What is true Christianity?
Or, what are we called to be as Christians and as the Church?
Your thoughts?
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We are made in the image of God. We are Christ-like. Christ -ians = Christ like. As disciples of Christ, we are like an army and soldiers. We are not to be defiant. We are not to disobey orders. We are not to go AWOL. We are to be in submission to His Will. Submission isn't a bad word, it just means being 'under the mission' – and He has given each of us an assignment on this earth that we should submit to and accomplish.
He has called us out to finish the work on this earth that Jesus started – spreading the gospel, The Good News – to all the people on the earth. To destroy the works of the devil. To remove burdens and destroy yokes. Not everyone will accept it, as they did not accept Jesus, but we are still to take it to the nations (which in the Bible refers to all people).
Too many people are closet Christians or they're convenient Christians – whenever it fits in their time and schedule to be one.
I look at other religions and I see what God wants in His people. Dedication. Courage. Strength. Boldness. Tenacity. All for Him.
The Church is suppose to be the Light in the world. People should see something different with the church then they do the world. Our light should draw those who don't know Jesus – to Jesus. Our life should be a testimony of His goodness.
The Church should take time to study, really study The Word. Not just read it. Study it. See what it says. See who it says we are in Christ. See what all He has promised us. See how He has told us to live – then we should 'Go and do likewise.'
We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. The Church needs to wake up and start acting like it. Christ like. It is possible. His Word even tells us it is. He wouldn't expect something of us that we weren't able to accomplish.
For my other books on this subject, please visit me online at…hahaha!
Guess I wanted to answer this question this morning.
Have a good day, Mama Belle!
Complicated question. Set apart, holy, uncompromising of the truth, forgiving, loving, Christlike. As I type these things, the answers seem evident but I think that we/I may fall short. Great reminder for this morning and every morning.
As Christians we are forgiven (thank you God) and obedient (at least we are supposed to be) children of God.
Since the word Christian means "a little Christ", so as Christian's we should be like little Christ's. Sounds easy and flippant, doesn't it. If only…
The Church, we get a good picture of how Christ built His church in Acts, and its use for the edification of believers.
Tough question.
Love. 🙂
I've thought of this a lot over the past few months. A lot of people or groups claim/claimed to be "Christian".
This is a major source of contention between Jews & Christians. The Germans, Nazis, Hitler etc..claimed to have done what they did, all in the name of "Christianity". Crimes of this sort have happened throughout history.
A follower of God is one who loves the Lord with all their heart & soul & loves their neighbor as they love themselves.
We're called to be a light to the World. He said in John we were to Love one another.
The Word says that we can tell if a person is a follower of God by looking at the "fruit" in their life. A tree is known by it's fruit. You find the fruit listed in Gal. 5.
Those characteristics match up perfectly with the way Yeshua lived His life. A life of true Love according to 1 Cor. 13.
The way to figure out if a person is a Christian or not is to hear their confession of faith and to see the fruit in their life.
What we are to do if we call ourselves "Christians" is to live our life sacrificially as He did, according to 1 Cor 13. This is how we become that "light to the world" that we're called to be. That city, set on a hill…
Without those things, we're just a "sounding brass & a tinkling cymbal."
XO
Birdie
Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sin and the sin of the world. He offered me the free gift of salvation if I accept the grace that he offers.
I accepted that gift. Period.
It isn't anything that I do that makes me a Christian, it is what Christ did for me when He claimed me. All I had to do was accept him as my Savior.
What happened after I accepted Him as my Savior was in His hands as He lived and is living through me. My walk will look different from your walk will look different from her walk will look different from… whomever. I don't know that it's a good idea to try too hard to define what a Christian should look like since we are supposed to work out our OWN Salvation with fear and trembling.
I am just so thankful that He calls me His own – it truly amazes me.
Such seemingly simple questions…making my brain hurt! I've been thinking about these questions and trying to find answers that are my own – not a quote of Scripture (although that's hard since His Word is perfect, and does such a better job than I do).
What is true Christianity?
My simple answer is…Him in me. I want to say that it's "almost" like there are two of us in this body of mine, only that's exactly what it IS. On that great day when my need for Him was finally unbearably unavoidable, I hit the floor and asked Him to come in and take over. Make me clean. Fix me. Heal me. Save me. Teach me. Guide me.
He did. He does.
From that point forward, my life…my very nature…changed. It's all about Him, and not about me. It's about His plan and His passions, not mine.
It's wondrous and awesome, but it's also a daily battle. I am, after all, still in here! My greed, my selfishness, my desires…they're all still here. My battle is to daily set "my stuff" aside to let Him and His "stuff" to shine through. My daily prayer is for my desires and passions to become one with His, so this lying aside of self becomes a little less painful 🙂
So what does that look like to someone in the world…someone who is not a Christian? Well, hopefully, my life resembles Jesus' a bit (since it's Him after all!). What did His life look like?
He was loving.
Compassionate.
Willing.
Patient.
Kind.
Healing.
Peaceful.
Reliant on and submissive to the Father's will (even when He was really gut-wrenchingly afraid).
He offered hope.
He offered forgiveness.
He was unwavering with regard to Truth.
He taught.
He preached.
He warned.
He was salt.
He was light. He was THE light.
So what am I called to be as a Christian? I guess the answer changes on a moment by moment basis. He's alive. He's in me. What I'm called to do is to submit and to be/do whatever He wants!
I think it's about learning to love, and learning what that looks like from God's perspective, not our own human understanding of how we think it should go.
I think it comes down to the greatest commandment – to love God with all our heart, mind and strength and to love others.
Sounds simplistic I think… but then the more I understand about what real love is, the more I see it will take all my life to learn how to love well. Seems like it would be easy, but I suck at it.
Love as Christ loved us.
I've thought about this all day. Actually, I think this very same question(s) on an almost daily basis.
I have experienced many different faiths and walks of
"Christianity" in my almost 48 yrs. Some have been good experiences; many have been bad and have had some adverse reactions within my life. I have to admit to participating in some of those "bad" experiences and inflicting the pain on others, all in the name of "Christianity." Bleh. I've asked God to forgive me for being a fool and purpose to NOT do it again….hurting our fellow brothers/sisters….not good.
Today, this is what I believe. Christian? I prefer Child of God. It reminds me I am a child….and I mess up…just as my kids did when they were young. It keeps me real….and keeps my little pointy fingers down on my sides rather than in the air, directed at others.
Love? Sure….I prefer compassion…its a deeper type of love. I believe God gives us each specific areas of compassion. Me, I love the abused, the divorced, the codependents….the messed up folks…like me. As my mentor says, who better to minister to those people than one who has walked the same road?
I don't proclaim my Christianity….I try to live it….the key word there is try. It implies that I don't hit the mark all the time….and its true. I love the Lord…don't have a problem saying it and if asked, I'll admit to it. I'll share salvation at the drop of a hat….I just don't like to "shove it" at people.
I remember watching the movie, Jesus of Nazareth…I think it was Peter O'Tool who played Jesus. That's what I imagine Jesus as…..love just oozing out of Him. Smple statements….Go and sin no more…I am coming to your house tonight….all to sinners. Such compassion…such love. I remember His temper at the Pharisees….those people with the "pointy fingers." That's my Jesus….and that's who I strive to be like. Approachable by those in need me, knowing they won't be condemned but will be loved and accepted.
That's my take on Christianity
I know this is my second comment, but I wanted to add this to the discussion – because this is what I believe.
Check it out:
http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/the-gospel-according-to-gifs/
My dad said someone once told him, "Christianity is nothing more than one hungry man telling another where to find the Bread of Life." Serving and Loving.