I find it amusing how many blog posts, youtube rants and articles there are on why someone isn't behaving like a Christian. In fact, I just read one last night from a very well-known blogger talking about it. While I appreciate his viewpoint, and even more so his ability to express his opinion freely, I just simply am not on board with this idea that we are the ones to decide this.
It seems that there is a whole group of Christians that feel it is in their authority to decide who is and isn't a Christian. They feel it is their need to tell the world that someone just isn't performing up to par as an executive at a company does with their employees. I have to wonder where their authority comes from. Biblically speaking, God tells us not to judge and to worry about the plank in our own eye instead of the splinter in our neighbor's. Of course He tells us to let someone know if they're doing something wrong....in confidence, behind closed doors, and with love. Let me repeat that: in confidence, behind closed doors and with love. See how that works?
It is one thing to state your opinion in a blog. It's good for people to read all sorts of different opinions. What isn't okay is to present your opinion in a way that makes others feel guilty for disagreeing. What isn't okay is to manipulate someone into believing that if they don't agree with you, they are somehow less of a Christian. What isn't okay is making a divisive line among Christians because you don't like the way someone behaves. Unless God has actually come down and "knighted" you as a prophet that is supposed to scream from the rooftops, keep your prophesies to a minimum there, pal. God has a way of knocking people off of their pedestal and he doesn't take kindly to people speaking their opinion on His behalf.
The definition of a Christian is one who believes that Jesus was born of a virgin, died on the cross and rose again, all on behalf of our sins. Different religions have different beliefs as to baptism vs Christening. Different religions have different beliefs as to what age it should occur. Different religions have different beliefs as to who can and can't receive communion. The list goes on and on. What is agreed upon amongst Christian is that one belief (the aforementioned). THAT is what makes someone a Christian.
One of the best lessons I've ever learned from a pastor's wife was that different people are in different stages of their walks with Christ. Some are more seasoned and some are just beginning their walk. Some progress quickly and some take decades to move to the next step. Some are extremely well versed in Biblical quotes and others know the stories but not necessarily the verses from which they are quoted. If someone knows any entire Shakespearean work and can give you an overall synopsis along with their viewpoint that explains an understanding of it, but they can't give you direct quotes, does it mean that they didn't read it. You see, God creates us each with a different set of abilities. For some of us, He creates us with a great memory and a passion for memorizing things. For others, He creates us with a love for learning and teaching things through actions. You can't judge someone's faith based on the fact that they can't quote a Bible verse. God has worked through millions of people from the smallest to the most famous and you can't base their faith on whether or not they have a big or small house, a fancy job or an entry level job, or anything else. It's not your job to love them. It's your job, direct from God's Word, to love them and to love God.
When Christians walk around with a high and mighty attitude, condemning everyone who they decide isn't performing up to par, they are not helping God's mission. In fact, they are harming it. It gives those that don't have a relationship with God the idea that everyone is going to judge them and treat them as if they are cruel. Essentially, it's like treating others like the prostitute in the New Testament...you remember the prostitute, right? She was the one that everyone else was condemning and, essentially, spitting on and Jesus picked her up and walked with her. Do you want to know why? It's because Jesus didn't believe in shaming people into doing what he wanted. Jesus didn't believe in shaming people that didn't agree with him. For crying out loud, he didn't even shame those that were whipping him and those that crucified him. He was humble. He was loving to EVERYONE regardless of their walk in life. He was loving to EVERYONE regardless of whether or not they practiced what he practiced. He was loving to EVERYONE regardless of where their walk was. You see, when God calls us to try to be like Jesus, THAT is what he's referring to. He's referring to loving people where they're at and guiding them by actions as HE changes their hearts and builds them into something great. God NEVER works through shaming people. He is NOT a God of shame; He is a God of Love. So before you write some blog shaming anyone that doesn't agree with your "Biblical principles," perhaps you should consider that truth. Go ahead and dispute it, as I'm sure you will. Try to back it up with some hatred but when you finish, tell me if Jesus would be happy to read your blog post aloud to a crowd or not. Tell me if Jesus would be standing before a crowd teaching that. If you think he would, you seriously need to re-read the New Testament.
What it comes down to is this: no one has a right to judge someone else's relationship with God but God himself. No one has a right to speak on God's behalf over whether or not someone is performing up to par but God. Even if you don't speak it directly, when you use your popularity as a forum to shame someone else's opinion, you are not doing God's work. You are not forwarding God's Kingdom by doing this. You are doing your own work . Period.
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