“I Met A Christian And Don’t Want To Be Like That!” Another Objection To The Bible And Christianity.

Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!

“I Met A Christian And Don’t Want To Be Like That!” Another Objection To The Bible And Christianity.

This brief article is for the person who is searching online for answers or the person who received this article because someone who cares about you sent it to you. Thanks for taking the time to think about this.

I wish I could say that I have only heard this objection once or twice in the past 30 years but unfortunately, many people have run into a person who claimed to be Christian and was the kind of person you would never want to be like. In fact, at one time I probably was one of those kinds of Christian so let me begin by describing my personal experience as a Christian who most likely offended many. I’m going to describe five categories (there are probably more) of Christians to help you understand what is really going on behind the term Christian.

The Zealous Christian. This was me immediately after becoming a Christian. I was so excited about this change in my life and how I became part of God’s family that I immediately sat down and wrote a 15 page letter to every person that I knew- friends, family, and acquaintances. While I thought it was a most important letter, containing the most life-changing information anyone could possibly hear, it was written in such a way that I completely ignored the possibility that it may be received as anything but loving in its content.

However, because I was so filled with passion and zeal, my message was too aggressive and was received as not from a person whose main intention was to help them, but rather a letter from a person who had become to them obnoxious and extreme. Needless to say, I never did get one positive response from my letter. As time went on, I learned to be more considerate regarding the power of words, my relationships, and the timing of speaking on things of great importance.

The Immature Christian. This category follows the one that I described about myself above and I certainly would have qualified for this category as well. The immature Christian is a person who has not yet applied the teachings found in God’s word to his life. He or she may truly believe in the core beliefs of the Bible and be a real Christian, but there has not been much change in their life. They are like newborn babies that have come into the world but never advanced in their behavior beyond the toddler stage. Therefore, you may look at their claims to be Christian and expect actions and speech that are different than anyone else, but in many ways, they still behave and sound like those who don’t claim to be Christians. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise for you or anyone else to conclude that you have met a Christian and have no desire to be like that.

The Ignorant Christian. The ignorant Christian is a Christian who is sincere about what he believes, but much of what he believes is not true. He is the victim of poor teaching. He may have learned his beliefs through his family upbringing or through one or more churches he has attended through the years, but much of what he espouses to be true is incorrect. This creates a huge problem for Christians and is a major turn off for those who want to learn more about Christianity. Part of the problem is that most people who are not Christians don’t realize that there are many different systems of belief within Christianity. Therefore, they interact with the ignorant Christian and without understanding that this particular Christian is not a true representative of what the Bible teaches, they assume all Christians are the same and reject any interest in Christianity.

The Not A Christian “Christian.” Please note the quotes that I’ve placed around the word Christian in this category. This is because many people who say they are Christian are simply not. This category of “Christian” is very difficult for the non-Christian to spot. Often, a member of this category is a person who is very intent on keeping rules. Keeping rules or laws makes them feel very good about themselves so this is where their emphasis in life remains. This category of “Christian” is also quick to judge others for their inability to follow rules and has very little room in their attitude for grace and forgiveness. Finally, this category of “Christian” is in constant need of more knowledge and as he accumulates more and more, he becomes condescending to all those whom he deems to know little and therefore, are lesser people.

The Mature Christian. This is the last category of Christian I’m going to describe and if you had run into this category of Christian, you would not say that you do not want to be like this person. The mature Christian is a person who is kind, patient, content, cares about other people, and is generally happy. Ideally, this is what all Christians should look like, but they do not. Why? Read on.

I hope I have not confused you with all of these categories but rather have helped you see that people who call themselves Christian are all in different places in their Christian life and some are not even true Christians. There is a pattern here that you may be picking up on and that is the pattern of brokenness. You might think that if someone was a Christian, he or she would immediately become everything that they say they believe in, but that is not what is happening.

No, you are coming in contact with people who are in process. And this is the Christian message: these people have come to understand that because of their past ignorance and disobedience of God, they have no relationship with God and are in fact, in the position of incurring His judgment. They have learned of God’s gracious plan for forgiveness, purchased for them by God’s son, Jesus Christ. They believe that Jesus paid the price for their sinful behavior and now are part of God’s family. They have become Christians.

However, their journey with God has only begun and although they have new motives and an ability to obey God and reflect his love and grace to the rest of the world, the change in their hearts and minds comes over a period of time. It is during the rest of their life that they will learn to regulate their zealousness, understand more about what the Bible truly says, and discard foolish and incorrect beliefs. They will one day, become mature Christians.

