A Christian

A Christian

Jesus prayed,
“My prayer is not for them alone(His disciples).
 I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
                    John 17:20,21.
When the people around you look at your life and actions do they see Jesus?
The prayer of Jesus here is for not only his disciples but for those who believe in Him because of what they said. That includes all who claim to be Christians.
So the question is when people look at you, do they truly see Jesus. OR are you by your life and actions turning people away from Christ?
Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.” 
                                                                                                 Francis of Assisi.
So what is your sermon telling those around you?
I live in North America and I see a lot of things done in the name of Jesus that He would never have done.
Do you realize Jesus never voted. Nor did he belong to a political party or express  His political beliefs. He never demonstrated against anything whether they were right in God’s sight or not. Nor did His disciples.
Billy Graham said of Christ’s disciples,
“The men who followed Him were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.”
                                                                                                                                       Billy Graham.
Think about it, without raising a sword, without belonging to a political party without protesting against anything or for anything those disciples and those who truly followed Christ turned the world upside down. As a result of their work founded in love for their God, their neighbour and even their enemy they have reached every corner of the world.
The early disciples did it while under the reign of Nero one of the worst persecutors of Christians.
Sadly today those claiming to be Christians particularly in the United States mix their faith with politics. They are known for what they are against not what they are for. This should not be so.
Matthew records,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
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 28:18-20.
We cannot follow that command if we mix politics and our faith. We cannot do it if we are seen as being against anything.
Living in the secular democracy in which we here in North America offers us a great opportunity to reach millions of people.
Sadly it also gives us the opportunity to pollute our message with seemingly good things like our political views and demanding of “our rights”.
Think about it Jesus never demanded His rights when before Pilate. His disciples had some rights under Roman law but we don’t see anywhere in the scriptures them demanding “their rights”.
If we look at the early Church we see them preaching the unadulterated message of the Gospel of Christ.
The apostle Paul said,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 
                                                                                                      2Timothy 4:3,4.
The way I see it the job of the Christian is not to worry about “their rights” or who is the best politician to be in power.
History has proved that despite having no rights and people opposed to Christianity in power Christianity has flourished and resides today even in places where it is most persecuted.
The job of the Christian is clear. We are to win souls for Christ. We are to teach them all we as Christians have been taught about God, Jesus and The Way to heaven.
A great light is upon the Christian. The eternal resting place of those we meet may depend on what we say and do.
Please think about it.

A Christian

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.