I personally believe there are three types of Christians in this world. Only one of those three I want to be associated with.
Type 1: The "Bible Buster"... This Christian is one that lives out their faith "too well". They believe that each possible sin or wrongdoing results in a condemnation to hell. When others sin, these Christians tend to shun them, shove their wrongdoings in their face, and constantly remind them of their future life in hell. They tend to stretch the sayings of the Bible to fit what they want it to say, and continually push the Bible onto others. If they are not bringing up salvation in common chat, they are Facebooking, Tweeting, and Instagramming how to be saved. How many people they got saved is more than just a number to them, and they can't help but trying to bring more people into this rule-abiding life.
Type 1 Christian is overbearing and is often overrun with rules, instead of love and mercy. As a person looking for the love and mercy of Christ, this life of rules and condemnation seems less than desirable. Personally, I feel that this Christian is a turn-off to others looking to follow God. I often feel myself ashamed of being associated with Type 1 Christians based on their actions toward others.
If you read one of my previous posts titled, "The Remedy," I feel that the Christians identified in that post relate to the Type 1 Christian.
Type 2: The "Convenient Christian"... This Christian normally falls into the 16-25 year old range. They casually come to church, when its convenient, and when they do, they may or may not be hungover from the previous nights party. The label "Christian" is just that: a social label. These Christians feel the need to label themselves as "Christians" to be a part of the group. They don't talk Jesus besides the "#blessed" on Instagram or the typical, "I'm so blessed to have ______ in my life!" or the, "I'm so thankful for all that God has placed in my life #blessedwiththebest" on Facebook/Twitter. Religion is just a label, and parties and social status are way more important...but they'll make it to church if they manage to sober-up by morning.
Yet again, Type 2 is not a person I wish to be. I feel that Type 2 Christians just want something to believe in, not something to live out. No rules to follow, and just a few Christian outings a month to be sure others see the "good Christian person." Not much of a commitment, but also not much of a reward. Others looking to follow God often see the behavior of Type 2 Christian behind the scenes and is turned off by the idea of a two-faced Christian altogether. Type 2 is also a Christian I am sometimes ashamed to be associated with.
Type 3: The "Honest Christian"...This Christian is a sinner, troubled, and has a bad past. This Christian knows they have done things wrong, but knows of God's grace and forgiveness. This Christian makes mistakes daily, but works to change despite that. They feel that Christianity isn't just a belief, but a way of life. They don't condemn others, but instead show grace and mercy through their actions. They continue to be a shining example of God's love despite not being perfect. They aren't at every single service, posting daily about salvation, but they live out the gospel in their daily lives.
Type 3 is the Christian I strive to be. My goal as a Christian isn't to punish, judge, or persecute others wrongdoings, but to be an example to others by the way I live. I am far from being a perfect Type 3 Christian, but I can say I try.
Sadly, I estimate that only 15% of Christians are Type 3 Christians (yeah, so, that percent is truthfully made up from what I see in my daily life...take it as you please)
So, who are you? Who do you strive to be? Who does God want you to be?
Blessings,
Faith
