•Saturday, June 26, 2010
"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:5 NIV
Have you ever seen someone give Christianity a bad name? A quick look over our shoulder at Church History tells us that they are in good company. Throughout the centuries there have been countless atrocities committed in the name of Jesus. The Crusades and the Inquisition are perhaps the most famous, but acts of greed, manipulation, and cruelty continue to go on by those who claim the name of Christ even today.
It's no wonder that some want nothing to do with the church or Christianity. But here's the distinguishing factor: Authentic Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship with Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 he tells us plainly: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Genuine Christians are not those who attend church every Sunday, but those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. This relationship changes everything. II Cor. 5:17 states: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" True followers will repent of their errors and will be making obvious strides to become more like Christ in their attitudes and behaviors.
We often get confused between God himself, and his followers (or those who claim to be). Even genuine Christ Followers can be guilty of terrible failures. But let's remember that their failures do not reflect the nature of God, only the state of humanity. People fail--but God never fails!
Have you ever seen someone give Christianity a bad name? A quick look over our shoulder at Church History tells us that they are in good company. Throughout the centuries there have been countless atrocities committed in the name of Jesus. The Crusades and the Inquisition are perhaps the most famous, but acts of greed, manipulation, and cruelty continue to go on by those who claim the name of Christ even today.
It's no wonder that some want nothing to do with the church or Christianity. But here's the distinguishing factor: Authentic Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship with Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 he tells us plainly: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Genuine Christians are not those who attend church every Sunday, but those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. This relationship changes everything. II Cor. 5:17 states: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" True followers will repent of their errors and will be making obvious strides to become more like Christ in their attitudes and behaviors.
We often get confused between God himself, and his followers (or those who claim to be). Even genuine Christ Followers can be guilty of terrible failures. But let's remember that their failures do not reflect the nature of God, only the state of humanity. People fail--but God never fails!
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