Christians
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
So my question is if you claim to be a Christian are you?
There is within the evangelical community for lack of a better explanation a formula for getting to heaven.
Simply put it says, you must admit you are a sinner. A sinner being someone who falls short of God’s ideals for their life. You must confess those sins directly to God. That you must by faith accept Jesus as the Son of God and that he died for your sins.
It’s a simple formula and scripturally based. There’s nothing wrong with it. However to far to many people especially here in Canada and the United States it is just that, a formula. They follow the formula and say they are saved. However their actions say otherwise.
These are people who will here the words,
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23.
To be a Christian is not to follow a simple formula as accurate as the formula may be. Christianity is a lifestyle that follows the teachings and example of Jesus and the apostles. Love and not judging people being principle to the Christian life.
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.
Jesus also said,
“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.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” Matthew 5:43-47.
The Apostle Paul defined Love as,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Jesus 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
The Apostle Paul tells us emphatically,
“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.
According to Paul and Jesus Christians have no right to judge anyone other than those inside the Church.
I believe Christians have the right to judge those inside the Church because first of all if you claim to be a Christian you should live in accordance with the word of God. Secondly we must ensure that correct teaching is maintained. That there is no error or heresy being taught.
We must as Christians be willing to sit with those we might call sinners. Matthews gospel recording,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
Notice here Jesus tells the Pharisees “go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice”.
The true message of the Gospel is one of God in His mercy reaching down to sinful man with the offer of redemption. This is what Christians MUST offer to all those we come in contact with whether we agree with them or not.
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.
If you claim to be a Christian you need to ask yourself “am I treating others the way I would like to be treated?”
If you are tempted to demonstrate against anything. If you are tempted to speak out and try to restrict the rights of others in the secular democracy we live in her in the west, ask yourself “Would I want others to do that to me?
At the beginning of this piece I quoted Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Sadly all too many people in the world today agree with Gandhi. They do not see Jesus reflected in the lives of Christians.
If you claim to be a Christian you need to remember the words of the writer of Peter who said,
“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.
Please if you claim to be Christian think about it.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
So my question is if you claim to be a Christian are you?
There is within the evangelical community for lack of a better explanation a formula for getting to heaven.
Simply put it says, you must admit you are a sinner. A sinner being someone who falls short of God’s ideals for their life. You must confess those sins directly to God. That you must by faith accept Jesus as the Son of God and that he died for your sins.
It’s a simple formula and scripturally based. There’s nothing wrong with it. However to far to many people especially here in Canada and the United States it is just that, a formula. They follow the formula and say they are saved. However their actions say otherwise.
These are people who will here the words,
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23.
To be a Christian is not to follow a simple formula as accurate as the formula may be. Christianity is a lifestyle that follows the teachings and example of Jesus and the apostles. Love and not judging people being principle to the Christian life.
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.
Jesus also said,
“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.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” Matthew 5:43-47.
The Apostle Paul defined Love as,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Jesus 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
The Apostle Paul tells us emphatically,
“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.
According to Paul and Jesus Christians have no right to judge anyone other than those inside the Church.
I believe Christians have the right to judge those inside the Church because first of all if you claim to be a Christian you should live in accordance with the word of God. Secondly we must ensure that correct teaching is maintained. That there is no error or heresy being taught.
We must as Christians be willing to sit with those we might call sinners. Matthews gospel recording,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
Notice here Jesus tells the Pharisees “go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice”.
The true message of the Gospel is one of God in His mercy reaching down to sinful man with the offer of redemption. This is what Christians MUST offer to all those we come in contact with whether we agree with them or not.
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.
If you claim to be a Christian you need to ask yourself “am I treating others the way I would like to be treated?”
If you are tempted to demonstrate against anything. If you are tempted to speak out and try to restrict the rights of others in the secular democracy we live in her in the west, ask yourself “Would I want others to do that to me?
At the beginning of this piece I quoted Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Sadly all too many people in the world today agree with Gandhi. They do not see Jesus reflected in the lives of Christians.
If you claim to be a Christian you need to remember the words of the writer of Peter who said,
“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.
Please if you claim to be Christian think about it.
