A Christian is a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ. While this definition is a good starting point, it fails to communicate the biblical truth of what it really means to be a Christian. One of the marks of a true Christian is a genuine love for others. You are a Child of God that has received new life in Jesus Christ. The challenge of the non-Christian-Christian relationship has always been a difficult one. There are more than a few issues entirely within our control that give Christians a bad name with people outside the faith. Christians have an integrity problem. Here are three things Christians do that non-Christians hate:
“I
like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike
your Christ.” (Mahatma Gandhi)
1.
Being judgmental: Non-Christians
have no problem telling other people how judgmental Christians are. Social
media reveals Christians condemning non-Christians people for their sexual
habits and preferences, life-style choices, and even political views. I
realized years ago that very few people get judged into life change. Far more
get loved into it.
It also occurred to me that the
presence of judgment almost always guarantees an absence of love. Think about
it through the lens of your family, a friendship, or work. What if they’re
making a mistake and I need to correct them? Look at your mistakes, and the depth of your sin,. And deal with your issues first. In the process, you’ll
encounter a loving God who forgives you despite your sin. What would happen if
Christians stopped judging the world (isn’t that God’s job) and started loving
it instead? I believe that’s what Jesus did.
2.
Being
hypocritical: Hypocrite is the word for Christian
who say one thing and do another. It’s far easier to call someone else a
hypocrite than it is to admit you’re one. My walk doesn’t always match my talk.
I’m a mixture of good evil. “I know that my selfish desires won’t let me do anything
that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot. “(Romans
7:18, CEV) Sanctification is a process that
never ends. I am not who I want to be (yet).
I am not who God
wants me to be. But I’m different. I’m changing. And Christ is at work in
me. I believe that’s the reality for every person who calls Jesus Savior. So
what do imperfect Christians do? You watch what you say. When you admit your
shortcomings, you build a bridge between you and others. Owning your sin is
different than living in it.
Confession is never an excuse for complacency. Change how
you live through the power of Christ day by day. Change how you talk about your
faith, yourself, and how you live your life. Want a quick fix for hypocrisy?
Accelerate your walk. Humble your talk. Nothing closes the gap between word and
action faster than that.
3.
Being unfriendly:
We all have ideas of finding the
perfect friends with whom we’ll never disagree. Very few human relationships
ever work out that way. Perhaps the first obstacle between non-Christians and
Christians is that few Christians actively pursue meaningful friendships with
people who don’t share their faith.
Non-Christians observe Christians in life with their
judgment and hypocrisy and draw all kinds of conclusions. Jesus pursued
friendships with people who were different than Him with lifestyles far
different than anything God had in mind for Him. Yet Jesus was their friend. He
went to their house for dinner. Jesus shared all areas of His life with the
undesirables of His time.
] Jesus practiced authentically. When was the last time you
had someone who’s not your skin color, not your political persuasion, and
doesn’t share your value system over for a meal? Often when Christians do
pursue acquaintances with people away from the Heavenly Father, it’s more of a
project than it is a friendship. People aren’t projects. People can sense when
you see them as a project, and not a person.
Some Christians do
have relationships with non-Christians. So: how do they talk about their faith?
Real friendships are always on the real issues of life. Discuss your faith in
the context of your world.”People
will never believe you love them if they feel you don’t like them. “(Reggie Joiner)
“Non-churchgoers tend to see
Christians as takers rather than givers. When Christians sacrifice and give
wildly to the poor, that is truly a light that glimmers. The Bible teaches that
the church is to be that light (that sign of hope) in an increasingly dark and
hopeless world.” (Francis Chan) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“3 Things Christians Do That Non-Christians Despise” by Carey Nieuwhof
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