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So in my efforts to grow closer to God, I started going through my father's book case looking for a good Christian non-fiction book. And I stumbled on a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Basically, it's about how a lot of people think that going to church once a week and trying not to swear too much is showing God enough love. But he thinks it isn't. (I'm only at the first chapter so I can't really say more than that...)
Anyways. That's not really the point.
The point is that during the preface, Chris Tomlin talks about this verse:
"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."
Acts 11:26b
Here's what's interesting about that: the disciples didn't call themselves Christians. Instead, other people who were watching them and the way they lived their lives gave them that name. They were leading people to God, sharing the gospel, and really just living out the Law of Love. And so other people called them Christians.
I think about the way that word gets used now and I find it amazing how different it is. A lot of people have been hurt by people who call themselves Christians. Not just gay people but all kinds of people. I myself have been hurt by Christians in more ways than one. And they didn't even always know that they were doing it because it wasn't aimed directly at me (since I'm not out to many people). It's so easy to confuse Christians for Christ. But when I look at when and how the word was first used, I think that maybe the mark of a good Christian isn't whether it's what they call themselves, it's whether people on the outside looking in would be able to see that they're living out God's Law of Agape Love...
I'm not saying that being a Christian is about proving it to other people. Because it's really, really not. It's not about boasting how good our works are or calling attention to ourselves so that we can get praise from other people around us. But I also don't think that being a Christian is about condemning other people.
Anyways. That's not really the point.
The point is that during the preface, Chris Tomlin talks about this verse:
"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."
Acts 11:26b
Here's what's interesting about that: the disciples didn't call themselves Christians. Instead, other people who were watching them and the way they lived their lives gave them that name. They were leading people to God, sharing the gospel, and really just living out the Law of Love. And so other people called them Christians.
I think about the way that word gets used now and I find it amazing how different it is. A lot of people have been hurt by people who call themselves Christians. Not just gay people but all kinds of people. I myself have been hurt by Christians in more ways than one. And they didn't even always know that they were doing it because it wasn't aimed directly at me (since I'm not out to many people). It's so easy to confuse Christians for Christ. But when I look at when and how the word was first used, I think that maybe the mark of a good Christian isn't whether it's what they call themselves, it's whether people on the outside looking in would be able to see that they're living out God's Law of Agape Love...
I'm not saying that being a Christian is about proving it to other people. Because it's really, really not. It's not about boasting how good our works are or calling attention to ourselves so that we can get praise from other people around us. But I also don't think that being a Christian is about condemning other people.