Is God surprised by any of this? Of course not. He explains all of this in the Bible. He is like a loving father who is patiently teaching his children how to become adults.

So, what about you? What are you going to do about your relationship with God? Will you use the behavior of immature Christians as a legitimate reason to not deal with your own soul? Think about it- even if you have met any number of Christians who disappointed you in their behavior or words, will you allow that to keep you from having peace with God?

Recently, I did a short series of videos explaining one of the books of the Bible. Each segment is five to 10 minutes long, so it doesn’t require a huge time commitment. I have placed the link here and I hope you will check it out. Thanks for thinking through this.

Please feel free to write to me if you have questions or need further help. My address is Mike@CherishEphesians64.com

THIS WEEK’S SPOTLIGHT:

Title: All Things For Good Written By Thomas Watson And Read By Michael Lee

Description: One of the great Puritans, Watson writes based on the great promise from God that all things work together for good to those that love God. The book will expand your faith in God’s promises and His attributes and give a great comfort to your soul.

Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-things-for-good-by-thomas-watson-and-read-by-michael-lee/id1703108941)

YouTube (https://youtu.be/cCMPuNsv6dE).

Read it online at www.ModernPuritans.com

Title: Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God, By Jonathan Edwards And Read By Michael Lee

Description: This famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards will sober you up to the awesomeness of God. It is updated in modern English by Modern Puritans.com

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-sinners-in-the-hands/id1695783947

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjGDaS1xyeRC8vUJFwsxxaX

Title: The Duties Of Parents From The Booklet By J.C. Ryle. Read By Michael Lee

Description: From the famous booklet written by Pastor J.C. Ryle. Pastor Ryle gives us 17 points of Christian parenting on which to focus our attention. His words are timeless and apply to parenting today as much as it did 100 years ago.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-the-duties-of/id1676664853

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQgfoZGiRgzptFs7g07vkwU5

“Why Should I Believe Anything About Jesus Christ?” Written By Various Authors And Read By Michael Lee

Description: This Podcast features three famous recordings of booklets written by John Blanchard that will strengthen your own understanding on the death and resurrection of Christ and also serve as a great evangelistic tool for a friend or family member. The first booklet is called, “Ultimate Questions.” The second booklet is called, “Why The Cross?” And the third booklet is called, “Jesus, Dead Or Alive?”

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-why-should-i-believe/id1692832161

YouTube: Each of the John Blanchard booklets has its own recording. See below.

Ultimate Questions. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQggMxnbCbkLux2C6QB1W0VG

Jesus- Dead Or Alive? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjeqfP9L1olkHULFCNHVDDF

Why The Cross? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQgJEuKxJL0dgjCDM85tyqrQ

Christian Behavior, written by John Bunyan. This is a wonderful fairly short book written by the great John Bunyan to help Christians understand that their lives should be full of good works! Bunyan takes us to Titus 3:7-8 and brings practical application to all areas of the Christian life. You will be blessed by this great saint!

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-christian-behavior-by/id1716196912

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjUQ_MpGbnqwrBVi7TgRKi3

Choose Your Master: God Or Money. The links are immediately below-

Description: This is one of the most written about topics in the Bible because it is one of the most dangerous to the Christian. Listen in on the good and bad experiences of the author and strongly consider the Bible’s teaching on stewardship.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-choose-your-master-god/id1683382182

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQiHoB3-tBm1qDDbxxpQAvTl

Title: All Things For Good Written By Thomas Watson And Read By Michael Lee

Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-things-for-good-by-thomas-watson-and-read-by-michael-lee/id1703108941)

YouTube (https://youtu.be/cCMPuNsv6dE).

