Has Anyone Said to You: “I Don’t Think You’re Really A Christian?”

“Well I don’t know if she’s really a Christian. She says she is, but I don’t see any evidence.”

Has anyone said that to you (or someone you love) because you are gay, or because of your LGBTQ stand? …or anything else in your life?

That kind of assessment is completely out-of-bounds.

One man put it this way:

“He is a glutton and drunkard – look at the people he hangs out with.”

Of course, that man is a religious leader talking about Jesus.

I think we’re safe to say other people’s assessment of our spirituality is not something to get worked up about. Even if it’s a religious leader…  maybe ESPECIALLY if it’s a religious leader?

If someone close to you thinks you are not “behaving like a Christian,” let’s just do a side-by-side comparison:

Religious leaders in the Bible:

• Held exceedingly high standards
• Followed the rules to a T
• Used the Bible to correct others
• Expelled those who didn’t measure up
• Focused on behavior

Jesus:

• His standard was love and compassion for others
• The rules were always secondary to caring for someone
• Never used Bible to correct anyone, except religious leaders and satan. Referring to scripture, he often said, “You read this, but I tell you this…”
• Welcomed everybody, especially the down and out, oppressed and marginalized
• Focused on relationship

Conclusion:

Jesus was exceedingly appealing to the everyday person, the nonreligious, the outsider, the brokenhearted. Religious leaders were appealing only to other religious leaders.

Don’t let anybody make you doubt yourself or your relationship to God.