What does it mean to be a Christian? For some, it simply means that you go to church every Sunday. Or, maybe not every Sunday. For some people, going to church on Christmas and Easter is enough to qualify themselves as Christians. Certain people would say they are Christians just because they follow the Ten Commandments. Others, still, would say that because they are a Christian, they have been forgiven of their sins, and can therefore go on sinning however they please; being a Christian is a “get out of jail free” card, fire security protection. Does being a Christian mean you are loving and accepting of everyone and everything, avoiding contradiction to society's current trends?
Being a Christian means you live with a purpose in your life. You were put on this earth to worship its Creator in everything you do, and to further His kingdom. Ideally, being a Christian means you put others before yourself, always. However, each human being is sinful and therefore cannot always put their own needs after everyone else’s. What it means to be a Christian, though, is that you realize you’re sinful - you know you’re sinful, but you also know you are made new through Christ’s sacrifice. You try your hardest to honor God in everything you do. When you fail, you are forgiven, and instead of wallowing in self-pity and regret, you forgive yourself and move forward, or at least, you try to.
To answer the question stated earlier, no, being a Christian does not mean you avoid disturbing society’s current trends. Christians are called to follow God’s Word and witness to the world. It is impossible to witness to the world if you don’t stand for what the Bible says. The Bible says that you should be in the world, but not of it. Today, many Christians think being loving means being of the world. The phrase “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” has become twisted and misused. What it means to be a Christian is that you love and trust God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and you acknowledge that you are a sinner and, in turn,accept Christ's free gift of salvation. Finally, being a Christian means that you follow God's Word above the world's, but you also realize people are not their sins, and in doing so, you love everyone as Christ has loved you.
