I was chatting to a friend and mentioned how I was such a bad Christian because I wasn't reading my Bible and spending time with God as much as I should, and she asked me something along the lines of "Does that mean there is such thing as a good Christian?" And well......no. We can so easily compare ourselves to other people, but especially other Christians. 'Oh she swears, at least I don't do that.' 'Oh yeah well if you knew what he does on the weekend, you wouldn't think he'd be at Church today.' 'How can you call yourself a Christian then go out wearing something like that??' But surely our Church leaders are good Christians? No, they're just as human as we are.
To be a Christian literally means to be Christ-like, which in and of itself kind of answers the question, but also debunks everything I just said. We can do things that represent Christ well to people, and sadly we can do things that definitely do not. But it's wrong to say that someone is a good or bad Christian. Is it consistency? No one is totally perfect at showing Jesus to the world except...Jesus. So then we circle back to the fact that as Christians, we live our lives pursuing the state of being like Jesus. But then we shouldn't spend our lives striving?
"Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God." (2 Corinthians 3.5)
Striving happens when we try and do these Christian things, Christ-like things, all without Christ. There is a two-fold opportunity from here. One, what better way to show Jesus to people than with Jesus working through you. And two, Jesus works in you and with you to work through you! You aren't just a tool He uses to reach people, He doesn't just need hands and feet - He wants to reach you too! You are someone who He wants to do life with. This is what we are created by God for, communion with Him. Sin separated us, so God gave everything to bring us back into that fellowship with Himself. The Cambridge Dictionary defines communion as 'a close relationship with someone in which feelings and thoughts are exchanged.' It's in the word: union. Unity with God.
So that's the goal then? Unity with God, that is the mark of a good Christian. But how do you measure that? "Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them." (Matthew 7.17-20) Looking at this, we can easily fall back into the above state of comparing. We can look for good or bad fruit in others, and fight to show the best fruit of ourselves. However in another plant analogy, Jesus says "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15.5) The true 'good fruit' comes from abiding with Jesus. First and foremost we come here. We come to God, we stay with Him, we keep inviting Him into our lives, into our day-to-day. We need to remind ourselves how much we need Him, and by staying in His presence, we will naturally want to do things for others, we will learn and grow so much and God will place desires in our hearts for creative ways to minister to and serve His people.
To accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour is a free gift, but to make Him Lord of our lives is walking the walk with Him. Ephesians 2.10 says that "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." It's a choice to make the good decisions and walk where He is leading, but ultimately it isn't the good works that get us into Heaven. Just as you are created for fellowship with God on Earth, He wants that fellowship in the scope of eternity with you.
Comentarios