In the last few weeks I have had a couple of conversations with people who think that Christian is a bad name. People you want to avoid and unfortunately, not do business with.
We have failed miserably in Jesus' command
Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.Colossians 3:12 (KJV)
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Romans 12:3 (KJV)
3
For by the grace given me I say to every
one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but
rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the
faith God has distributed to each of you.
Well there's the key isn't it?
We think more highly of ourselves because we are saved.
Yet through out scripture we are told that is not what we are supposed to do.
I talked to a business owner a few weeks ago who is really down on Christians, his exact words were,
"a Christian will try and take advantage of you faster than anyone else you can do business with"
"....they think if they are Christians they should be given more benefits, things should be discounted..."
I wasn't prepared for this conversation. I didn't know what to say to him. Partly because I have felt the same way before. I work in advertising, I have dealt with churches who think because they are a church they should be discounted, offered more for their money, given concessions. And I have had to deal with the people that work at those churches, they are extremely adamant about what their privilege should get them. I've had that same taste in my mouth, so all I could do was agree with him that, yes, there are some Christians who try and use that fact to their advantage.
But not all, I pointed out.
A few days ago I asked an atheist what it was that made them an atheist. The conversation, naturally, turned to being spurned and more or less cursed by Christians.
As a Christian when we look at someone who is not a Christian and say "well you're going to hell" do we think that makes them want to repent, drop down on their knees and beg God to forgive them?
No! In my experience, it makes them want to get as far away from you as they can get.
As Christians we know that if someone, anyone, doesn't accept Jesus as their savior and ask Him to come into their lives, hell waits. It's in the bible, I can't change it. It's there.
That should give us sympathy for someone who has not accepted Him, break our hearts for them, make us want to grab them, hug them close and tell them how much we love them and don't want them to be lost forever. Not condemn them, that's God's job.
I don't bug my lost children (well they think I do) about not being saved, I pray for them.
I don't beg them to come to church or force them to pray or make them read the bible. I go to church, I read the bible, I pray, and I thank God for the good and bad in my life. I lean on Him when I need to and also when I am doing really well.
In other words, I try and lead by example.
I can't make them do anything that He does not convict them about. I can beg, I can threaten, I can be a total jerk about it, but if He is not convicting them, I am only making sure that they stay as far from me and my 'religion' as they can get.
The absolute best thing we can do for the lost is pray, pray for conviction in their hearts, pray that He would begin to move in their lives, pray that He would bring them to Himself and change their hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. And the second thing we can do is show (a verb, takes action, effort on your part) them the love of Christ.
John 3:17 (KJV)
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
If the perfect Son of God did not come to condemn, then who are we to think it is our place?
Yes Jesus sent out his disciples, and He gave us the great commission, but not once did he say to shove it down their throat, argue and force them to hear. In fact He said:
Mathew 10:16 (KJV)
"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Condemning someone to hell is not being as "innocent as doves" nor is it anything Christ did while he walked on the earth. In fact I'm pretty sure He stood in the gap.
Do we stand in the gap by our actions toward sinners? Or do we show how righteous and "religious" we are by condemning them?
Being religious does not award us benefits we do not deserve
Luke 14:7-11
[7] When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the
table, he told them this parable: [8] "When someone invites you to a
wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more
distinguished than you may have been invited. [9] If so, the host who
invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.'
Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. [10]
But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host
comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then
you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. [11] For
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself
will be exalted."
When Jesus humbled Himself, first to leave His heavenly life, for no other reason but to save, and washed the feet of His disciples, what in the world do we think we are doing having a haughty attitude toward anyone? Sinner or saint?
In fact, knowing our Savior, in other words, being in an intimate relationship with Him, should make us heartbroken and humble us enough to stand in the gap for them.
The only way we are going to save the lost is to humble ourselves, break our hearts for what breaks God's and lead by example.
Deal rightly with everyone,speak softly and always, always show the love of Christ.
I try to be humble because the Word says I should, but more importantly, because I know my sin
Romans 7:19-25
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
I'm sorry but I have seen way too much of what the world sees in "Christians" myself.
Some are so wrapped up in religion and legalism they are missing the intimate, close, loving, humbling relationship we can have with our Savior and pushing people away.
I pray Father that you would bless this reader, grant them peace that comes from knowing You and a humble spirit to share You with others.
Through Jesus' name and Your will
Amen
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