The Mark of a True Christian
There are "labels" attached to those who proclaim themselves to be a Christian. The labels that I am writing about today are those vague ones. I have difficulty in putting it into words as I am writing this. So I am just going to jump into the point.
The most obvious one is the WEALTH label.
We proclaim that God always provides. But there are Christians who get laid off from their jobs, who cannot find a job after so many months, who does not have abundant money. There are who stay in an expensive house, and there are some who stay in a one-bedroom apartment, and so on.
Does it mean that those who are "poor" compared to the rich ones, are less Christian? less blessed? less favoured? I think it is difficult to comprehend to understand why God does not give abundant wealth to those who are more obedient to God, compared to others. I myself ask God that question.
But if I were to try to understand this from God's perspective (not that I can understand fully), to God, earthly wealth is not the measure that God use to assure us how much He favours us. The amount of wealth we have on this passing earth is not a measurement of how obedient or how holy or how sinful we are. If it is were so, non-Christians would all be poor. But hey, you know that the richest people do not even know God.
One thing I have seen around me is that true Christians, eventhough they have no job (not because they slack at home not finding job), are not lacking in material things, not lacking in food, clothes and house. God does provide. God does not provide Mercedes and Louis Vuitton. God provides what we need, not what we want. And we can be 150% sure that God will provide. Do not be scared and worry what you will eat and wear tomorrow. God will send manna from Heaven if He has to.
The mark of a true Christian is that a true Christian trust God for provisions, do not chase earthly wealth and does not whine when they have little and does not envy those who have more. Because a true Christian knows that we are living for an eternal reward that is far greater than the greatest riches and wealth we have seen on earth.
Matthew 6:25-34 New International Version (NIV)
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
HEALTH Label
I don't know about you, but for me, I assume that when we are under God's protection, God will give us good health. But as I walk in my Christian faith and mingle with other true Christians brothers and sisters, I begin to get confuse because the people who serve God faithfully are stricken with sickness, diseases and body pain.
Why? Does God not want His people to be of excellent health and strong so that they can serve His people in a tip top condition? Why does God put a "thorn" in His faithful servants?
And Christians who suffers from serious sickness and people pray for them, they are expected to be healed! They are expected to walk out of the hospital unscathed! But no.. it is not the case. Many died young, leaving young children behind. (My apologies for the emotional words as I recently witnessed a faithful Christian passed away at a young age, leaving young children).
What makes a Christian a true Christian is that in spite of the "thorns" that God has put or allow to be put in into our body, they still praise God, still worship God, still go to Church (unless physically unable), still pray, still serves. Do not get me wrong, it is not that we are not allowed to cry to God and pray for the thorns to be taken away. King David cried to God in his adversary. Paul asked God three times to remove his thorn.
I read somewhere and I totally agree; how you know whether or not someone is growing in their faith? From trials, sufferings and pains that they are going through. If their life is all rosy and good, then their faith need to be questioned.
Oh well, I don't think we should use this mark as an absolute mark. There are Christians who are growing but does not suffer.. (I think... ) Afterall, God does not want to see His children suffer! God wants us to be happy! to have good life!
The mark of a true Christian is that in spite of the health problems, whatever it may be, their lips still constantly praise God. Because we know that our body fails us, but God does not. And our pain is nothing compares to the pain that Jesus went through when He was being crucified.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
The most obvious one is the WEALTH label.
We proclaim that God always provides. But there are Christians who get laid off from their jobs, who cannot find a job after so many months, who does not have abundant money. There are who stay in an expensive house, and there are some who stay in a one-bedroom apartment, and so on.
Does it mean that those who are "poor" compared to the rich ones, are less Christian? less blessed? less favoured? I think it is difficult to comprehend to understand why God does not give abundant wealth to those who are more obedient to God, compared to others. I myself ask God that question.
But if I were to try to understand this from God's perspective (not that I can understand fully), to God, earthly wealth is not the measure that God use to assure us how much He favours us. The amount of wealth we have on this passing earth is not a measurement of how obedient or how holy or how sinful we are. If it is were so, non-Christians would all be poor. But hey, you know that the richest people do not even know God.
One thing I have seen around me is that true Christians, eventhough they have no job (not because they slack at home not finding job), are not lacking in material things, not lacking in food, clothes and house. God does provide. God does not provide Mercedes and Louis Vuitton. God provides what we need, not what we want. And we can be 150% sure that God will provide. Do not be scared and worry what you will eat and wear tomorrow. God will send manna from Heaven if He has to.
The mark of a true Christian is that a true Christian trust God for provisions, do not chase earthly wealth and does not whine when they have little and does not envy those who have more. Because a true Christian knows that we are living for an eternal reward that is far greater than the greatest riches and wealth we have seen on earth.
Matthew 6:25-34 New International Version (NIV)
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
HEALTH Label
I don't know about you, but for me, I assume that when we are under God's protection, God will give us good health. But as I walk in my Christian faith and mingle with other true Christians brothers and sisters, I begin to get confuse because the people who serve God faithfully are stricken with sickness, diseases and body pain.
Why? Does God not want His people to be of excellent health and strong so that they can serve His people in a tip top condition? Why does God put a "thorn" in His faithful servants?
And Christians who suffers from serious sickness and people pray for them, they are expected to be healed! They are expected to walk out of the hospital unscathed! But no.. it is not the case. Many died young, leaving young children behind. (My apologies for the emotional words as I recently witnessed a faithful Christian passed away at a young age, leaving young children).
What makes a Christian a true Christian is that in spite of the "thorns" that God has put or allow to be put in into our body, they still praise God, still worship God, still go to Church (unless physically unable), still pray, still serves. Do not get me wrong, it is not that we are not allowed to cry to God and pray for the thorns to be taken away. King David cried to God in his adversary. Paul asked God three times to remove his thorn.
I read somewhere and I totally agree; how you know whether or not someone is growing in their faith? From trials, sufferings and pains that they are going through. If their life is all rosy and good, then their faith need to be questioned.
Oh well, I don't think we should use this mark as an absolute mark. There are Christians who are growing but does not suffer.. (I think... ) Afterall, God does not want to see His children suffer! God wants us to be happy! to have good life!
The mark of a true Christian is that in spite of the health problems, whatever it may be, their lips still constantly praise God. Because we know that our body fails us, but God does not. And our pain is nothing compares to the pain that Jesus went through when He was being crucified.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
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