What Does A Christian Look Like? Part ll

Beautiful One, ask anyone what a Christian looks like, and the majority of the responses will be about outward signs and behaviors. But, no matter the response to this question, the fact remains that not one single answer can rightly define what a Christian looks like.

Being a Christian isn't about outward appearances, although outward changes are visible. But if being a Christian is about outward appearances, our Christian status is up to the interpretation of observers. What if someone misinterprets behavior? Or, what if someone who does good has an off day? Should their behavior disprove their Christianity?

Let's take a closer look.

Jesus said that they (the world) will know us as Christians by the love we have, one for another (John 13:34-35 NIV). The world will know, by love, not behavior modification. Do we realize that "right living" does not mean we are Christians? There are many people who do not believe in Jesus as Lord, but live and act more better than some Christians. I guess you could say, the proof is not always in the pudding; its in the love. It's in the heart. Being a Christian is not about our good works, it's about faith. Christianity is not about cleaning up your act, it is about a God who came down and already cleaned it up for you.

Now, don't let this confuse you, but faith without works is dead faith, so I am not saying don't try to live a life of integrity. We reach for the prize, we strive for excellence, it is our aim to grow, and being a Christian will produce a motivation within us to do right. It will also inspire us to work on changing things within ourselves. It's a life long process, and one that needs close connectivity to the outlet of the Father.

So many people, believers and non-believers have the idea that a Christian is one who is so good that they never fail, cheat, lie, steal, or have a bad day. The fact is, our position as a Christian is secure, but we will constantly wrestle with our condition, behaviors, and issues of life! Have you ever noticed when a Christian fails, people are right there during the lynching? They are judging, and even more angry at a Christian who falls, over any other person because they have a skewed imagination of what a Christian is supposed to look like.

Maybe Christ didn't get into the do's and don't s because he knew that being a Christian isn't defined by behaviors. Christianity is defined by love. We can see this with the Ten Commandments. I haven't met a person yet who has followed every one of them, have you?

The truth is, the whole Gospel is summed up with one word not a list: LOVE.

Love GOD. Love your neighbor and love yourself. That is it! Just think if everyone in the world would do this for just a day, how different our world would be. What if it was done for just an hour, do we realize the impact this would have and how many people would be changed, and helped if this were so?

Not everyone needs a prolific dissertation on the Scriptures, but everyone responds to love no matter who they are. God is love, and we are created in His image. The Bible says that love never fails. It may have its moments of pause, but genuine love is a sacrifice that never returns void.

Have you ever heard, "Love the sinner, and hate their sin?" I like to rephrase it, "Love the sinner, and hate our own sin!"

Beautiful One, it is possible to sit on the deck of Christianity, while we are tangled up in chains. It is possible to act unlovely while serving a lovely God. Aren't we all just a bunch of misfits working out our own salvation with fear and trembling? Even if some are good at not trembling in front of us, they still do it all the same.

Maybe we as Christians could better help the world understand us if we were real about some things. The one thing I continuously hear from non-believers is how phony and fake we are. Unfortunately, sometimes we can agree with them. The world will judge us more harshly because we get out there in front of them and tell them to come to Jesus and their life will be alright, while ours if you looked in the mirror has the same resemblance. 

Our marriages aren't any better and we have wayward, unruly children. Our debt and mismanagement suffocates our strength.  We lose jobs due to addictions, and our families suffer for our shortcomings. We have  the same relational problems just like the guy down the street and our tempers can flare sometimes more than our faith. The sun rises and sets on the just and the unjust, and at the end of the day can't we all just agree the only difference between us and the world is as Captain John Newton said;

"I am a great sinner, and Christ is an even Greater Savior!"

Beautiful One, just believe, and if you can say that, then you've answered the question; what does a Christian look like!