Written by: Micah Hilbert
Are you a Christian?
Many of us would say “YES!” without pause.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
Now, here is where we might get a bit tongue-tied.
In our current culture, we think that being a Christian looks like doing “good” things, being kind, owning a bible, and making sure that we make it to church on a Sunday. Sadly, it has also begun to look like being tolerant, passive, and unaware of our beliefs.
Did you know that only 2% of millennials claim to have a biblical worldview? This data was gathered through a series of 7 specific questions and viewpoints that the bible lays out as principles and characteristic of how a Christian should act.
2% of us, ya’ll.
We have blurred lines that, otherwise and until very recently, have been black-and-white.We have pushed the Gospel into the box of tolerance and inclusivity without once taking a moment to dig into what the bible actually states and says.
We go to church and listen to sermons, yet we rarely take time to pursue the relationship with God that Jesus DIED for us to have. We are quick to be swayed by thoughts and viewpoints, yet we fail to humbly pursue a relationship with the source of all moral law: God.
Christian millennial, it is time for us to not simply claim Christianity as our “religion,” but stand boldly for what the Bible says. It is time for us to study the word of God and pursue Him as if our lives depended on it, because they DO.
The scriptures tell us that a time is coming in which we will stand before our maker on judgement day. No more fluffy, good-feeling, tolerant Christianity. Being a “good person” won’t save you. You will NEVER be good enough to be in the presence of a holy God.
This, friend, is why Jesus came. We are dirty sinners. We are incapable of fixing ourselves. Only Jesus can. This is why God sent his only son to die for us. His blood covers our sins.
Being a Christian is more than following rules, being a “good person,” and hoping to be acceptable enough to get into heaven. Being a Christian is about acknowledging our own impossibly sinful selves, repenting, and accepting that only Jesus’ death and resurrection could make us clean again. Then, his Holy Spirit comes into our hearts. He begins transforming us from the inside out. From here, we let him be the Lord of our life, submitting to His law and His plan for us. Our actions will then SHOW this submission as we strive to be more like Him every day, yet knowing that when we fail, His blood covers it.
This, friend, is what it means to be a Christian.
Read your bible, get to know the Father, and spend time with him. Figure out what it means to be a Christian. The God who created you desires for you to have a relationship with him. Push aside all of the fluffy stuff, and find who He truly is.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13