I’ve seen plenty of anti-Christian memes and quotes and I would not deny that there is some truth in some of them. Despite the fact that no one on their own meets God’s standards and a Christian by nature is a work in progress, plenty of people who are known as “Christians” have been guilty of wanton idolatry, corruption, and greed as well as great injustices and suffering.
However, the attacks on the organized religion of Christianity or perhaps individuals who have proclaimed their Christian beliefs. The criticisms levied against the institutional church throughout history becomes a smoke screen hiding the truth. The truth is, of you want to know what true Christianity is, like each one of us, you must face your relationship to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even though it was God’s plan of redemption that Christ died on the cross for our sins, do you know that religious people drove Christ to be executed?
Although there are many places in the world where Christians are suffering grave persecution, but, I rarely I see attacks against the actual teachings and example set by Jesus Christ, the documented life that is preserved via eye-witness testimony in the New Testament. Most religions have a favorable view of Christ although each is only focused on a portion or a misconception or contradiction of the most accurate evidence of who Christ is.
If you want to understand who Jesus Christ is, do not be confused by the actions of sinners and hypocrites, either real gross ones or one that you simply throwing accusations at. Some people who succumb to their sin often create destructive chaos in their congregations and lead people away from the saving grace of Jesus Christ. While the spiritual harm is often significant, one must remember that one’s first loyalty is in his or her relationship with their Lord and Savior, not a local church or a denomination. Respect and support your human leaders but never worship them, that is idolatry and un-Biblical. They are only human like you are.
Only God is worthy of worship.
There ARE saved believers in the church no matter how apt you are to criticize the various denominations, but if you choose to assess the virtues of a sinless master by imperfect people and sometimes corrupted institutions, you are going miss the message of the Good News directed to you regarding the mission of love and rescue by God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus charges us to love others
This is where virtually all of us fall short in some way.
31 Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus *said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; 32 if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:31-35
I confess that I have not loved, hate is natural to a sinner, and so is a desire to sin. In this sense, a believer in Jesus Christ is no difference than a non-Christian.
34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 And one of them, a scholar of the Law, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:34-40
We are weak but He is strong
A difference between a believer and a non-believer, is a believer, a.k.a follower of Jesus Christ, is aware of the truth of Jesus Christ and worships Christ and is repentant. He has trust in Jesus Christ and confidence in His teachings, and believes they are founded in truth and wisdom. Because of this, each believer is in a life long process of turning from sin and turning towards Christ. It does not mean we suddenly change and become sinless, if you want to judge a believer in his day to day life, you will find fault, you will find hypocrisy because we are conscious of the ultimately high standards set by God’s law, whereas, non-believers may have no absolute standard to judge themselves by.
Nevertheless, believers are also aware of their unworthiness to be saved by Grace and as a result have a deep gratitude for the complete saving work that Jesus endured and accomplished.
Because of the transformational acceptance of God’s saving grace, we are certain of our future salvation and are also aware that we have an often difficult responsibility to share the Gospel, that is, the Good News. The Good New is that Jesus Christ did something for us that we are incapable of doing for ourselves.
On our own, we are unable to achieve acceptance by a holy and righteous God, but can receive a confident hope of an eternal life and eternal security that begins now and only through Christ.
We must rely on trusting the work of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross for the sin of the world. Faithful believers surrender to God, like a prodigal son who returns to His loving father. Only God is worthy of worship.
Trying to Love is often a battle against our weaknesses.
A weak point for all is we are naturally idolatrous and self-righteous. I have been.
We create masks that cover our insecurity. These masks can become idols that keep us from being honest. I know.
We can entertain ourselves by belittling others. I have.
We can be ignorant to how destructive our behaviors are or have been to others. Often too late did I know.
We can dwell and even pride ourselves in petty small mindedness. I have.
We can be cruel and given the opportunity can be downright savage. It’s harmful, stupid and small minded.
These sinful behaviors do not glorify God
Christians are not beyond these behaviors, they are human, but if we are surrender to a worthy Master and Lord, studying the Word of God regularly, ideally daily, and being humble to how it convicts us of sin, we can adjust and learn from mistakes as God convicts us of failing to be obedient to Him, sharing the gospel, and to love one another.
God is Love
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love has been perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. – 1 John 4:15-21
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
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Bible passages from the Legacy Standard Version
CKY
1/28/24