As a Christian I am not called to be comfortable. I am just called.

I have been pretty bothered with the negative stigma that comes with being called a Christian. I found that people have this idea in their heads that Christians are sinless / saints and if they fall short of living like a saint they are called hypocrites. I felt that I need to share my heart and thoughts on this topic and hopefully creating a better understanding.

Christian Meaning: a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity. "a born-again Christian".

It is easy to believe in a higher power; all you have to do is say I believe. Being a Christian requires you to actively live a life as a follower of Christ.

Ephesians 2:8 TPT - “For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in Him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ!”

I have many Friends and family that does not go to church because in their minds the church is filled with hypocrites. (I know some of you read my blog and I really trust that the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to change your hearts). They are believers and live seemingly good lives. So what’s wrong with that you may ask? Well, their whole reason for not going is the problem. To make this statement they have already judged without even knowing. Who are we to decide who is worthy to go to church or who is there for the right reasons. If you are going to church, simply to see who is there that shouldn’t be, there is a very big problem in your heart and I hope that reading this might change that mind-set and your heart. God did not call us to judge one another He called us to love everyone.

John 13: 34-35 TPT – “So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.”

Matthew 7 is all about do not judge others, I recommend that you spend some time and read the complete chapter. I pray that when you are done reading it you will feel just like the crowds whom Jesus spoke to.

Matthew 7:3 TPT – “Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the flaring flaws of your own?”

Non-Christians often look at Christians as hypocritical because they think we say one thing but do another. So because I go to church and am not perfect - am I the hypocrite that is keeping my family and friends from coming to church? See even typing that I know there is no truth in that statement. They all know me and each one would know at least one thing that I have done in my life that I am not proud off but they also see the changes in my life since I got saved. So why are they more understanding to my sins and past that was forgiven but fail to see the same for others in church? It’s easier to see the change when you know what to look for. When you don't know someone’s history you won’t know how far they have come. We are more understanding when we understand the history a person.

I try my best to live a good life. I have shortcomings just like everyone else. I used to have a filthy habit of swearing (speaking pirate), the sad thing is I did not even notice it anymore this was something I had to work through very hard to stop. I still have a slip occasionally but because of my new identity in Christ I am more aware of these shortcomings and when I do slip I feel it immediately and I pray. Why? Because as a Christian that is not what I was called to say. Words leaving my lips should be encouraging and loving at all times. If I make an error, it does not make me a hypocrite it makes me human. A human being that is striving her best to be a better me all the time.

John 1:16 TPT – “and now out of His fullness we are fulfilled! And from Him we receive grace heaped upon more grace!”

Christianity just like any other relationship is a daily choice that needs to be made. We choose each morning to love our spouse or to be happy, it does not just happen - it’s an active choice that needs to be made daily. The same goes for living a Christian life. You don't just get baptized, or say you believe and boom now you are a Christian for life! No you actively have to make that decision every day of your life. It is an on-going process just like we are all a work in process. Understanding that our Heavenly Father loves us more than we could ever understand, makes this choice a lot easier.

So why is it important to go to church? For me it’s the accountability we have as Christians. Being part of a church (Body of Christ) helps us be accountable. Most people that go to church have a history that is not always the prettiest or are currently going through things in the flesh. Going to church and being able to worship with others that is all a work in progress (just like me) is as important to my Christian walk as reading the bible. There is comfort in knowing that I am not alone, and others around me that daily face trails in the flesh. No-one is perfect, we all have different giants in our lives some from the past and some that we have to face daily.

So just because someone is not perfect to you and still chooses to go to church every Sunday does not make that person a hypocrite. It makes that person a Christian that is working through his/her problems with Christ being the focus and having brothers & sisters in Christ keeping you accountable (by accountable I simply mean your need to want to do better because of the love and support you get from the Body of Christ).

So, I am a Christian – a proud follower of Christ. I enjoy going to church and spending time with people that all have their own history. One can almost say a Sunday meeting is as important to a Christian as a AA meeting is to an alcoholic.

I try my best to show those around me that I care—I spend time with them, help meet their needs and offer to listen when they have problems. I encourage them to pray and build a personal relationship with God that needs to be renewed daily, but mostly I encourage them to find a good church where they feel comfortable and to plug in and connect with leaders and fellow church goers. I might not be able to answer all of their questions, but they can’t deny the reality of what Christ has done in my life.

So, if you choose not to go to church, all you are doing is denying yourself freedom to fully walk in to a life that was promised to you. Just because of a judgment you made and decided to stick with. All you have done is cut off your own nose, because us hypocrites are all still going to church and enjoying good fellowship, getting good encouragement from sermons and worshiping our King.

Don’t let your bad judgement steal one more day out of your life with Christ.

“We aren’t Christians because of what we have done or not done,

We are Christians because of what Jesus did for us!”

Mark Neumann