I am doing the correct thing in life. But if we are not changing then we are not believing.
Christ would not be a Christian because if someone who does not act like a Christian but says they are a Christian are a detriment to having people become Christians.
Christ would not be a Christian because the way we act towards each other and in general is something that truly turns away people from Christ. I think that we need to do more good.
All we really needed to do to bring people to Christ is not through scripture at them but love them. Show them grace and mercy. Let them know that they will have to change but love will truly conquer all.
