Our “Christian” Example

“What the world needs is not more Christianity, but more Christians who practice Christianity.”

Our example is the language that all men can read. The Apostle Paul said this of God’s faithful: “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:2–3). What powerfully encouraging words these are and what a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit to transform a willing heart.

Christ Himself made this declaration: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35). Christ is speaking to the one Church of God which He founded. He gave us this command because He was about to go back to our Father and His physical example would no longer be present for others to see. But ours would, and we are charged with carrying His example forward so that all would know that we are of Him.

What do others in or out of God’s church see in our personal example? Is it an epistle of Christ written by God’s Spirit on a soft heart? Do they see the love and unity of our Father and Christ being expressed by us toward others for the purpose of helping to complete them? Or do they see a competitor who desires preeminence?

Our spiritual adversary is no doubt fine with any one of us sounding like a Christian so long as we don’t bear it out in our lives – from the heart. As a matter of fact, what better form of deception is there than to be convinced of our own righteousness, while living at odds with or even as enemies among ourselves? Why, we could blame others very confidently for the current dysfunction within the Church! To that, Christ says: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—” (Revelation 3:16–17).

Is it not interesting how probably each one of the faithful now living wants to identify with the Church of God in Philadelphia and not with those in Laodicea? Imagine that! But the fact is that we can’t change our spiritual Church of God identity by choosing adjectives, much as some today seek pronouns to change their gender. To each of the seven Churches of God in Revelation 2 and 3, Christ says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”.

We are each personally accountable to follow Christ’s example. “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Regardless of how we are treated by others, we must not put a stumbling block in front of others. We are, from the heart, to do as Christ would do. “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

What this world needs now, and what God’s Church needs, is more individual believers who willingly follow Christ’s example regardless of any dysfunction within or without.

Marshall Stiver