Reverse Christianity

I watched a Christian movie recently. In one of the scenes, a teenage girl receives Christ. The advice given to her is as good as anything I've ever heard. The woman who witnessed to the teenager advised her to read the first two chapters of Ephesians. She said to write down everything that the Word said that the teenager was now in Christ. If you struggle in your Christian life, I advise you to do the same.

Some Christians think it their duty to swamp new believers with finger wagging "thou shalt nots". Others leave the new believers to flounder on their own. After all, God is supposed to take care of us. Neither is correct. Behaviour as a Christian is important. I doubt the reality of the conversion of anyone who loves to sin. However, guilt tripping the new believer is not helpful either. Those who are more mature should be encouraging new believers to enter into what God has made us to be in Christ.

No Christian is immediately perfect in outward behaviour. However, those who know who they are in Christ have a great advantage over those who do not know the true meaning of being born again. There is a good reason why Paul started his letter to the Ephesians as he did. He tells us who we are in Christ first. Then he tells us how we should live that in experience. I can see no reason as to why we should not do likewise.

I watched a Christian movie recently. In one of the scenes, a teenage girl receives Christ. The advice given to her is as good as anything I've ever heard. The woman who witnessed to the teenager advised her to read the first two chapters of Ephesians. She said to write down everything that the Word said that the teenager was now in Christ. If you struggle in your Christian life, I advise you to do the same.

Some Christians think it their duty to swamp new believers with finger wagging "thou shalt nots". Others leave the new believers to flounder on their own. After all, God is supposed to take care of us. Neither is correct. Behaviour as a Christian is important. I doubt the reality of the conversion of anyone who loves to sin. However, guilt tripping the new believer is not helpful either. Those who are more mature should be encouraging new believers to enter into what God has made us to be in Christ.

No Christian is immediately perfect in outward behaviour. However, those who know who they are in Christ have a great advantage over those who do not know the true meaning of being born again. There is a good reason why Paul started his letter to the Ephesians as he did. He tells us who we are in Christ first. Then he tells us how we should live that in experience. I can see no reason as to why we should not do likewise.

Why is the title "reverse christianity"?

Why is the title "reverse christianity"?

I watched a Christian movie recently. In one of the scenes, a teenage girl receives Christ. The advice given to her is as good as anything I've ever heard. The woman who witnessed to the teenager advised her to read the first two chapters of Ephesians. She said to write down everything that the Word said that the teenager was now in Christ. If you struggle in your Christian life, I advise you to do the same.

Some Christians think it their duty to swamp new believers with finger wagging "thou shalt nots". Others leave the new believers to flounder on their own. After all, God is supposed to take care of us. Neither is correct. Behaviour as a Christian is important. I doubt the reality of the conversion of anyone who loves to sin. However, guilt tripping the new believer is not helpful either. Those who are more mature should be encouraging new believers to enter into what God has made us to be in Christ.

No Christian is immediately perfect in outward behaviour. However, those who know who they are in Christ have a great advantage over those who do not know the true meaning of being born again. There is a good reason why Paul started his letter to the Ephesians as he did. He tells us who we are in Christ first. Then he tells us how we should live that in experience. I can see no reason as to why we should not do likewise.

So when you say "reverse Christianity," it sounds like you mean hypocritical Christianity. Many Christians do walk in the truth and don't practice the things you're talking about.

Too many Christians focus on the behaviour of new believers. New believers need to be established in the truth first. Someone I knew quite well as a sincere believer was condemned by his pastor. My friend grew a beard and rode a motor bike. Having a beard apparently was wicked. The church was Pentecostal. Every founding member of Pentecostalism had a beard. Rank hypocrisy. I see nowhere in God's word that motor bikes are inherently evil. If anything, it should improve your prayer life as they can be risky. Yes, I use to ride and have a beard too.

I was judged for having the occasional glass of wine with a meal. I was an alcholic before I was saved. Being able to drink and stop at one was victory for me. But not for the Baptist pastor.

There are over 50 declarations of who the believer is "In Christ" or, "In Him" meaning the same thing, in the NT. If new believers are established in those great truths, many of their problems will evaporate. Real Christians do not want to sin. Some are bound by sin and need to know the freedom that belongs to us in Christ. Others are ignorant and need to know that some behaviours are not acceptable. But get the foundations right and the rest follows.

I watched a Christian movie recently. In one of the scenes, a teenage girl receives Christ. The advice given to her is as good as anything I've ever heard. The woman who witnessed to the teenager advised her to read the first two chapters of Ephesians. She said to write down everything that the Word said that the teenager was now in Christ. If you struggle in your Christian life, I advise you to do the same.

Some Christians think it their duty to swamp new believers with finger wagging "thou shalt nots". Others leave the new believers to flounder on their own. After all, God is supposed to take care of us. Neither is correct. Behaviour as a Christian is important. I doubt the reality of the conversion of anyone who loves to sin. However, guilt tripping the new believer is not helpful either. Those who are more mature should be encouraging new believers to enter into what God has made us to be in Christ.

No Christian is immediately perfect in outward behaviour. However, those who know who they are in Christ have a great advantage over those who do not know the true meaning of being born again. There is a good reason why Paul started his letter to the Ephesians as he did. He tells us who we are in Christ first. Then he tells us how we should live that in experience. I can see no reason as to why we should not do likewise.

There are over 50 declarations of who the believer is "In Christ" or, "In Him" meaning the same thing, in the NT. If new believers are established in those great truths, many of their problems will evaporate.

Too many Christians focus on the behaviour of new believers. New believers need to be established in the truth first. Someone I knew quite well as a sincere believer was condemned by his pastor.

They need a good church. I had the perfect church when I got saved with a good youth group. You need to have someone take them under their wing. Take interest in them. Too many churches ignore new concerts. There needs to be many friendly workers not just a pastor.

Yes, you're right, of course. However, to read just the first two chapters is unfair to Paul. He uses the first two chapters and the third to describe the "already" of the gospel, whereas the last three chapters elaborate on 2:10 in calling us to strive to overcome the "not-yet" of the gospel. He calls us to seek the changes God wants us to make as a result of Jesus' resurrection power in our lives through God's gift of the new birth. The same is true of Colossians 1 & 2, and 3 & 4. However, I would start her, instead, on the Gospel of Mark for Jesus' ministry, then Matthew and Luke, and finally John. Then, Acts would be next. Then, they would be prepared for Paul.