Have you heard this before? I hear it often, sadly. I was chatting with my husband about this and I told him, I believe people have a right to say this. So many people identify as a Christian who is rightly defined as a “follower of Christ” but have no evidence or even understanding of that.
I look back at my story https://bibleandcake.com/category/my-story/ and see that I called myself a Christian yet truly did not know what that meant. I did what I wanted and when I wanted but made sure I showed up at church on Sunday. When I hear non-believers and/or the world say, “why should I go to church or change my life to become a “Christian” when those who are “Christians” are not any better?
The Bible says in James 1:22, NKJV, ” But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”
The definition of a Christian per Merriam- Webster Dictionary, is” one who professes beliefs in the teachings of Jesus Christ…”
The definition of a hypocrite per Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion”. A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.
Now as I look back, I realize that I identified as a “Christian” because that is all I heard growing up. However, I was not a Christian. I was not a follower of Jesus. I did not invite Jesus personally into my life and understand what that meant. I was not born again.
I was “religious”. I went to church, offered, volunteered, joined a group here and there, and was good to society. Just like most people. You go to Mass, church, or wherever your place of worship is located and you do all the things that are on the “list”. However, what is that? None of that matters….it is the HEART. It is your personal relationship with Jesus that ultimately matters. You can do all these things and you are still empty. It will make you feel good for a few hours but you will go right back to feeling empty. That is because we were not created to live on earth like this. God made us so we can have fellowship with Him.
********This will be another post….but when we feel empty, that’s when we fill it up with all sorts of things that are fleeting and temporary. That is because you want that “rush and feel good feeling”. Yet, all you need is Jesus!********
Take a look at yourself in the mirror. Ask God to show you what you need. Ask God to show you what needs to be removed from your life. Be real. Be authentic. Ask Jesus. Not the Pastor, Priest, friend, or spouse…but Jesus.
