351 – We Don’t Need Labels to Follow Christ

#faithbites #faithjourney labels

Are you a good Christian? What does that even mean? We have talked about people should follow Christ and not us as we are hypocrites and are only saved through Jesus.

Today I had an interesting facebook debate with someone. A person posted a meme about the President and said something like maybe he isn’t a good Christian. The debate got into how many people, even King David, were bad until they repented and maybe the President hadn’t gotten to that point, but that didn’t make him bad. All that aside, the person then said that King David was a Christian as well all the prophets of the old testament.

I started debated that you couldn’t be a Christian if Christ wasn’t there yet. I even mentioned how the term Christian wasn’t used until Acts regarding the Church in Antioch. Then I followed with you had to be born of the water and spirit. That’s not saying the people in the Old Testament were bad, they just weren’t Christian. The debate ended, at least for now, with me saying you could argue that since Jesus is the Word and the Word was there in the beginning and with God, that followers of God were Christians. An argument could be made but most would say you were incorrect.

I was a pleased with myself a bit as my knowledge of the bible is growing, but I digress. At the end of the day, does it matter what we call them? A follower of God, a Christian, a believer?

Scripture

• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1
• Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. – 1 Peter 4:16
• And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. – Deuteronomy 28:1

Reflection

Thinking about this debate, it was less about the term and more what it meant. Calling the prophets of old Christians, takes away what it means to be Jewish. It takes away the history of Christianity and how through Christ he fulfilled the promised made to the people of Israel.

Being an ethnic Jew and former Jew, I have nothing but love for the Jewish people. We are all worship the same God. God came to the Jewish people and make a covenant with them for all eternity. Jesus came to fulfill that covenant and open God’s love to all people. That’s pretty awesome to me.

The funny thing was the intent of the meme was lost on a Biblical debate. It was lost on what label we apply to people who died over 2000 years ago. I’m ok with that as the only one who is Good is God. Even Jesus asked, why do you call me good.

Charge

When you debate people about faith, how do you approach them? Is it with love and understanding? Do you try to put a label on it? Look at what they are trying to say and think about where they are coming from. Be Christ-like in your forgiveness and openness

Lord, let me always use your word and your spirit to help people find you. Give me the strength to know when to push and when to back off. You come to people in many ways, help me be one of those ways.