On Being Christian
Do non-Christians see Jesus reflected in your life?
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
In a previous blog I said the actions of a Christian can and do have eternal consequences.
In the above quote from Mahatma Gandhi we see what he thought about those who claimed to be Christians that were around him.
The same thing is happening today. Non-Christians look at the actions of those calling themselves Christians and cannot see the love of Jesus.
I am always horrified when I see people calling themselves Christians protesting. Be it against abortionist, Gay rights, the rights of Muslims or other groups. This should not be so.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16,17.
Here is the key
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...”
“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
We as Christians are continuing the work of Christ. We are called to go into all the world and “rescue the perishing” as my first pastor was fond of saying.
We cannot do that by protesting.
The apostle Paul says clearly,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Here in North America especially in the United States I find that Christians all to often mix politics and their faith. They mix their constitutional rights with their faith. They demand their rights! They seemingly forget that in a secular democracy such as we have in the United States and other western countries all people have equal rights whether we agree with them or not.
The apostle Peter wrote,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
1 Peter 2:11,12
Notice here Peter says we are “aliens and strangers”. As Christians we are citizens of heaven only passing through this world.
Peter’s call is to
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Protesting against anything or anyone is not living a good life. Especially in the eyes of those that are being protested against.
We cannot win a single soul to Christ by protesting against them.
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”
Matthew 7:12.
In other words by protesting against someone you disagree with, if you are trying to restrict the rights and freedoms given to any group, you are giving them the right to protest against you and restrict your rights.
Christians need to stop looking at the constitution and the bill of rights. As good as they are they are mans words.
We as Christians need to start studying and taking to heart the words of Jesus and the apostles. Who called us to LOVE God, LOVE our neighbour and LOVE our enemy.
A wise man during world war two in Nazi Germany wrote,
When they came for the Communists,
We as Christians are called to reach out to even our worst enemy. We must in a free secular democracy accept the fact that all are equal even those whom we disagree with.
Further more we must use the freedoms our democracy gives us to show LOVE and present to our friends, neighbours and enemies the Salvation that only Christ can bring.
Please think about it.
Do non-Christians see Jesus reflected in your life?
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
In a previous blog I said the actions of a Christian can and do have eternal consequences.
In the above quote from Mahatma Gandhi we see what he thought about those who claimed to be Christians that were around him.
The same thing is happening today. Non-Christians look at the actions of those calling themselves Christians and cannot see the love of Jesus.
I am always horrified when I see people calling themselves Christians protesting. Be it against abortionist, Gay rights, the rights of Muslims or other groups. This should not be so.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16,17.
Here is the key
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...”
“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
We as Christians are continuing the work of Christ. We are called to go into all the world and “rescue the perishing” as my first pastor was fond of saying.
We cannot do that by protesting.
The apostle Paul says clearly,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Here in North America especially in the United States I find that Christians all to often mix politics and their faith. They mix their constitutional rights with their faith. They demand their rights! They seemingly forget that in a secular democracy such as we have in the United States and other western countries all people have equal rights whether we agree with them or not.
The apostle Peter wrote,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
1 Peter 2:11,12
Notice here Peter says we are “aliens and strangers”. As Christians we are citizens of heaven only passing through this world.
Peter’s call is to
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Protesting against anything or anyone is not living a good life. Especially in the eyes of those that are being protested against.
We cannot win a single soul to Christ by protesting against them.
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”
Matthew 7:12.
In other words by protesting against someone you disagree with, if you are trying to restrict the rights and freedoms given to any group, you are giving them the right to protest against you and restrict your rights.
Christians need to stop looking at the constitution and the bill of rights. As good as they are they are mans words.
We as Christians need to start studying and taking to heart the words of Jesus and the apostles. Who called us to LOVE God, LOVE our neighbour and LOVE our enemy.
A wise man during world war two in Nazi Germany wrote,
When they came for the Communists,
I did not stand up,
because I was not a Communist.
When they came for the Jews,
I did not stand up,
because I was not Jewish.
When they came for the Catholics,
I did not stand up,
because I was not a Catholic.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to stand up.
Martin Niemoller.We as Christians are called to reach out to even our worst enemy. We must in a free secular democracy accept the fact that all are equal even those whom we disagree with.
Further more we must use the freedoms our democracy gives us to show LOVE and present to our friends, neighbours and enemies the Salvation that only Christ can bring.
Please think about it.
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