Really? You think you're a true Christian??

There are so many people who say, "If he/she were a true Christian, this/that or the other wouldn't happen", or "They wouldn't be experiencing this/that or the other". How about this one...."A true Christian doesn't dance, do drugs, smoke, drink, have sex, wear anything that exposes the legs or chest. A true Christian goes to church every time the doors are open, tithes ten percent and helps in soup kitchens". "The true Christian doesn't eat this/that or the other...doesn't do this or that, yadda, yadda, yadda". Really?

Let me tell you about a true Christian. A "true Christian" is one who has called on the name of Jesus to forgive him/her of their sins. Ephesians 2:8-9 says:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. And in Romans 10:1-13: 1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

The "true Christian" knows that from that point on they are a new creation and will never be condemned to hell once they have left this life. The "true Christian" is one who when they fail or do something wrong will repent and call out to God for forgiveness and do what they can to right the wrong. The "true Christian" strives to follow the example and teachings of Jesus, that is why they are called "Christians", they are following the Saviour, Jesus Christ. Do we fail? Absolutely. Do we do and say stupid things? All the time, but the difference is that we have the assurance that once we confess and repent (and that includes apologizing and working to make right to the person or organization that was wronged) when we have done something that we KNOW to be wrong, and we have this knowledge through the Holy Spirit who convicts us and guides us through this life. We do not work for our salvation, it is a free gift to those who would receive it. THAT'S what sets us apart. Not the denominations. Not the outward appearance. Not the rules and regulations. Its the faith and the trust that we always have an Advocate through Jesus Christ. A true Christian gives back because he/she is thankful for the grace and forgiveness that comes from the Father through Jesus Christ. They help those who are helpless, give aid to the stricken, the widowed and the orphaned. They love people, not their sins by any measure, but they love people because they've been there or could have been there where these folks are. Those are True Christians.

As for "my interpretation" of the Bible, well, I have been a student of the Bible for going on 30 years now. I have been through the Book a number of times and am always finding things that I missed the first time. I have studied and pulled it apart and have looked at it from every angle and still it says the same thing. No where do I see in the New Testament that I am to single out a group or an individual and show them disrespect or favor, in fact it tells us not to treat one person better than another. Jesus Himself ate with sinners, associated with the outcasts, the lame, the diseased, the deceived. He did not come here to make those that accepted His message of salvation perfect, He came here to save those who were lost. He came to seek out those "Pearls of Great Price" and purchased them with His blood so that they would never know the tears, the anxiety, the fears, the disease, the poverty that they have experienced here again.

THAT is a true Christian, and THAT'S what I strive and fail daily to be...and even when I fail, God willing, there is tomorrow, I have 24 hours to try again, because His mercies are new every morning and I have a new chance to get it right.