Are you a Christian? If so, do me a favor and work diligently to be a good Christian. This isn’t some sort of works-based theology. In this scenario, I am much more concerned about how you represent Christ to the world around you.
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, then for the sake of Christ’s church, please try to actually act like Jesus, love like Jesus, and live like Jesus. Be a good Christian. Don’t be a cultural Christian or a political Christian. Be a biblical Christian. Be the kind of person that causes other people to want what you have.
I don’t have scientific data to back this up, but I suspect that little has done more damage to the reputation of the church and of Christians in general than bad Christians. Child-abusers who claim to follow Jesus give the church a bad reputation. But, it isn’t only the egregious sinners who give the church a bad name.
I’m still ashamed of a conversation I had with a waitress 10 years ago. I knew her, she knew I was a pastor. There was another man in the restaurant who was also a pastor in our community. “Do you know him?” she asked. I told her the truth, “I know who he is, but I don’t know him.”
She went on to explain with a few choice explicatives that he came into the restaurant often and was consistently the worst customer in the restaurant, “And he’s a preacher.”
I apologized for his sin, but I couldn’t change what had happened over and over again.
That young lady was not a Christian, and she had little interest in becoming one. And a man who was a Christian leader in our community gave her one more reason to not love Jesus.
A small business owner told me recently that she was glad that they closed up shop on Sundays because “all of those people coming in here on Sundays after going to church had terrible attitudes.” Again, she is not involved in a church, and some bad Christians give her reasons to not attend church or trust the witness of the gospel.
The church can be known for much. The church should be known for much. We should minister to the sick and feed the hungry. We should care for the poor and the outcast. But, Jesus said that the world will know we are his disciples by our love for one another.
The church should and must be known for a commitment to the gospel and Christ’s word above all else. But, the church must also be known as a place of love, care, and consideration for others.
So, for the sake of the church and for the sake of the world around you that needs the witness of Christ’s church, don’t just be a Christian. Be a good Christian. Be the kind of Christian who doesn’t gossip, who tips well, and who seeks unity instead of division. Be the kind of Christian who is joyful, patient, kind, and good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
Be a Fruit of the Spirit kind of Christian. We can all lament the fact that this kind of Christianity seems to be exceptional, rather than normal. But, rather than cast stones at everyone who isn’t living right, commit today to be the kind of Christian that draws others toward the Savior.
Seek to live your life to honor Christ and to entice others to do the same. Jesus attracted crowds. People wanted to be around Jesus, to hear from Jesus, and to have Jesus at their party. Be like Jesus. Your flesh may revolt against you, but the people around you may just be blessed and may become open to hearing the gospel. Be a good Christian.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
This gives me so much to think about, talk about, work on and share. I will be a good Christian! That is my goal. Thanks for the article. Julie Vanmansart
I joined the wait staff at a small local restaurant as a part-time summer job while in university in the northeastern US twenty years ago. I was dismayed when my co-workers, all hardworking folks, issued a similar warning to me about the type of customers we could expect to serve on Sundays at the lunch hour. The warning turned out to be completely accurate, much to my chagrin, as the people who came in to dine would discuss matters having to do with how they spent their Sunday mornings in communal worship, and following the meal, their tipping habits were revealed to be abysmal. I am a twenty percent tipper now, which means I don’t eat out much when I am at home in the US, but that summer waiting tables changed me.
Please stop referring to those “bad” Christians as Christians. Jesus said you will know them by your fruit. Why do you call me Lord Lord if you don’t do what I tell you to do. If a person doesn’t act like a Christian, if that is the pattern of his/her life, then they are most likely not Christians. I think it would be helpful if you would start using the phrase professing Christians rather than Christians when referring to those who give no evidence of a transformed life. Thank you God bless
Wonderful. Yes!