Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Stop “Acting Like a Christian”

Stop “Acting Like a Christian”

Last updated on: July 18, 2013 at 11:05 am by Susan Cottrell

Stop “Acting Like a Christian” 2013-07-18T11:05:09-05:00 Susan Cottrell

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

IMG_1025_edited-1

“I wasn’t allowed to go to the fair,” he told me, “because I had become a Christian. My mother said, ‘Christians don’t go to the fair.’ But since my brother Bill was not a Christian, he was allowed to go.”

What?

This was Jim’s explanation — after I’d shared my faith with him — of his apathy toward anything faith-related. This was the taste in his mouth about Jesus. Somewhere along the way (youth group, pastor, friend) he heard this astounding offer of a Jesus who would not only save him from his sin but also restore the broken pieces, soar his heart to new heights. But once he said “Yes!” he was handed a yardstick — which completely undermined the work God was doing in his life.

So let me get this straight. When you’re not a Christian, you can do whatever the heck you want. But once you’re Christian, you’re caged. Stuck. Because you might embarrass God.

A tragic story.

In truth, it should be the other way around. Christians should be the freest of all. Rules are for those who don’t have Christ. If the son of God makes you free, you are free indeed. It is for freedom that Christ is set you free. You shall know the truth, Jesus, and the truth, Jesus, will set you free free free.

How about something more like this: “Sure, Jim, you can go to the fair. Why not? Have fun!! You have the Spirit of the living God in you. But Bill? I don’t know. You don’t have Jesus in your life — who knows what will happen?? You’d better stay home.” Of course we wouldn’t say that either — accepting Christ in not a bargaining chip. But if it were, it should bargain in favor of the one whose life is in Christ!

Jesus comes in and makes your life new. Then He begins to work, from the inside out, so that the outside aligns more and more closely to the inside He has already transformed. It always works that way. The old outside — those sin habits you developed to help you cope with the broken inside — will begin to no longer suit you.

If you begin a health cleanse, the detox will begin on the inside and flush the toxins out to the surface. If your skin breaks out, don’t take it as evidence that the cleanse doesn’t work but that it does! You just have to give it time. If we put on some kind of ointment to clear up the breakout, we actually hinder the process.

Why do we have it backwards? Why don’t we rest in what God is doing? I suspect we are a little afraid either of turning people away from God by our mistakes — or even turning God away from us. If we let that in, it’s pretty hard to bear.

But that is completely the wrong focus. It completely underestimates God. As CS Lewis said, you don’t have to defend a lion. Just let the lion go and he will defend himself. We forget that God can defend His own image.

He is doing so much more than we realize, even apart from us. What He’s really asked from us is to love Him and love others. He’ll pretty much do the rest.

Click here to link to a phenomenal teaching about how to focus on the relationship instead of the rules (starting at about 8 minutes on, especially). Phe. Nomenal.

We can rest. Enjoy our freedom in Christ. And know that He has our process right in His hands.

Click here to read “A Tale of Two Trees”

against homosexuality

are people born gay?

bible and homosexuality

bible homosexuality

born gay?

born that way?

Christian gay marriage

Christian is gay

Christians and gay marriage

gay christian community

homosexuality and sin

homosexuality and the bible

homosexuality and the church

homosexuality sin bible

is homosexuality sin

jesus plus nothing

open conversation between gays and christians

parenting in Christ

sin of homosexuality

supreme court decision

supreme court marriage debate

trusting God with our children

what is homosexuality

Previous Post

July 17, 2013

When Do You Learn God's Grace?

Next Post

July 22, 2013 Never Make Your Kids Feel Ashamed of Who They Are

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Church & Religion Dear Susan Family Support Gay Weddings & Marriage GCN Conference Jesus Blog LGBTQ Support Parenting Personal Stories Suicide The Real Jesus Theology Transgender Uncategorized X Archived Posts

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 December 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 March 2018 January 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What analogy does Jesus use for believers in Matthew 5:13-14?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Gold and silver Salt and light A tree and its fruit Bread and water

Support this
Column