In the past few weeks I’ve struggled with what it means to be Christian. I know, trust me I know, Christian means to be Christ like. (If you’re a Christian that’s the definition) But it felt/feels like I want a definition to the definition, but not just “well He was kind, generous, helpful, loving…” ect.
Maybe what I’ve been wondering is how does being a Christian pertain to me by definition. I think because the bible is “living” a meaning can change based on the person and the circumstance. To me this new self revelation of sorts has came through a week of detox from the world. We cut out all tv, all social media (with the exception of Facebook Pages for our business), 95% of video games on out tablets. At the end of all of this I’ve realized 3 main points about being a Christian.
- It’s Hard: I think it’s osmosis of sorts being in the world and having parts of the world creep into your life. But really, isn’t that part of being human? Completly eradicating the world from your life would mean you’re perfect, which you can’t be. This week I accepted for my self that I wouldn’t always be able to catch every sin before it happens and more times than not I wouldn’t see it until after it happens. All together with that, I’m not sure if it is because there really that much sin in my life or if separating my self from parts of the world has made it more evident by default, this week it really seems like it’s been one big failure after the other. I honestly believe that detoxing the world is the equivalent of pulling tint off a car window, before hand you can see a tinted reality of your life masked by your own bias of your self then after you can see a clear reality of the sin stained wretch that you really are. In other words it’s enlightening.
- It’s Enlighening: I would be remiss if I acted like any opportunity to drop parts of the world out of my life wasn’t beneficial. This week has brought a lot of realization to my life, things I need to change and other things I just need to drop all together. The most influential thing that I learned this week is freedom. Through out my life I viewed Christianity as restrictive, dogmatic, and more recently parts as legalistic. Restrictive because you couldn’t fully live (in this world), dogmatic because there’s a series of rules to live by and worship by (found in many Christian mindsets), legalistic because of the “rules” to gain salvation (most people when asked would deny this but all to often it’s really there). This week I’ve realized the former gangsta can worship in a different way than the redneck out in the country and still be worshiping the same God. I’ve realized that making a mistake is ok and as a human we might make it over and over and over, and although it isn’t ok to be complacent it is ok to make mistakes. The mistakes we make no longer define us once we get saved. I’ve realized something about music on a side note. There is a lot of really good worship songs in the contemporary Christian genre, equally there’s a lot of good worship songs in a lot of Christian genres and I think we (me included) tend to forget that. In the end it’s freedom. God can reach anyone on any platform with in the culture they grew up in. Knowing that is more than fulfilling.
- It’s Fulfilling: For once my thirst for God is at its apex, the more I experience the more I want – the deeper I want to go. The relationship I have, I want more. This week has been one of if not the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had with and for God and my wife. On the one hand I feel closer to her than ever, and I feel like our relationship is closer to God. That to me has been worth it all.
In closing I’ve wondered. Why does this for me have to stop this week? Why can’t I reach for more? I don’t like Facebook, I have played enough useless video games, it just seems like such a waste. Should I let it stop now? Go back to how it was? I don’t think so. This is…just the beginning. Being a Christian doesn’t have to be restrictive, but by definition I truely believe it would be summed up like this:
A christian is one who is’t sep’rates himself from the w’rld to beest clos’r to god
Seperated:
Matt
Kindred Spirited 
The point of this blog was to point out 3 things.
1- We should be seperate from the world, the bible is very clear of that. Jesus said, like him we are not of this world. By this I’d like to point out that I do feel as if the Amish have it wrong. Full separation would never get the gospel out to the people. That being said Christians shouldn’t partake in things of this world. We cut out tv because all it is a perverse fornication, filth, filthy lucre, envy, strife, hatred, murder and death. Things a Christian should be disgusted in allowing into their body, not to mention their homes. We cut out worldly music for the same reason. We cut out facebook for different reasons. My wife stopped for her own, my reasons- the filth and garbage posted from even people who normally wouldn’t behave in thay manner.
Furthermore loving someone and being seperate from them is different and play no part together. I love some of my friends who smoke the Marijuana but I wouldn’t go sit in their living room before, during, or after they have smoked it. As it stands if you look, is there any account of Jesus helping someone who didn’t turn to him and accept him as the savior? I can think of at least one instance where he didn’t maybe more.
2) Christians shouldn’t find comfort in watching filthy movies, going into bars, hearing a vibrant array of cussing, sitting at the table with prochoicers…..the list would continue aka the world. Jesus, yes, sat with sinners because he could over come temptations we are unable to. One shouldn’t go to the bar to spread the gospel in other words, or watch the R rated movie with friends die for the chance to talk about God. The bible, as far as I remember, didn’t show Jesus going to the places or situations of sin, just being with the sinners when they were gathered. I doubt he went into the whore house is what I’m saying.
3) I wrote a blog about a modern Nazarite. Why you might ask? Jesus was a Nazarite under the Nazarite vow from birth all the way to death. So how did that translate on how we should be? It says to seperate yourself from the unclean (aka unsaved).
Your basic misunderstanding is well heard. One shouldn’t lock them selves in a gated fence to keep the world out. But as one finds the world in their life they should push it out….
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A Christian is a person who has decided to follow Jesus. He’s a little Christ. He’s a brother of Jesus, sharing the same Paternity of God the Father. There’s nothing like absolute freedom, hence, the idea of restriction does not apply to the glorious life of a Christian. A Christian is a born again species of humanity: he is heaven bound after the earthly sojourn. It shouldn’t be difficult to be a Christian with the accompaniment of the Holy Spirit.
For a very fruitful Christian life, four things are required. 1) Pray all the time – in Jesus’ name (1Thessalonians 5:17). 2) Read the Bible (Joshua 1:8): for the renovation of the mind. 3) Tell others about your Saviour, Jesus Christ – to get others born again as well (Mark 16:15). 4) Go to Church (Hebrews 10:25) – to recharge your spiritual life. There can’t be any dull or hard moment for a Christian. Thanks for following me. May we receive all that we need to receive crowns in heaven for being Biblically Inclined.
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Thanks for the comment! Haha…my soul reason for this blog is to inspire thought on a deeper level of what it means to be a biblical fundamental Christian
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