To me, being a Christian means to love—to love Jesus and also others. It's exciting, it warms your heart daily, and it's full of joy. Others from the outside of "The Church" do not always see this side of Christianity, though. Most consider Christians to be spiteful and judgmental, and they label us as a persecutory religion.
We are called to be disciples, not to hector.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -Matthew 28:19-20
Be careful how you preach.
Too many times I hear, "Christians are too judgmental," when that's not how it's supposed to be—how we're called to act. Some look at who they believe to be sinners with disgust. They even go as far as refusing to be around those people or telling them they're "going to hell."
Jesus "came as a light into the world" (John 12:46). Meaning that metaphorically, he showed God's love by doing good and spreading love. Jesus loved everyone and did not turn anyone away from him. In fact, he hung out with thieves and prostitutes. That is how we need spread the gospel—not just by telling but showing as well. When we speak with hatred about those who sin, we give the sense that our God, our religion, consists of hatred.
When we give them just the characteristic of the God who "smites" us for our sins and not the forgiving and loving characteristics as well, we don't show what the true meaning our faith. Of course, don't cherry pick the Bible. Tell of the wages of sin, but don't leave out the part of God loving everyone and how no sin is too big to forgive in God's eyes.
"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." -John 13:34-35
"Love thy neighbor" even when you don't agree with other sinners' choices. Love is the best way to let the world know who God really is.
With judging others, most don't take responsibility.
In Luke 6:42, it says,
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
In other words, don't look at the wrongness of others, while you're not fixing your own sins. Don't spit hatred at those who love the same gender when you yourself are having premarital sex.
To quote Billy Graham,
A sin is any thought or action that falls short of God's will. God is perfect, and anything we do that falls short of His perfection is sin.
Now to be cliché, nobody is perfect. We all sin everyday. Although it is hard to say if one sin is greater than another, in this sense, "all sins are equal in that they all separate us from God." We all have something that can improve in our relationship with God. Correct others, but don't condemn them.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." -Mark 12:30
I encourage you from now on as Christians to stop the judging. To stop the gossiping. When you know someone deep in sin, don't condemn them. Pray for them. Be kind to them. Don't badger them to change with hate, show God's love and forgiveness to them first.
If you are to correct, do it with a kind heart, not one filled with judgement and disgust. We are all sinners, so continue to pray for your own relationship as well. Preach all characteristics of Christ, not just the intimidating side. Give Christians and the religion a good, loving name back. Lead hatred away from God's name.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. -1 John 4:16
