I’ve got a small challenge for anyone who calls themselves a Christian. Here it is…
Don’t treat people like dirt…and then expect them to want to join your church.
If you’re going to drive around in your cool truck giving the middle finger to everyone that doesn’t drive fast enough for you…then don’t sport a “NOTW” (Not of this world) sticker on your back window. When you do that…you’re definitely “of this world”.
If you’ve got a cross hanging from your review mirror…then don’t ride my rear end, flash your lights, and yell obscenities at me as you pass me by. You’re dishonoring the man that hung on that cross for me and you.
I don’t care whether you’re Catholic, Evangelical, Reformed Christian, Methodist, Mormon, Pentecostal, or Baptist! If you’re going to believe in the Bible and profess that you’re one of Jesus’s disciples…then start acting like it. Its almost laughable when I see people at church treating others as if they were mortal enemies. Talking trash behind others backs, “digging a pit” for others, silently wishing for their failure, and coveting their possessions. It’s unreal to me.
There’s nothing wrong with a healthy debate among people of the same or different denominations…but when you end up wanting to punch the other person and persist in holding an eternal grudge…then you’ve forgotten what Christ and Christianity is all about.
A friend of mine told me a story about three coworkers. This is a true story…and I don’t want to get my friend in trouble so I’ll keep their names private.
For now…we’ll call them Mike, Jason, and Bob.
Mike and Jason are dedicated Christians. They did everything that would indicate that they were Christians by todays standards. They put Bible verses on their desks, posted Christian messages on Facebook and Twitter, and went to church each week to send Hallelujahs upward into heaven.
Bob on the other hand, had no idea who Jesus was. He hadn’t read the Bible and hadn’t “been saved” yet. Bob was so nice and respectful to everyone that he came in contact with. That was just how he was.
But Mike and Jason really wanted Bob to “get saved.” They’d always ask Bob to come to church with them…and they probably couldn’t understand why he’d never take them up on their offer.
[adinserter block=1]Well…one day Bob talked to my friend and told him about how Mike and Jason were always trying to get him to go to church with them. Bob said something to my friend that I believe sums up the many sorry attempts Christians make at doing true missionary work.
Bob said… “Why would I want to go to Church with them? They treat me and everyone else around them so bad. Why would I want to be a part of that?”
You’ve got to see Bob’s point.
“If your church teaches you how to treat people…then why should I go to your church?” Bob must have thought.
If you’re going to be a Christian…then start representing! Stop moping around…giving people attitude…and complaining about every little thing that throws off your day. People are watching you.
[Tweet “”If you’re going to be a Christian…then start representing!””]How do you think you’ll ever be able to convince someone that they should investigate Christianity if their only interaction with Christianity is poor old you and your negative outlook on things? Have you ever considered that you’re actually hurting Christ more than helping him with how you treat other people? Do you think that showing up on Sunday and listening to the band or singing in the choir is going to bring others to Christ?
Christ said that you should “let your light so shine” so that others will want come unto Him.
Instead…you’re like a walking fire hydrant extinguishing any light that might be burning faintly within others.
So if you call yourself a Christian…then just start loving others and overlooking their faults. Quit trying to make everyone else pay for their sins. God’s got that under control. Become ambassadors of mercy instead heavenly bounty hunters and you’ll never have to beg someone to listen to your message about Christ again.
They’ll already be listening…
Yes! Spot on!
I agree with you. If you claim to have or be something special, then act special.
As an atheist, I’ve always considered the behaviors of christians, especially Mormons, to be entirely typical and within the norm of what everyone else does, and that is evidence that they DONT have anything special.
Loved this! I enjoy reading your posts. This one hit home in a few way for me personally. I appreciated this and it was a great reminder of what I’m truly representing. I am a Mormon, converted to the LDS church 4 years ago but I was raised as an evangelical Christian. I’m not saying I’ve acted totally opposite from what my beliefs are but I have those days, looking back that I didn’t represent my beliefs or standards clearly. Thank you again for being so clear cut and putting this out there. Seriously, this is so helpful. Thank you.
Thanks! Great comment!
One of my favorite quotes is by C.S. Lewis and it’s what I have always tried to teach my 4 daughters…”Don’t shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him”
That is soooo awesome!
Mormons want their cake and eat it to. They want to determine what the
definition of Christian is arbitrarily (ignoring theology and their
changes in definitions), they want to say they are
Christians too (to be accepted and get a foot in the door) while at the
same time claiming that ALL other churches are corrupt and the creeds
are an ABOMINATION to God (first vision – official [there are actually 9
contradictory accounts]), that they are the only ‘true church’ the only
one with ANY authority etc.
It is not logical for them to claim they are ‘Christians too’ since they exclude everyone else from being Christians
If LDS want to claim to be Christians then they need to agree on the
basics of theology (they do not). Even atheists can ‘act’ like
Christians, doesn’t make them Christians. Also LDS need to stop
shunning.
Mormons
want their cake and eat it to. They want to determine what the
definition of Christian is arbitrarily (ignoring theology and their
changes in definitions), they want to say they are
Christians too (to be accepted and get a foot in the door) while at the
same time claiming that ALL other churches are corrupt and the creeds
are an ABOMINATION to God (first vision – official [there are actually 9
contradictory accounts]), that they are the only ‘true church’ the only
one with ANY authority etc.
It is not logical for them to claim they are ‘Christians too’ since they exclude everyone else from being Christians
Jen Johnson, if Christians (who believe the correct and approved theology) don’t act like Christians does that mean they’re still Christians?
Lydia, your lack of Bible knowledge is showing. We are not dust, but children of God who are told in the Bible that we will “be like him”. Read 1 John 3:2
“we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is”. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Jen, your lack of knowledge of Christian history and doctrinal development is also evident. The “basics of theology” that you’re referring to were invented in councils of uninspired clerics over 300 years after Christ. The New Testament Christians -like the LDS- did not believe in those “basics” described in the Nicene Creed, etc. We are like other Christians “too” only in that we “too” believe Christ is our savior. We are NOT “orthodox” or “traditional” Christians, but we ARE “Biblical” Christians.
Thank you Greg, this was a really good article. This is a great reminder to all of us to remember who it is that we follow. How much do we love Him, are we willing to give up our behaviors to model the Savior whom we claim to follow. Thanks for the reminder.
Jen Johnson proved your point of the post, as did others.
They attack. Instead of saying yes, Christians, time ro shape up, they attack. And by the way, if the term anti Mormon bothers the anti Mormons so much they need to learn their history of where the term really came from.
If people really knew that the church teaches members to treat everyone with respect and not shun, then certain people would not make ignorant comments.
Unfortunately, people will be people, and many don’t live their religion ( like some commenters). And people do things they should not. For example, many Pastors/Ministers know that adultery, tax evasion, seeking after riches by using God, illegal drug use, abuse of power, etc is wrong yet some do these things.
Evangelicals have perfected hypocrisy.
This stuff from a majority of the commenters attacking one another over miniscule things is the reason why I have always avoided any particular religion. Good heavens! Can’t we all just live, respect each other and love one another. Why is this so hard?