What is a Christian?
A Christian isn't necessarily a kind, loving, generous, caring, person. Often you'll hear the words - 'They can't be a Christian they're horrible!' And you'll hear others say, 'If they're a Christian then I'm glad I'm not one, they are the worst!' And then there is, 'I can't believe they are a Christian, look at them, listen to them!'
We've developed this idea that being a Christian means attaining a state of benevolence and keeping that state of benevolence without losing it. Being a Christian means appearing loving no matter what. We've all met these Christians who are everything we imagine a Christian to be, and yet we only know others by what they reveal to us.
That always smiling, laughing and happy Christian cries constantly in the privacy of their own home. That soft spoken, always speaking a kind word Christian goes home and yells and swears. Is this true for all, NO! There very well could be the always smiling, happy, laughing Christian who is always like that - rain or shine, inside their home and outside. However, we just don't know.
Being a Christian means being a believer of Christ and striving to walk that narrow way, bearing the crosses that are ours to bear.
No one was given an instant personality change upon accepting Christ as their Savior. The newness of a Christ walk may temporarily alter a personality, but newness wears off.
If a person struggles with gossiping before being a Christian, the truth is they may become an even worse gossip after becoming a Christian. If a person is hateful before becoming a Christian they may be even more hateful afterwards. How can I say this when it's supposed to be the opposite?
When a person declares their belief in Christ and asks Christ to lead their lives it is truthfully just as if a soldier in a war asks to be sent to the front lines. What happens on the front line? It is there where the worst of the war takes place, the most dangerous area you can be in exists there. A Christian immediately draws the attention of Satan- REMEMBER you cannot believe in Jesus without believing in Satan, it's impossible. Instantly the enemy attacks and it's not just without outside situations but more often the internal battles.
The hateful person won't WANT to be hateful and will often despair of being hateful with the inability to stop. Should they give up and forget about Christ and being a Christian because they are horrible and can't seem to change? This is what Satan desires most of all. If Satan can cause us to despair of ever being that 'ideal' Christian person, then he owns us.
Truthfully, maybe the hateful Christians, maybe the worst of the worst of those claiming Christ as their Savior are more Christian than the nicest Christian you may know. The bottom line is we do NOT know the heart of a person. The Bible tells us 'by their fruits' we will know them. That bitter, seemingly evil person who claims to be a Christian may have a lot of fruit we don't even see or know about. What is the fruit of a person--
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Do the actions of a bitter, evil Christian speak for them when their mouths, their attitude can't? Is the results of their life nothing but the spread of evil? Or is the same bitter person who seems far from Christ-like- the one who spends hours praying for others, who is willing to give of themselves in ways not outwardly obvious? If you see the evil growing from these people, evil they've promoted and encouraged then perhaps they are truly not Christians, but a lot of time struggling Christians who love Christ, who believe in Him and His salvation are waging a battle with an enemy we can't see- and thery would not promote or encourage evil at all!
So much seems out of our control. Our evil tongues are just that - evil. And we all have tongues. Short of yanking them out, they are going to be instruments of evil all too often. We cry out to be truly God's children, followers of Christ and yet we behave in ways we WOULD NOT. If we embrace our evil and call it GOOD then we are not truly Christ followers. If we abhor our own evils and seek to be rid of them, we are Christians who are fighting a fierce battle!
One thing we have to remember, and by the grace of God we will - is this -
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
We can NEVER judge another person's eternal life, never. We can judge their actions to be right or wrong, good or bad but NOT their eternal life. They may act unChristian-like as we imagine a Christian must be, but we could be allowed to see that part of their cross bearing, their struggle - all in order for us to have the opportunity to pray for them, not condemn them. Maybe we need to witness their behavior so we can turn and look at our own as we struggle.
Christians can hurt others, but it isn’t something they do with the intent to inflict pain. Christians are sinners in need of a Savior. All people need prayers, those who appear Christian and those who say they are but don't appear to be, and those we are not and don't even want to be.
We all need prayers as we struggle in this awful sin ruled, satan run world!
Please, Lord, please help us to be Yours! Save us from ourselves!
