The Importance of Christ like Living
This is not the first time that I have heard non-Christians express that sentiment. As a Christian, this troubles my heart.
Representatives of Christ
As members of the body of Christ, we are His representatives on earth. Although it is unwise of a non-Christian to judge Christianity based on the behavior of Christians rather than the life of Christ, it is done frequently.
I often try to stress to the unsaved that Christians are just like everyone else: we make mistakes, we lose our tempers, we sometimes make bad decisions. We will not be totally free from sin until we dwell in Heaven.
It can be difficult for the unsaved to understand that sincere Christians do not view themselves as superior to others. The fact is that to even become a Christian, humility is necessary. One cannot accept God's gift of salvation without first recognizing that he needs it. This takes humility.
Whenever possible, Christians should try to explain these things to non-Christians when discussing their faith. But this is not always possible. That is why it is important that our actions speak well of our Saviour.
Christ-like Behavior
The Lord Jesus showed us through His life and through His words how we are to conduct ourselves. Dishonesty, impure conduct, and greed reflect badly upon the author of our faith.
If we as Christians cannot measure up even to the world's standards of basic decent human behavior, what does that say about us?
Too often people are content to take the gift of salvation and never stop to think about changing their ways. They dismiss any attempt at godly living as "legalism" and never consider how their behavior could influence another's decisions.
If only we would take the time to search out the Scriptures and learn how our Lord wants us to live! Can you imagine the impact that such godly living would have on the world around us?
So many Christians are eager to "do something" that they end up doing something that alienates the unsaved. Political protests, debates with atheists and similar activities are good examples of this.
No amount of political action or arguing over semantics will draw the unsaved to Christ. It only serves to distract the Christian and widens the gulf between the saved and the unsaved.
If we are to be a positive witness to the Lord Jesus Christ's saving power, we must be doers, and not only hearers, of His words.
Published by Myranda Morgan
freelance writer View profile
- Women in Christian Missions: A Comparison of the History of Men's and Women's Expe...While women's activity in Christian missions aided social liberation, this liberation came only by overcoming the obstacles of a male-dominated society. This article examines the disparity between men's and women's e...
- How to Preach with Passion, Prose and Persuasion - The Importance of PowerSo often we focus on the style, but if we lose the substance we may lose a soul.
- The Importance of the Cross: Victory, Forgiveness and LoveA brief look into the Cross and its meaning, purpose and life.
- The Law of ChristWhat are the laws Christians are to follow that separates Judaism from Christianity?
- The End of Myself: How and Why I Decided to Become a ChristianThe idea of Jesus just seemed so...silly. I had lived all these years feeling quite certain that Christianity was an enemy of intelligent thinking and that Christians were intellectual Neanderthals to be despised. N...
- The Top Ten New Year's Resolutions for a Follower of Jesus Christ
- Discovery Channel's, Lost Tomb of Jesus Does Question Resurrection
- Resolutions for Christian Living
- Grieving the Holy Spirit: A Message of Christian Living in Jail
- Unity Christian Music Festival: Three Days of Entertainment, Praise & Worship
- "What Will the Bride of Jesus Christ Look Like?"
- From a Christian Who Doesn't Hate Homosexuals
5 Comments
Post a CommentThis is a great article and a great witness. Thanks for writing it and reminding Christians that we need to walk the walk not just talk the talk.
Look, I'm no angel, but I do try to live as much like Christ as I can. I model my self after how he treated his fellow human beings, not trying to prove what a goody-goody I am. Kudos to you for this article, because a whited sepulchre drives more people away from Christ than anything, or, as my minister friend once put it to me, "Satan loves a Bible-beater"!
"I like your Christ, but I don't like Christians. Your Christians are nothing like your Christ." - Ghandi
I've studied the bible in far more detail than I've ever enjoyed, but it was educational; it's clearly illustrated in the new testament that the emulation of Christ's behavior is to be the method of comportment and belief for christians, ergo, that would be my definition of a Christian. I've met many who've professed to be Christians; they're usually preoccupied with looking down their noses at me when I challenge their beliefs or outright criticize the hypocrisy of the church as a whole throughout history, both ancient and modern. It's the angst-religion of emotionally battered, intellectually demeaned masses anymore, no matter what it's "supposed" to be by the bible's definition. Those aren't actively religious Christians; they're jokers using a religious front as a channel for their own desires to feel empowered and enlightened without having to work at it.
GREAT article. I totally agree. I think that a lot of people share the sentiment that "Christian" behavior is a turn-off, because a lot of Christians take a "holier-than-thou" attitude even though they have flaws just like everyone else. It is so important to try to be an example of how Christ would want us to live.
I've never in all my years of living met an actively religious christian that preached by actions and only interjected their beliefs on a given matter when asked to explain such things as why they were doing something. If I ever met one, I think I'd rather like him or her. If Jesus were real precisely as the bible indicates (not something I'm much given to thinking true, but I could be wrong), he was likely both the first and the last christian I'd have liked to've known.