Okay, maybe the depression example wasn't the best one to use. How about this? If I say I'm the Queen of England, dress like her (or not - ugh - those hats!), talk like her, believe I am her, that certainly doesn't give me the power to invade the Falklands, does it? I mean, I can say and act and believe all I want, but that don't make it so.
So, if someone is acting like a 'good christian' - saying the right things, promising to pray for your problems, serving the church, etc, and possibly believes they are a 'good christian'...but what if they don't feel it inside? Are they truly a 'gc'?
3 comments:
This is always hard--but God is our best judge and keeper of the promise that He sealed us. We can't gauge it based on how we feel: 19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.--I John
So He covers our sins when we feel like we doubt that we're a "good Christian"--and we can have confidence because only He makes us good!
I am of the belief that there are NO "good Christians". Every one of us falls short. Faking it might be a necessary tool for someone's survival in the short term, but it will never last. Serving w/a bad attitude might give God the chance to work on someone & change their attitude, but unless the heart is changed then I think "What's the point?" But then again, maybe God can use people in spite of themselves - maybe He can use us even if our heart's not in it. Hmmm.....I'm gonna have to think a little more on this one!
I am taken back to the scene in Matt 25. The people who were welcomed in were surprised at the reason "when did we see you hungry, thirsty, etc." and the reaction of those turned away "when did we see you hungry, thirsty, etc."
There are times when I do the right thing but don't want to! There are times when my heart is dark and clouded.
I think on the one hand God's grace covers us when we are trying. He wants us to rely on Him, but knows we will never be perfect. On the other hand, Jesus hit no group harder than the religeous hypocrites. These people "thought" they were good, they thought they were o.k.
The difference goes to the heart.
I John 4:20-If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
This is the verse we should measure ourselves against. As for judging others.. we know we must leave that to God!
Post a Comment