A Christian isn't necessarily a kind, loving, generous, caring, person. Often you'll hear the words - 'They can't be a Christian they're horrible!' And you'll hear others say, 'If they're a Christian then I'm glad I'm not one, they are the worst!' And then there is, 'I can't believe they are a Christian, look at them, listen to them!'
We've developed this idea that being a Christian means attaining a state of benevolence and keeping that state of benevolence without losing it. Being a Christian means appearing loving no matter what. We've all met these Christians who are everything we imagine a Christian to be, and yet we only know others by what they reveal to us.
That always smiling, laughing and happy Christian cries constantly in the privacy of their own home. That soft spoken, always speaking a kind word Christian goes home and yells and swears. Is this true for all, NO! There very well could be the always smiling, happy, laughing Christian who is always like that - rain or shine, inside their home and outside. However, we just don't know.
Being a Christian means being a believer of Christ and striving to walk that narrow way, bearing the crosses that are ours to bear.
No one was given an instant personality change upon accepting Christ as their Savior. The newness of a Christ walk may temporarily alter a personality, but newness wears off.
If a person struggles with gossiping before being a Christian, the truth is they may become an even worse gossip after becoming a Christian. If a person is hateful before becoming a Christian they may be even more hateful afterwards. How can I say this when it's supposed to be the opposite?
When a person declares their belief in Christ and asks Christ to lead their lives it is truthfully just as if a soldier in a war asks to be sent to the front lines. What happens on the front line? It is there where the worst of the war takes place, the most dangerous area you can be in exists there. A Christian immediately draws the attention of Satan- REMEMBER you cannot believe in Jesus without believing in Satan, it's impossible. Instantly the enemy attacks and it's not just without outside situations but more often the internal battles.
The hateful person won't WANT to be hateful and will often despair of being hateful with the inability to stop. Should they give up and forget about Christ and being a Christian because they are horrible and can't seem to change? This is what Satan desires most of all. If Satan can cause us to despair of ever being that 'ideal' Christian person, then he owns us.
Truthfully, maybe the hateful Christians, maybe the worst of the worst of those claiming Christ as their Savior are more Christian than the nicest Christian you may know. The bottom line is we do NOT know the heart of a person. The Bible tells us 'by their fruits' we will know them. That bitter, seemingly evil person who claims to be a Christian may have a lot of fruit we don't even see or know about. What is the fruit of a person--
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Do the actions of a bitter, evil Christian speak for them when their mouths, their attitude can't? Is the results of their life nothing but the spread of evil? Or is the same bitter person who seems far from Christ-like- the one who spends hours praying for others, who is willing to give of themselves in ways not outwardly obvious? If you see the evil growing from these people, evil they've promoted and encouraged then perhaps they are truly not Christians, but a lot of time struggling Christians who love Christ, who believe in Him and His salvation are waging a battle with an enemy we can't see- and thery would not promote or encourage evil at all!
So much seems out of our control. Our evil tongues are just that - evil. And we all have tongues. Short of yanking them out, they are going to be instruments of evil all too often. We cry out to be truly God's children, followers of Christ and yet we behave in ways we WOULD NOT. If we embrace our evil and call it GOOD then we are not truly Christ followers. If we abhor our own evils and seek to be rid of them, we are Christians who are fighting a fierce battle!
One thing we have to remember, and by the grace of God we will - is this -
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
We can NEVER judge another person's eternal life, never. We can judge their actions to be right or wrong, good or bad but NOT their eternal life. They may act unChristian-like as we imagine a Christian must be, but we could be allowed to see that part of their cross bearing, their struggle - all in order for us to have the opportunity to pray for them, not condemn them. Maybe we need to witness their behavior so we can turn and look at our own as we struggle.
Christians can hurt others, but it isn’t something they do with the intent to inflict pain. Christians are sinners in need of a Savior. All people need prayers, those who appear Christian and those who say they are but don't appear to be, and those we are not and don't even want to be.
We all need prayers as we struggle in this awful sin ruled, satan run world!
Please, Lord, please help us to be Yours! Save us from ourselves!
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