When you let people know you don’t have it all together but you’ve met an amazing God, many people suddenly want to join in.
6. “They just need to work harder.”
Jesus loved the poor and had compassion on broken people.
Many Christians today don’t. (Self-righteousness rears its ugly head again.)
Yes, I am very familiar with the passages in scripture that talk about hard work and prudence. I try to live by them.
But when I allow my relative ‘success’ to serve as a basis to judge others…I miss mercy.
Compassion should be a hallmark of Christians. The early church’s compassion in the first few centuries after Jesus’ resurrection was one of the key reasons the Christian faith spread so rapidly, even amidst extreme persecution.
7. “Of course I’m a Christian.”
Few people are better at explaining the difference between moralistic self-righteous religion and authentic Christianity these days than Tim Keller.
Keller points out again and again in his preaching that religious people say things like, “Of course I’m a Christian”…and that underneath is a pernicious idea that they have somehow earned the favor of God by their obedience and faithfulness.
True Christians, he says, by contrast are filled with wonder, amazement and gratitude that God would accept them despite their brokenness? When asked whether they are Christian, they say things like:
“I know, isn’t that unbelievable?
Can you believe that God would extend his mercy to someone like me through Christ?
I am amazed!
Grateful!
Overwhelmed!”
I love Keller’s heart on this.