Read it online at www.ModernPuritans.com

Title: Critical Considerations For Christian Parents About Your Child’s Education, By Michael Lee

Description: As we search the Bible for answers to the question: How shall we raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” we can see that the system for educating children was done primary by the parents in the home. However, the world in which we live now is quite different and the vast majority of parents use an educational system that is outside of the home and is that system is called the public schools, or the government schools.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-critical-considerations/id1678162250

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjnvjc7QuytT2V3lVr53oqa

Title: From Religion To Christ, Written By Peter Jeffery And Read By Michael Lee

Description: Tired of the many systems of religion that you have observed or been part of in the past? Are you ready to say goodbye to religion? The author Peter Jeffery, agrees! Doing “religion” is empty and will not get you to heaven. There is something more-something much greater. Take a careful listen through this podcast and discover what a real relationship with God actually looks like.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-from-religion-to-christ/id1687134464

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQg_lCngBTcjs_dXT1VYvYWA

Title: Rediscovering The Lost Treasure Of Family Worship. Written By Jerry Marcellino And Read By Michael Lee

Description: Family Worship was once the normal practice that most Christian parents led in their homes. Led by either parent, the children would be taught daily from the word of God, pray and sing songs. It was considered to be a vital part of the Christian life.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-rediscovering-the-lost/id1692401602

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQgNq7asslVBsKyq0FC3arMs

Title: Thoughts For Young Men From The Book By J.C. Ryle. Read By Michael Lee

Description: A wonderful book of Biblical truth and advice for young men. Helpful to parents as well as the young men themselves. Full of wisdom for a life filled with Christ. J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) served God in England as a pastor and teacher for more than 40 years. His words are still being used by the Lord today and are applicable to all Christians in all times.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-thoughts-for-young-men/id1673847428

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQixZIaBE95_JRojVSkzq1nl

Title: Stand Firm Written By Peter Jeffery and Read By Michael Lee

Description: So you just became a Christian and now what? Get ready for a life of walking with the Lord and experiencing the joy of knowing you have peace with God. However, you also have an enemy- the devil. Peter Jeffery wants to help by teaching you about the battle with the wicked one and how you can STAND FIRM against his attacks!

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-stand-firm-written-by/id1681861976

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjhDFeGYG5Tt5EWjeuz-e1p

Title: The Duties Of Parents From The Booklet By J.C. Ryle. Read By Michael Lee

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-the-duties-of/id1676664853

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQgfoZGiRgzptFs7g07vkwU5

Title: Choose Your Master: God Or Money. Written And Read By Michael Lee

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-choose-your-master-god/id1683382182

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQiHoB3-tBm1qDDbxxpQAvTl

Title: A Call To Prayer By J.C. Ryle. Read By Michael Lee

Description: This is a passionate plea from the famous preacher and teacher, J.C. Ryle. Although these words were penned more than 100 years ago, the need and application for today’s Christian is greater than ever.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-a-call-to-prayer-by/id167288080

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjaXXgO8P1U-bBFkEMCwdYR

Title: Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices From The Book By Thomas Brooks. Read By Michael Lee

Description: (This is one that you can listen to a “precious remedy” each day). Thomas Brooks, born in 1608, was a Puritan preacher who wrote a number of essays during his time with possibly the foremost entitled, “Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices.” In writing the book’s dedication, he wrote, “Christ, the scripture, your own hearts, and Satan’s devices, are the four prime things that should be first and most studied and searched. If any cast off the study of these they cannot be safe here, nor happy hereafter.” Brooks believed that all Christians have particular weaknesses in their faith and those weaknesses would be exploited in some way by Satan.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-precious-remedies-against/id1671364198

Title: Messages You Want To Share With A Friend Or Loved One. Written By Various Authors And Read By Michael Lee

Description: This one has 11 different recordings of parental concerns including how to love difficult people, how to deal with angry children, family feuds, how can I know I am a Christian, and more.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-messages-you-want-to/id1681581764

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQgfa3amEo_gqzBt6ypv4KX1

Title: The Mortification Of Sin By John Owen And Read By Michael Lee

Description: This famous treatment on killing or “mortifying,” sin by John Owen, has been updated in modern English by Modern Puritans. You will have to think hard but it is worth the journey.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-the-mortification-of/id1696454280

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQhOf-5DP2eZY4M91_NdlKwI

Title: Can You Trust God? Written and Recorded by Michael Lee

Description: Trusting God is not always easy in the midst of difficulties. We tend to trust in the things that we can see and feel and often succumb to anxiety or despair. My purpose in writing and recording this booklet is to create an ironclad argument for trusting God no matter what the situation.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-an-important-question/id1680420137

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQiHI31v5yt695Yuvc_VSyHA

Title: Cherish Ephesians 6:4 Written and Recorded by Michael Lee

Description: This is the podcast that has the weekly article from the Cherish Ephesians 6:4 ministry.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4/id1658865547

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQj2iqoMVx36VEbpUZEQcyom