Word Count: 1350

Contact Shannon Heiden

What Does A Christian Look Like? Part ll

by Shannon Heiden  
8/03/2010 / Devotionals

"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31 NIV)


Beautiful One, ask anyone what a Christian looks like, and the majority of the responses will be about outward signs and behaviors. Some would say a priest, pastor or clergy, maybe the disciples would be brought up. Others may say, someone who goes to church, or carries a Bible. 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 may become visible. But if being a Christian is about outward appearances then many behaviors that are seen, would then be left up to interpretation by the one seeing them. What if someone misinterprets behavior? Or, what if someone who does good, has an off day, should their behavior disprove their Christianity?

Now heres the other side..

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 Jesus as Lord and live more right and better than some Christians, so the proof is not in the pudding. Its in the love, its in the heart. Being a Christian is not about our good works, its about faith. Christianity is not about cleaning up your act, its about a God who came down and already cleaned it up for you, before you were ever a thought in the womb that carried you.

Now, lets not get this mixed up, faith without good works is dead faith, so I am not saying don't try to live a life of integrity. In fact, being a Christian will produce a motivation within us to do right, and to work on changing some things within us, but its a life long process, and one that needs close connectivity to the outlet of the Father.

But so many people, believers and un-believers have this idea that a Christian is one who is so good, they never fail, cheat, lie, steal or have a bad day. Most people when a Christian falls, is right there during the lynching, 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.

Isn't it interesting that many people, even Christians get caught up in outward acts of righteousness? Dont drink, don't smoke, don't swear, don't do anything unholy. But what if you do have an occasional glass of wine while out to dinner? Or, a swear word comes out during a heated argument? Does that then mean your still a Christian, but not a very holy one?

What I find interesting is that Jesus really didn't get into behaviors, the should and should nots. After all, when the wedding party in Cana needed more wine, He didn't tell them they shouldn't be drinking, instead He provided it.They were celebrating, it was a joyous time. And wine was commonly associated in the culture.I am using this as an illustration of what Christ did, not to say go all out and have a party and give someone the idea that drinking is a good thing. Only you know yourself, and only you can determine before God what is right for you.

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, its defined and evidenced, 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, not theology 101, the Gospel is summed up in LOVE!

Love GOD, Love your neighbor and Love yourself. Thats 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?

To often we as Christians get so good at preaching, we forget ourselves and where we come from. It has happened many, many times that when people come into our realm, bruised, beaten, harsh and unholy, we give them a sermon instead of our patience, time, and mentoring. We forget that they don't know any better and they have taken a risk and become vulnerable to us, and we let them down by giving them a list of how to's instead of coming along side of them and personally helping them get untangled from the issues of life.

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, therefore as the Bible says, love never fails. It may have its moments of pause, and sometimes you have to love from afar off, but love in and of itself, if it's genuine, is a sacrifice that will never return void.

Have you ever heard; "Love the sinner, and hate their sin?" But I think it should be said, "Love the sinner, and hate our own sin!"

One of my favorite quotes came from a man who even though he was saved, and loved Jesus still had blinded eyes as to what "Love" was all about. Captain John Newton penned the classic hymn "Amazing Grace." But this Captain, even after his conversion into Christianity, still held below the deck his holy feet stood on, slaves. Human beings, men, women and children, were trapped, tortured and dying, right under this mans feet. It wasn't until some time later that his blinded Christian eyes were opened, and this man never sold another slave again.

Beautiful One, it is possible to be a Christian and to miss it all together. It is possible to be sitting upon the deck of Christianity, while below us is another who is 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 I have to 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. We have wayward, unruly children too. 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!

Shannon Heiden
[email protected]
changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! Click here and TRUST JESUS NOW

Read more articles by Shannon Heiden

Like reading Christian Articles? Check out some more options. Read articles in Main Site Articles, Most Read Articles or our highly acclaimed Challenge Articles. Read Great New Release Christian Books for FREE in our Free Reads for Reviews Program. Or enter a keyword for a topic in the search box to search our articles.

Enter comments below. Due to spam, all hyperlinks posted in the comments are now immediately disabled by our system.

Please type the following word below:

Not readable? Change text.

The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Hire a Christian Writer, Christian Writer Wanted, Christian Writer Needed, Christian Content Needed, Find a Christian Editor, Hire a Christian Editor, Christian Editor, Find a Christian Writer