When people are asked what is Christianity they usually respond with something that includes loving God, being a good person, trying to be the best you can, attending weekly services, or something like that. I often think, "Is that what we are trying to narrow Christianity down to so we feel better about ourselves because Christianity is a lot more than that?"
We live in a society that says, "If you don't worship like me, sing like me, or read the translation I like then you aren't worshiping right. You better repent or you will go to Hell. Until you repent go worship with another group of people." We often times say, "Oh boy, that person has a terrible reputation, even worse mouth, and I think he/she may even be homosexual. I don't want that person around me, in "my" church, or on my facebook." Is that the proper Christian attitude? I'm sure people will have a way to defend themselves if they think this way, but is it right?
We get so busy defending "our" faith, that we forget to defend "the" faith. Jude 1:3 We get caught so up in defending our faith of making sure your at least a service once a week or you can or cannot have an instrument in the service, that we stop contending for "the" faith. We force others to fit into "our" Christianity and not Christs. We get so wrapped up in condemning a person who doesn't understand baptism or the Lord's Supper, so they don't do them, that we forget to teach them about those things.
When has serving others and taking care of the needy disappeared from Christianity. Do we have a pure and undefiled religion? Jas 1:27 We are to busy letting our tongues run wild and hurting others instead of building them up with love. Eph 4:29; Jas 1:26. We shove doctrine at people before we show them love. 1Ti 1:5 I always say The Great Commission (Mt 28:19,20)has four distinct commands inside it and they are Go, Preach, Baptize, and Teach. Today we are going and teaching commands and hoping people will visit to hear the preaching and be baptized. We got it all wrong about "our" Christianity and "our" Great Commission.
Today, let's take Christ's Christianity into the world. Show someone you and the Lord love them without telling them. 1Jn 3:18 Today, let us "GO" and "PREACH" Christ crucified for the love of mankind. Let us allow the facts of the Bible allow a person to understand the need and importance of "BAPTISM." Then we can "TEACH" them what Christianity consists of by teaching them Christ's commands, "Let us love without hypocrisy." Show others that Christianity is based on love that comes from the love of our Lord. Let us visit, serve, love, and keep ourselves "unstained by the world." Let's tell others that is what Christianity is all about. Let us love others with J.O.Y.! Love in this order: Jesus Others as Yourself!!! That is Christ's Christianity.
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Hear The Word- Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4
We Must Believe or Have Faith- Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31
We Must Repent- Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30
We Must Confess Christ Before Others- Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37
We Must Be Immersed Into Christ (Baptized)- 1Pe 3:21; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38
We Must Remain Faithful- Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22
Good stuff here, Oh Lord, help me!
ReplyDeleteI added a link to your blog on my blog in the "Various Links" section. If this is a problem please let me know and I will remove it immediately!! Love you guys!!!!
DeleteThank you for today's Blog and sharing God's word..sometimes I forget that others faith may not be as strong as mine or they are still working on their walk with God and I need to be more loving and patient..also....We need to hate the sin but love the sinner at all times.
DeleteI said last night in the evening message, "We must hate sin as much as we hate the Hell it leads us to." Too many people are afraid of Hell but have no fear of sin!! Love you my sister!!
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