I found this one over at Ray Comfort's blog. I have seen people use this example in reference to me!
I Do Not Like Your Christians
Posted: 20 Feb 2008 07:23 AM CST
A skeptic quoted the famous words of Mahatma Ghandi, when he said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." The cynic no doubt did this to illustrate that all Christians are nothing but hypocrites, and that’s why he rejects the gospel. However, a close look at what Ghandi said reveals two interesting things.
First, no one is like Jesus Christ. He was sinless. If you think you can be like Him, try living like Him for one day. For one day fulfill the moral Law by loving God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength, and love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. That means you will not lust, hate, lie, steal, think a selfish thought or say an idle word. You will be perfect, in thought, word and in deed. On top of that, you will walk in perfect humility of heart. If you think Ghandi did that, read on.
Second, the Bible doesn’t tell us to place our trust in sinful man. In fact, it says not to (see Psalm 146:3). It instead commands that we repent and trust alone in Jesus Christ. This was something it seems Ghandi failed to do. So his liking of Jesus wasn’t deep enough for him to believe what He said. Jesus warned that if we die in our sins, we will end up in Hell. What a tragedy that Ghandi didn’t find any help in his own hopeless religion. He lamented, "It is constant torture to me that I am still so far from God whom I know to be my very life and being. I know it is my own wretchedness and wickedness that keeps me from him."
Yes, I've always had a problem with Christians: they tend to irritate me beyond measure as I am sure I do to others. But then, as you say, we are NOT Jesus. We wouldn't be in the church if we didn't recognise that we had got it wrong. The church is a club for sinners. Thank God it exists.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I can learn from Ghandi that I need to be more like Jesus and how I live my life must be a positive witness of the faith I proclaim. If it isn't others will look at me and say that they can't see Christ and if his followers can't model something that reflects Jesus, why should they take any notice of what we say?
I think that the only way I could live like Jesus for one day (not commit a single sin) would be if I were in a coma...though I imagine even then, I guess that I'd be "wasting" my time. *sigh* ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with DP though, that what I can learn from that Ghandi quote is that I really do need to do my best to follow Jesus every day, and be as like Him as I can.
Ultimately though, you are very correct in what you say. Christianity does not rise and fall on the backs of Christians, but on Christ--who He said He was and what He did.
I have a friend who was a Hindu and became a Christian. He had the same impression as Ghandi in that he didn't like Christians either.
ReplyDeleteBoth Ghandi and my friend had a huge misconception as to what or who Christians are. When my friend gave his life to Jesus, his family criticised him for (in their mind) joining a bunch of alcoholics.
As I understnd it, the context in which Ghandi said 'I don't like your Christians' was that he looked at the the British in his land and the British Nation as a whole, which was considered to be part of 'Christendom' and wrongly understood all British citizens to be Christian. He saw that these so called Christians were drinking heavily, using foul language, were very promiscuous, often big gamblers and extremely unloving and totally unjust.
The 'Christians' he didn't like were not Christians at all - merely people who lived in a so called 'Christian society'.
There is still a massive challenge in all this. As Christians we should be seen by others - no not as perfect - but as people who are daily being changed 'from glory into glory'. ('By their fruit you will recognise them' [Matt: 7:16])
One reason that I love coming onto 'Time2ChangeChurches' is that there is always a huge challenge waiting for each visitor - and that challenge is in one sense always the same: 'Isn't it about time the churches reflected something of the glory of Jesus?'!
To that I will always say AMEN!
thank you! I appreciate the kind words!
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by Rhea! It's nice to have a new commenter on here! (nothing against the old commenters! of which I am one of the old ones!!)
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in India I ran into the same thing. The Hindu's and Sikh's scoffed at Christianity because they recieved satellite channels of Hollywood productions and MTV and the like and associated America with Christianity based on their understanding of how religion works.
ReplyDeleteThey believe you are born into Hinduism. So, logically, they believe we are born into Christendom. Not true, but they don't know any better. They assume that America is a Christian nation just as India is a Hindu-based nation. So, what is representative of India is a reflection on Hinduism and the same holds true for Christianity and the West in their eyes.
We had a hard time breaking through this misconception. When we were able to though, we then hit the wall of "yes I believe in Jesus, I will add him to my collection of other "gods".
j razz
it's hard to imagine how they could add Jesus to their other gods. They just don't understand. They don't realize that they are headed for hell unless they put their faith and trust in Jesus alone for their salvation.
ReplyDelete