A Christian
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
I know little of Gandhi. However I can see why he made the above statement. He grew up with many who called themselves Christian and were far from Christian.
It happens today. Many in the west and particularly in North America where I live call themselves Christians that are not.
O they go to church. They may even read the Bible each day, even pray. But they are not Christians.
A Christian is someone who has confessed their sins directly to God and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
It however does not stop there. Being a Christian is an on going process. A Christian needs to pray and read the Bible daily. Then put what they have learned into action in their life.
Christians, true Christians are doing their best to be Christ like. They are following the examples of Christ and the teachings of the apostles.
They are exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit as Paul explains,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22,23.
A true Christian follows the teachings of Jesus who told us to Love, God, our neighbour, and even our enemy.
Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40
Prior to that Matthew’s gospel records,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:43-45
They are following the teaching of the apostle Paul who wrote,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18.
A true Christian believes and practices what the apostle Peter wrote,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
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 2:9-12.
A true Christian believes Jesus who said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21.
A true Christian does not Judge those outside his or her own faith. The apostle Paul saying,
“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.
A true Christian obeys the words of Jesus who said,
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2.
A true Christian follows the words of the writer of Hebrews who wrote,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14.
A true Christian obeys Jesus who 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
This to me is in brief what it is to be a true Christian.
Please think about it.
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
I know little of Gandhi. However I can see why he made the above statement. He grew up with many who called themselves Christian and were far from Christian.
It happens today. Many in the west and particularly in North America where I live call themselves Christians that are not.
O they go to church. They may even read the Bible each day, even pray. But they are not Christians.
A Christian is someone who has confessed their sins directly to God and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
It however does not stop there. Being a Christian is an on going process. A Christian needs to pray and read the Bible daily. Then put what they have learned into action in their life.
Christians, true Christians are doing their best to be Christ like. They are following the examples of Christ and the teachings of the apostles.
They are exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit as Paul explains,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22,23.
A true Christian follows the teachings of Jesus who told us to Love, God, our neighbour, and even our enemy.
Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40
Prior to that Matthew’s gospel records,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:43-45
They are following the teaching of the apostle Paul who wrote,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18.
A true Christian believes and practices what the apostle Peter wrote,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
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 2:9-12.
A true Christian believes Jesus who said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21.
A true Christian does not Judge those outside his or her own faith. The apostle Paul saying,
“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.
A true Christian obeys the words of Jesus who said,
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2.
A true Christian follows the words of the writer of Hebrews who wrote,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14.
A true Christian obeys Jesus who 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
This to me is in brief what it is to be a true Christian.
Please think about it.
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