So much has been said in the last week about "true Christians" that I think we would benefit from really stopping and considering what this means. Common statements here and elsewhere seem to be:
"A true Christian would never do that."
"This person must not really be a Christian."
"That is not how a true Christian behaves."
I think these are serious accusations. Christians are human, and therefore, SINNERS. Christians have a desire to do what is right, but we certainly do not always manage to accomplish that. We can sin because we are misguided, or sin willfully, or sin without even realizing it.
The Bible is FULL of true sons and daughters of God who SIN in shockingly serious ways. I'm not talking about people who spoke unkindly to someone. I'm talking about murderers and idol worshipers and liars and thieves. And they were God's people who he loved. I really think we should be careful in viewing only the most perfect (seeming) people as "true" Christians. Christians don't always look like we expect them to. They don't always have it all together.
I realize that (especially in the Bible Belt where I live) a HUGE percentage of society claims Christianity in name without any true faith, but I think we cross the line when we discount someone as a Christian simply because they've behaved toward us in a way we don't consider Christlike. I don't know anyone who is perfectly Christlike all the time. Are we demanding more of our brothers and sisters than we do of ourselves?
What do you guys think? At what point would it be justified to say that someone must not be a "true" Christian? Have you ever done anything that might have made someone else who didn't know you think you weren't a true Christian?
"A true Christian would never do that."
"This person must not really be a Christian."
"That is not how a true Christian behaves."
I think these are serious accusations. Christians are human, and therefore, SINNERS. Christians have a desire to do what is right, but we certainly do not always manage to accomplish that. We can sin because we are misguided, or sin willfully, or sin without even realizing it.
The Bible is FULL of true sons and daughters of God who SIN in shockingly serious ways. I'm not talking about people who spoke unkindly to someone. I'm talking about murderers and idol worshipers and liars and thieves. And they were God's people who he loved. I really think we should be careful in viewing only the most perfect (seeming) people as "true" Christians. Christians don't always look like we expect them to. They don't always have it all together.
I realize that (especially in the Bible Belt where I live) a HUGE percentage of society claims Christianity in name without any true faith, but I think we cross the line when we discount someone as a Christian simply because they've behaved toward us in a way we don't consider Christlike. I don't know anyone who is perfectly Christlike all the time. Are we demanding more of our brothers and sisters than we do of ourselves?
What do you guys think? At what point would it be justified to say that someone must not be a "true" Christian? Have you ever done anything that might have made someone else who didn't know you think you weren't a true Christian?