How Godly Do You Look?
A Christian is defined as a person who has, by faith, received and fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior (Jn. 3:16). This means, they have heard and believed in Him (Rom. 10) and they have not only believed in His holy word, but that they have repented of their sins (Lk. 13:3), they have confessed Jesus as their Messiah (Matt. 10:32-33) and they have been buried with Him in baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). That being said, there are so many Christians who on the outside may look Godly, but on the inside, they never grow.
Godly or Not?
Like for example, church hopping. Oh, one may go to worship God, but they are not there long enough before they leave and go to another congregation. This makes it very difficult for anyone to get to know you. You do not have the time to be part of the family nor do you get the privilege to allow anyone to get to know you enough to challenge you when you need challenged and help you when help is needed.
Another way to look Godly is to be too busy reading your Bible that you forget to do the work of the Lord. Who is guilty of this? Or, vice versa? You see, you may seem busy and godly to everyone around you, but still insufficient in either your relationship with the Lord or insufficient in following His will for your life.
You may look Godly as you sit and worship God, listening to the message that God is giving you only for you to think hard about how that sermon does not apply to you, but to others. You know, it’s just so much easier (and more pleasant) to work out how other people should change than it is to unsettle our own hearts and lives. So, if you really want to listen to sermons in an apparently godly but non-growing way, pick one encouragement from the sermon, which will make no difference to your life, and share it with the preacher or another member on the way out.
Another Godly look is to talk to colleagues and/or friends about church, but never share with them, the Christ. Of course, no one is going to get offended by church, as long as it sounds like a social club and they are once in a while invited. But, to tell your friends about the claim of Jesus…that will take more than Godly appearance.
One can also look Godly by using family as an excuse as to why you do very little for the Lord. But, I’ll tell you this: You cannot escape the ministry of the Lord. You may tip toe and tap dance around not showing up for church events or preparing a Bible study, and so on, but all you are doing is hurting your very own soul.
Other ways to look Godly is to study your Bible as brief as possible and then tell others you studied your Bible today. Or, to ask for prayers on your behalf when you yourself do not pray hardly at all. It is sad that your humbly dependent on God for all things and yet, you will delegate your humble dependence to others while you go on with your life. Or, talk about how you will take the message from the sermon and apply it to your life and to the lives of others, but then, leave and not tell anybody anything, including yourself as you forget about the sermon. Or, only do ministries that are noticeable and enjoyable. Many Christians do not want to sacrifice at all and serving others by just what we find enjoyable to do is not bearing any burden of the cross. Or, refusing to encourage others and/or receiving encouragement as threats, and etc…
Overall, Matthew 7:21-23 states, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” In Revelation 3:15-16 it states, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” In Revelation 21:8 it states, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
What I get from these verses and many others is that being a Christian is not how Godly you look. Being a Christian is about you being holy under the wonderful grace of God. It is humbling ourselves before God and whatever he has asked us to do, that is what we do and we do so happily. We count it all joy instead of having the Lord say to us, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?” (Lk. 6:46). We are to let our Christian lights shine so that people of the world may see our good “works” (works of righteousness, not just any work) and glorify our Father in Heaven (Matt. 5:16). Or, do you not know that faith without works is a dead faith (Jam 2)?
So, let’s get busy for the Lord!!! Allow the word of God to burn inside your hearts! Renew your minds away from the world and renew your love for Christ and your neighbor! Obey God’s commands without quibbles! Allow the fruit of the Spirit to dwell in you! Become more like Jesus and seek and save those who are lost! And, put your trust in Jesus that He will give you eternal life because you have been found faithful to Him!