i would love to tell you what i think of jesus youtube

I think all of united states of america "Christians" should stop referring to ourselves as "Christians."

Nor should we ask other people if they are a "Christian."

I take two lines of reasoning for why we should stop saying we're Christians.

one. They were beginning called Christians in Antioch (Acts xi:26)

When the term "Christian" was first invented, information technology was coined past an outside group of "pagans" who observed the fashion Jesus-followers behaved and recognized the similarity between what they were doing and what Jesus did. And then they called these Jesus followers "Christians."

In other words, the get-go "Christians" did not take this title for themselves; information technology was given to them.

The term means "little Christ," and while some scholars think that it was maybe intended to be a derogatory term (sort of like Yankee Doodle), I do non think and so. I call up the people of Antioch noticed how "Christ-like" the people were who claimed to follow Him, and so they started to referring to this Christ-like followers of Jesus as "Christians." It was a manner to identify them and talk most them.

The Christians of Antioch were not known for their detest, venom, judgmentalism, or religious pride, or fifty-fifty for their good theology, pious life, and vast Bible noesis. Instead, They were knowing for looking and acting and behaving like Jesus Christ, and as a result, they were "called Christians" by those who were non Christians.

If the watching globe started giving titles and nicknames to those who proclaim to follow Jesus today, what sort of titles do y'all call back they would give us?

I am not sure I want to know … just I doubt it would exist "Christian."

But this leads me to the 2nd line of reasoning for why we should stop calling ourselves "Christians."

2. They will know yous are Christians past your beloved (John xiii:35)

If you truly are a "Christian" y'all don't have to tell people. They will know information technology. How? By your dearest.

Those who truly act similar a "Christian" do not have to tell people they are a "Christian" because people already know it. They know information technology by your dear.

I walked past 2 guys in the store the other mean solar day who were both wearing Christian t-shirts. One was saying to the other, "Yes, they all detest me at work, only that's okay, because I'thou standing up for Christ."

Now, I cannot say for sure, only I imagine that since I heard this almost five days afterward the United States Supreme Courtroom ruled in favor of gay spousal relationship, that this man'due south idea of "standing up for Christ" consisted of telling his coworkers that LGBT people were headed for hell, were destroying our state, and were signs of the collapse of modern gild and traditional union.

Some religious people think that "standing up for Christ" in today'south civilization ways telling others that God hates gays. Just bank check out some of the comments on my post from ii days ago.

Look, I don't know where you stand on the gay marriage issue. I don't intendance. What I exercise know, however, is that wherever yous stand up on gay marriage, the proper response to gay people is beloved.

The same goes for other groups of people some Christians beloved to hate. Like Muslims. Whatever y'all may call back about the Muslim faith, the proper style to treat a Muslim is with honey.

Love is the proper (and only) response to ALL people, no matter what they believe or do, if we are followers of Jesus.

If you want to stand for Jesus to people, don't do information technology past hating or condemning them. (And don't use the line virtually how you "Dearest the sinner, but hate the sin.")

Anyway, back to the chat I heard in the store, I wanted to tell this guy who was proud of his "represent Christ" that only considering people detest yous for what you say doesn't mean that you are standing for Christ.

In fact, in the Gospels, the simply people who really hated Jesus were the religious people. Those who were condemned and judged by the religious people loved Jesus and hung out with Him and were accepted by Him.

So if the world hates you merely religious people beloved you, y'all might non be post-obit Jesus.

Likewise, if, like this guy in the store, you have to tell people y'all are a Christian by broadcasting information technology on your t-shirt, you're doing it wrong.

If we want to tell people we are followers of Jesus, we practice it past loving them. Just as He loves usa. Unconditionally. That's what Godly beloved is.

I am convinced that the person who loves others unconditionally but doesn't claim to follow Jesus is closer to the Kingdom of God than those who claim to follow Jesus only doesn't honey others unconditionally.

If dearest is of God, and everybody who loves is born of God and knows God because God is beloved (1 John four:seven-8), and so it only makes sense that beloved volition be the prevailing characteristic of i who is built-in of God and know God!

Information technology is non a person's words that make him or her a Christian, or what they post on Facebook or wear on their t-shirts, or fifty-fifty how many Bible verses they tin quote, or how often they nourish church and Bible studies, or whether they can "have a stand for Christ."

They volition know we are Christians past our love, and if you take not dearest, they will never know y'all are a Christian, no matter how much you tell them you lot are.

Or maybe I should put information technology this way: If you lot take non dear, you can never properly act like a Christian, no affair how much you tell people yous are one.

The Existent Question We Should be Asking Ourselves (and others)

So the question we should exist request is not "Am I a Christian?" but rather, "Am I Christ-similar?"

"Do my words sound like words Jesus might say?"

"Do my actions look like things Jesus might do?"

"Do I beloved unconditionally, forgive freely, serve sacrificially, and accept all?"

"Practise I claiming the religious condition-quo for setting upwards barriers to God and creating groups of us vs. them?"

"Do I suspension downwards the walls of religion by eating with the so-chosen 'revenue enhancement-collectors and sinners'?"

If so, then go along living in love and looking like Jesus, and maybe, just maybe, someone might call you a "Christian."

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Source: https://redeeminggod.com/stop-calling-yourself-a-christian/

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