Years ago, while still at university I gave my life to the Lord and quickly became plugged into a local church. Although it was a small church, which I attended faithfully on a Sunday and where I served in more than one ministry, I still felt that not many people knew me. In a word, I felt disconnected.
It wasn’t that I was unwilling to share anything about myself. On the contrary. It was mostly because conversations with other members remained superficial and if, for some reason, I felt the liberty to share something personal with someone, the conversation would quickly come to an end with an encouragement to “have more faith” or “trust God like never before”. As if I wasn’t doing that already.
As a new Christian, this confused me. I often wondered why we called ourselves spiritual “family” yet acted more like acquaintances, with no more than a “Hi, how are you?” without waiting for a response and then quickly moving on to do the same with someone else.
But don’t get me wrong, this was a great church – Bible-based with wonderful worship, and many opportunities to serve and grow in the gifts of the Spirit.
But I felt something was missing.
At some point, I started thinking that I was the problem. Perhaps this was how church was done, after all. We came together on a Sunday and behaved as though we had it all together, when really, we didn’t. Not everyone, of course but most everyone.
In the years since, with the added insight that being in full time ministry brings, I have come to realise that what I was looking for and, to some extent expecting was “authentic Christianity”.
By this I mean, the person I see on Sunday at Church is the same person I meet on any given day of the week in any setting or situation. People living authentic lives rather than compartmentalised lives.
But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes a difficult marriage or a tough boss can bring out the worst in us, causing us to behave in ways that are not in accordance with our Christian values. Life can be tough but it can also be complicated.
According to Chip Ingram, there are 3 principles we need to grasp to practice authentic Christianity:
- First, we need to start with an accurate picture of God: Many of us have an inaccurate picture of God – I know I did for many years. Our heavenly Father created us and knows everything about us – the good, the bad and the ugly. Yet, He still loves us and accepts us just as we are. Why then do we feel the need to pretend with Him or to hide who we really are from others?
- Authentic Christianity is not built on rules or religion: As believers, we are called to live passionately and to love as Christ loved, not to be bound by a rigid, man-made moral code that lends itself to a view of the world that is either black or white. We are created to live from the heart with the right motives, a consequence of a living relationship with Christ.
- To be an authentic Christian, value relationships: this includes not only our relationship with God but also our relationship with ourselves and others -– whether believers or unbelievers.
This is the life we as believers are called to – a life of authentic faith, which honours God in all our relationships.
See more: https://livingontheedge.org/2021/07/12/principles-to-grasp-to-practice-authentic-christianity/
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