How to Live Like a Christian

There is an interesting phenomenon that I have noticed on the internet between the professed Christians and those who are in opposition to them.

They sometimes refer to themselves as atheists. Other times they refuse to classify themselves. In either case they choose to express their reasons why they think Christianity is a bad idea as a strong heartfelt opinion from their point of view. Many times they proceed to mock Christians for their ideals and beliefs in a God that according to them is invisible and untouchable. They also are quick to point out all the failures and shortcomings of a faith based society that according to them has no logical or scientific explanation to many events in its history. For some reason they are compelled to express their opinions at every chance they can in all the Christianity Forums on HubPages, and I would venture to guess on other sites as well.

The people making those comments are as firmly rooted in their beliefs as many Christians are in what they believe. They repeatedly point out all of their perceived, and unfortunately I must admit, some very real faults that Christians display without highlighting any positive characteristic traits. Often times their expressions of discontent with Christianity are what drives them to believe what they do. Some Christians will reinforce their beliefs with ill mannered over zealous behavior that drives them away rather than draw them in.

There is a law of physics that goes something like this…”For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

The harder we try to push Christianity on people the harder they push back. When was the last time you tried to force someone to receive a gift you were trying to give them (i.e.…birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

Why is it then that Christians continually try to force the “gift” of God on people who don’t want it?

Psychologically it’s because somehow they are trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit. It will make them feel better if somehow they can get this person to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. So, they make it their mission to convince them that they are in need of a savior, and that they have the solution. If the person rejects the gift of salvation, they push even harder to convince them that they need to be saved. The harder they push, the more the individual pushes back.

Everything about God is a choice.  We can choose to accept the Gift and follow Him, or choose not to.  Our responsibility as Christians is to plant the seed, not to make it grow.  Only God can do that.

To engage in discussions in an attempt to convert the individuals who so adamantly oppose Christianity, is adding fuel to an argument that will never be won.  To resort to name calling and insults does not reflect the attitude of love and peace that every Christian should represent.  The duty of Christians is not to win over the opposition with laws and commandments but rather to mirror the image of Christ in service to mankind.  Instead of spending so much time trying to convince others of what they should or should not believe or do, we should be spending our time practicing what we preach. 

Remember, it is not us who will decide their ultimate fate, it is God. Whether they choose to believe in God or not will ultimately only affect them in the end. If we offer them a path to salvation and they choose to reject it, then the burden of responsibility rests upon their shoulders, not ours.

The old cliché : “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” applies here.

Another cliché is applicable here as well and it goes something like this: “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

All the logic, reasoning, and emotional conviction will not convince these individuals to change their point of view. They believe in their perspective as strongly as we as Christians believe in ours.

If you find yourself in a position where you are engaged in a discussion with an individual who is strongly entrenched in opposition to any Christian theology then here is what I would suggest.

1. First and foremost, maintain a calm, polite and relaxed demeanor to avoid threatening the other persons’ integrity.
2. Second, ask questions that will lead them to draw their own conclusions that may persuade them to your point of view.
3. Thirdly, if the conversation seems to be perpetuating into eternity without change, then agree to disagree and allow them to bare the responsibilities of their beliefs.

Think of our mission as Christians as planting a large corn field, we can plant the seeds but it is up to God to make them grow. We have been called by Jesus to spread the Gospel message, the plan of salvation through a belief in Him as our Savior. We can present the message, but we can't make people accept it and believe it. It's personal, and they have to decide for themselves whether it's real or not.

The most effective means for us to convince people of the gospel is to live it every day in our lives. I'm not talking about just going to church, I'm talking about real life change.

The Gift of God is not given as a reward for anything we have done, but once you receive it in your heart, change will begin from the inside out. Some of the things you use to take pleasure in will now become distasteful. The suffering of others will begin to way heavier on you heart where it never affected you before. As the conversion becomes more evident in your life others will see a reflection of Jesus in you. It is this genuine conversion of who you are that will persuade people to change more than any argument or words will ever do,