#shorts Part 19 — Christians in Name only
We can’t just call ourselves Christians and leave it at that. That’s not how it works; being a Christian takes so much more than that. Being a Christian is one of the hardest things we could ever do in life, because nothing He taught us to do is easy. Jesus taught us to love, but too many of us hate. Jesus taught us to Forgive, but too many of us hold grudges. Jesus taught us to show compassion and mercy, but too many of us have none. Jesus taught us to be good to and take care of the poor, but too many of us look down on them. So why should we call ourselves Christians if we don’t follow what Christ Himself taught??
Hello Readers, hope all’s well. Time for another #shorts post.
Although today’s tidbit comes from a book I often quote, the sentiment of this topic is one I see in many places. This sentiment, this idea, shows up and is repeated in a diverse range of sources. From the 17th century writer I’m quoting today, to comments on Reddit, to a famous Black Nationalist and Pan-Africanist from the early 20th century I’ve been reading lately. My point is, this same idea is spoken by a great variety of different people.
So what is this semi-universal sentiment??
It’s this: A lot of Christians had better hope hell isn’t real, because their actions will send them there. In other words, there are a lot of Christians who don’t practice what they preach, and don’t follow the Gospels (casting doubt on if they’ve read the Gospels). Since this complaint appears in different centuries, it shows the problem has always existed.
Well let’s get started on this, as we have to start somewhere, with somebody. So let’s look at a quote about this from the 17th century.
Today’s quick tidbit once again comes from Richard Challoner’s daily reader, Meditations. The full title being: Considerations Upon Christian Truths and Christian Duties: Digested Into Meditations for Every Day in the Year.