Being a Christian doesn’t have a single definition. There are as many different kinds of Christians as there are Christians. Each of us brings a unique interpretation to our walk with God. He likes it like that. If He wanted uniformity He could have made us with limited capacity for choice. Just as each parent treasures the uniqueness of each of their children so does God treasure what each of us brings to Him. The end result is there are Christians who are very religious. Their vocabulary and ways of expressing themselves are full of religious argot. Then there are secular Christians. “Really,” you might ask as you raise your eyebrows. By secular I mean they do not necessarily brand themselves with a denominational title, but they walk the walk. And what is that walk? Jesus said, “Hereby shall men know you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” And who is the “one another”? The story of the Good Samaritan answers that for us.
Paul said it clearly in Galatians 5:14. “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The person who does so is a Christian by behavior and that is so much more important than being a Christian by label. Can a person be a Christian and not even know it? The Spirit of God strives with all men. It is God’s insatiable love. He can’t get enough of us.
I have a friend who is giving, kind and self-sacrificing. When she hears of a need she is there to help. She actually goes to church each week but much to the consternation of some she has never joined a church. Church membership doesn’t save. Jesus does.
Written by Roger Bothwell on August 6. 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org