By The Chosen Chick:
Since I’ve started this new, wonderful relationship with God, I have noticed that people are trying to prove to me that they know God too! It’s kind of weird, because there are people who have misquoted the Bible in front of me or been accidentally blasphemous, trying to show me that they know the Bible just like me.
People should strive to explore God personally and corporately through a church where they belong and not try to compare their experiences to someone else’s. So I’ve come up with a list of things that people should examine to make sure that they are working toward having the most quality relationship with God that they can have for them, and not for other people.
1. Not accepting Jesus Christ as your savior
If you don’t understand and accept what Jesus did for us, then you are not a Christian. Accepting that Jesus died for our sins is the first requirement to being a Christian. You may attend church, and you might believe in a “higher power” but if you don’t know or understand the sacrifice, you should do everything you can to understand that first and foremost.
2. Forwarding “Christian” emails
We all get emails from people talking about a sick kid or someone who died tragically that makes you want to cry, then tells you to forward it on to eight people if you are a “real Christian” and some “miracle” will happen. For like 10 seconds I feel bad for not forwarding those things on, then I remember that we cannot treat God like he is a chain letter or pyramid scheme. If you want to share testimonies or information about God, that is great, just don’t put stipulations on it that make people uncomfortable.
3. Knowing the Word and not doing the Word
There are so many people who can quote the Bible, yet do not apply its wisdom to their life. Even the devil knows the Bible! He uses it to confuse us! Knowing the Bible verbatim is wonderful and shows that you study, but knowing it and not doing it is a futile practice. It shows that you can memorize. A thing that people often pray is that they want to “not just be hearers, but doers of the Word.” Praying that God will help you to apply what you hear is a blessing!
4. Having a stanky attitude
God wants you to be nice and be happy. Point blank. Not, nice when people are nice to you. Not happy when all your bills are paid and people are acting right. Galatians 5:22-23 says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Going to church, reading the Bible, but being mean to your waiter or cashier is not what God wants you to do. Waking up everyday, being sad and pitying your self is not what God wants you to do. If you are unhappy or have an “attitude problem” seeking advice from the Bible, and asking God for help is the way to change.
5. Threatening people with the Bible
When people talk about homosexuality, abortion and politics, they often beat people over the head with the Bible. They will tell people they are going to hell if they are gay. They will quote Leviticus and tell them they are dammed. I know what they Bible says about sexual immorality, but teaching people with love reaches them before beating them over the head with the Bible. It takes more energy to actually get to know a person and understand why they do what they do, and I think that’s why people choose to just write others off.
6. Not having a real relationship with God
A relationship with God is personal. It’s not going to be the same thing your mom experiences, or your best friend knows. It will touch the most important and specific parts of your life. I have a friend who took years to find her artistic niche in molding and sculpting clay. One day, she told me she was reading Genesis and noticed how God was a ceramicist too. That is a personal, meaningful relationship. You establish that by asking God to reign over your life, putting everything on the line. You allow Him to use your gifts to say what He wants to say. And you thank Him for your life, and pray to Him to help you and others. So many people fake that to their own detriment, just to sound like a Christian in front of other Christians. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)” I surely don’t want to be on the other side of that fence.
7. Worshiping other things than God
Imagine on Judgment Day that there is an account of all the money we’ve spent, the time we’ve spent doing everything we’ve done in our lives and what has moved us the most emotionally and intellectually. How much time, money and energy have you spent on knowing God versus knowing other things in life. Have you been more engrossed and involved in sports, music, career, TV, dating, drama, etc. than learning who God is? It is an emotional, intellectual and spiritual experience that takes a lifetime of learning. Are you dedicated to that or something else?
8. Listening to Gospel music
Gospel music may help you feel better, remind you of scriptures and can serve as an alternate form of entertainment, but do not base your relationship with God off of it. Music can help you to praise and worship God, but it should not be the only source of your Word and relationship with Him. You should be able to feel better, know scripture and worship God with and without an organ present or a Mary Mary CD. Gospel music definitely fills a gap, and helps us to praise and worship God, but it is only a tool and does not make you sanctified.
9. Being a Professional Sinner
Not wanting to change and not wanting God “all in your business” will lead to a life of professional sin. We all sin, so they doesn’t necessarily make bad. Recognizing your sin and changing your life makes you a person who really understand what God is all about.
