It didnt really hit me till today. A lot of the Christians I DO know are like this. But I have surrounded myself with these like minded people. Out in the day to day world, how many people who arent Christians actually encountering and seeing Christ in us who call ourselves Christians?
I have some friends who I always say could be amazing daughters and sons of Christ, but refuse to accept what He has said about Himself. Now when I have asked them why, some have said because of that attitude that comes from some of the Christians they know. "Oh the Church is just after your money...they're a bunch of hipocrites, they're brainwashing the kids etc..If Christ preeched so much love why are you Christians protesting at places like gay pride parades, being rude and judgmental!? Doesnt your God tell you to love all people?" This is something a lot of people do come to me about because we have a same sex marrage in our family. This hits home for us. We have SEEN Christians treat our family members in the least loving way.
Its these people who are having a hard time accepting Christ because of the people who say they follow Him that I think could do amazing things in the Churches, because these people ARE so full of love and joy and ideas already. Imagine putting two and two together?
I have friends and family who wont come to Christ because of what they have seen Churches, that they have seen "religion" do to the world. "Dont preach at me, you start and Im out of here!"
It has hit me hard. These people who are saying " I wish there were more like you." ... what Christians are they watching? What example are we setting?
We are doing a series in the Church we attend about being in Christ's likeness. What was His likeness? According to my friends who are not Christians, Jesus must have been a very non tolerating, unloving, hating people who arent like us kinda guy."
Maybe because of this series at Church it has caused this realization that people who are not walking with Christ really dont have a good view of Jesus or the Church.
Jesus loved. He served and He loved.
God came, to die and rise again, so we could do the same. He didnt make us little gods, its still not all about us... but gave us His Spirit to give us His wisdom in the times we call on it. His Spirit that dwells within us so that together we can do even more than God did while He walked this earth.
John 14:12-14 (NIV)
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
To me, Christianity is a most loving faith. We are called as Christians, to follow Christ's example and to love ALL people.
John 13:34-35
“A new command 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.”
To just put our faith in Jesus Christ and that He knows the best path for us. He is supposed to come first. If we are thinking always of Him, it is easier to represent Him. To share our faith with others. He is not some god that sits on a table, who's bones are still in tombs and graves or scattered all over... He is the LIVING GOD who wants us to have a relationship with Him, forever. He wants to help us, heal us, free us, walk with us and comfort us.
There has been a lot of corruption in this world, a lot of corruption happening everywhere, in Churches that pick and choose parts of the Bible that suit them, that are not following Biblical teachings, that have gotten so selfish and far off from what He wanted. People after just your money. Church members who ignore you or judge you because you are a bit different. If this was how my walk in Christ had started, I probably would have stayed pagan. I have been very blessed to be involved in Churches that have not been this way. But they are out there. The Church is not a building. I hear so many people say "I dont have to go in a building to worship God." I agree 100%. You can worship God anywhere... while walking to the corner store.. while sitting on the toilet..serious! The Church is a group of people who are there for eachother, to encourage and support one another. To help eachother grow in their walk with Christ. To pray for eachother. To bring others to Christ. And to not judge those who are not there just yet.. I LOVE going to Church. Its family to me.
If you are not a Christian, and you are just looking at the people of this world to see what Jesus was like..sometimes you are going to have to look a long time to find people really working hard to be like Him. Its a struggle against the flesh everyday. We ALL fall short of being like Christ. I thank Him for His grace and forgiveness. We are saved when we surrender to Him. We gotta keep our eyes on Him.
But please, I encourage you to read your Bibles.. read John, Matthew, listen to Christ speak through the pages. Study it... dont just go by what the news says, what friends say. Learn it for yourself. There are so many false teachers, you can be fooled in a minute!! Study it for yourself!
the only ones we should be looking for advice from is Jesus.
Christians- we need to be making sure we are doing this as well. Dont be half in and half out. Go all in for Him! He went all in for you! He'll show you things you have never seen before! Its so amazing! We need to be like Him so that people can see Him in us. How else are people going to see what is so great about Christ? This is not to say we cant have bad days, have crummy teary eyes moments where we think "ugh this is massivley lame.." Heck I had two of these in the past three days!!!!!!!!! LOL. But we need to focus on Christ and tell people "Gods got His hand on this still. Its going to work out for His purpose. It sucks now, but it will be beautiful later and I will still give thanks and forgive and love".
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