Pam is a friend of mine, who is used to writing back in forth with me in forums.
It is harder in these blogs to get a discussion thread going, because I still haven't figured out how to make sure that someone is notified on a reply.
So I'm just going to answer THIS in the form of an all new blog. Anyone can reply to this, not just Pam ... If I write back, it will be through email or a new blog.
Pam,
Hello.
You wrote:{{I don't think anyone will be able to stand before God on judgement day and say, "I rejected you because Christians in 'general' aren't nice people."}}Agreed 100%.
Take someone that is unwilling, and they will always be unwilling, no matter what anyone does around them nor their impressions of what Christians are like or anything else.My point was not really about what people's impressions changes, because it changes nothing. It was a matter of what it could reveal about Christianity in general ... Specifically, that the vast majority of what Christians are doing is done carnally.
Spritual Christianity leaves NO REASONABLE explaination for activity except to say that Jesus, Himself, miraculously accomplishes the activity.
GraceHeads live to a standard that LawHeads could not even fathom. For them it is just a matter of doing what is good and avoiding what is bad. For GraceHeads it is a matter of precisely Jesus Christ in this moment, or what falls short of His glory (i.e. sin.)
In short, as we abide in Christ, compelled by His love, then only one thing suits us: Agape - love as God loves, though it is impossible except by the Spirit.
If carnality is deminished, and spirituality is increased, by the Spirit's calling upon Christianity, then in attitude, thought, practice, and deed - those with God's call upon them would manifest the character of God, and what would surprise the spectators would not be kindness, nor charity. What would surprise the spectators is if those that proclaimed Christ would ever once show personal approval or disapproval based on anyone's behavior.
Spectators may still reject the Lord, but they would do so knowing that the Lord that they reject is one whose love they cannot "out-sin."
Even still the goal is not to change others impressions, but rather to "put on Jesus." Or to wear (upon ourselves) activity that does not conceal this love that is place within. And the simple prospect of letting this love loose excites my core being - the inner man mingled with the Spirit of Life.
One could even say that it is for selfish reasons that I turn to the Spirit and wait for His love to be manifest through me ... For there is extreme delight "in it" for me, whether or not the recipients get anything at all from this.
If Christ is in you, putting on Christ does nothing to change what you are ... It reveals what you are. If we be holy, then such holy behavior will change nothing, but it will be such a relief to put aside the unholiness that was disguising our true selves.
To this end I encourage everyone to reveal what they are. If Christ has made you righteous, then put on righteousness ... It will suit you - it will supercharge your life with maximum joy.
If you are of your father the devil, then continue in deceit and lying, for to pretend otherwise "for appearance sake" will drain yourself by pretending to be something that you are not.
Revelation 22:10-12 (NASB)
The Final Message
10And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
11"Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy."
12"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.Still ripening for the harvest,
Trent
www.GraceHead.com
My commandment to you is to love those who have wronged you and forgive them, starting with your own self; and be patient with those whom you have wronged. ~ Jesus [Letters from God and His Christ - Volume 6 - Bear Fruit According to the Spirit of Truth]