This post goes out to all the "Christians" who claim to be so perfect . . .
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not perfect, but these are some things that irritate me about how others act like they are.
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"Actions Speak Louder Than Words"
Sure, you can talk like you're a great Christian, but I'd like to see you start living like you're a Christian.
"And do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:2
So what does this mean? As Christians, we are supposed to be IN the world, but not OF the world. We are supposed to stand out and shine the light of Jesus to the world. How can we shine that light if we are doing things and living our lives so that we fit in and act like everyone else.
"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth." - Revelation 3:16
Seems pretty simple and straight-forward to me. We either live for Jesus, or we don't. We can't "straddle the fence," so to speak. If we don't live as He wants us to, well, as another translation translates it, we will be vomited out.
Quoting Scripture
Some people know the Bible inside out, and can quote any passage in any situation.
Impressive, right?
Nope, not really.
Satan can quote Scripture, too.
Am I still supposed to find it impressive?
The only time it is impressive to quote Scripture is if you live it yourself. Don't quote a passage and tell others to live that way, then turn around and break the rule you just quoted.
Yes, that's called being a hypocrite.
"I'm okay because I go to church every Sunday"
Again, so what?
Do you take to heart what the pastor says? If it's necessary, do you adjust your life and behavior to conform with what the Bible says? And no, you're not perfect, so don't say that you never need to adjust your heart. If you're never convicted about anything, perhaps it's time to find a church that will actually help you grow.
Now that's impressive.
But going to church just to make an appearance? That's not impressive. Make it count. Churches are there to help us grow. If we're not growing, the church isn't doing it's job, and it's time to find a church that DOES help us grow.
"It's okay because I'm a new Christian"
Well, if you're a new Christian... CONGRATULATIONS, and welcome to the "Family."
But no, it's not okay. Take your stumbles as a learning experience, learn from them, let them help you grow and become a better person. But don't just say "It's okay because I'm a new Christian," and then continue with the un-Christian behavior. This excuse could easily become a crutch, but let me ask you, how long are you a "new" Christian? How long can you use this excuse?
If a newborn baby doesn't exhibit a learning behavior, or develop properly after a certain amount of time, is the baby still "new?" Supposed a five year old still act like an infant. The child hasn't learned anything yet, or the parents have continued to baby him, continuously saying, "He's just a baby" . . . is he really a baby? No, and in fact, doctors might consider the fact that the child has a development problem.
So how long can you say you're a new Christian?
If, after five years, you're still at the same level you were when you became a Christian . . . I'm sorry, but you're not a new Christian anymore. You're just beginning to reach the point where you're giving the term "Christian" a bad name because you're failing to live by what the Bible says.
If we're truly excited about becoming a Christian, our new birth in Christ should be eliciting a thirst to learn more. We should be excited to learn and grow.
So don't use this as an "excuse," use this as an "opportunity" to grow in Christ.
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Like I said, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not perfect. But I do realize that I need to be continuously immersing myself in the Word, so I can continue to grow. Our purpose on this earth is to live for, and please, God. Anything else is irrelevant.
So here's a challenge.
Make your actions speak louder than your words.
If we all live as we're supposed to, we can change the way the world sees Christians. Let's take the title, and turn it back into something to be proud of.
