My heart sank as I heard again the week the quote by Mahatma Gandhi, “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian.”
How sad. As a follower of Christ, I can only imagine the heartache of standing before God some day in the future and seeing people point to Christians as to why they rejected Jesus Christ. Eternally condemned because in their own voice, they rejected Christ because of Christians.
Here is the ultimate questions through for us who say we follow Christ: Did Gandhi have a point? Are there people in your life who also could say, “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian?” I begin by asking myself the same question.
Gandhi Rejected the Christian’s Segregation
As the story is told, Gandhi, who was a practicing Hindu, found Jesus intriguing. He read the Gospels and wanted to know more about Christ. On a Sunday morning he stopped by a Christian church in Calcutta where he was turned away. Since he was not part of the high-caste Indians nor a white person, he was turned away at the door of the church. Unwelcomed. This incidence formed the basis for his quote, “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian.”
Not the Way It Is Supposed to Be
Consider Jesus…
Jesus never mixed words related to how a Christian is to live. In every instance, He lived perfectly. He always did His Father’s will – perfect obedience, perfect worship, and perfect love. He challenged His followers to do the same. Notice these key verses:
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
29 “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29)
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and great commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
This sampling of verses consistently runs the length of the Gospels. In every instance, Jesus expected His followers to live as He, to love as He, and to represent God’s will as He.
Consider His Disciples…
We look no further than Jesus’ disciples to recognize that living a perfect life is impossible. But, then again, that is why Jesus came. He came to rescue humanity from its imperfections. He came to save us because we were exactly that – imperfect. Once saved, the follower of Christ should strive to live as close to Jesus’ life, example, and teaching as possible. The Bible helps us understand what this kind of lifestyle looks like in daily living.
Any Christ-follower could say, “But it is not easy.” That may be the understatement of the day.
Correct, no doubt the Christian life comes with many difficulties. Any person who says otherwise is a fake. John the Apostle wrote that anyone who claims they are not a sinner or says they do not sin is a liar (1 John 1: 8-10). We all regularly sin and struggle. The Apostle Paul described the struggle of living consistently for Jesus as well (Rom 7).
Make a Daily Effort to Live for Jesus
The Apostle Peter also helps us see the big picture of how we are supposed to live. After exhorting us to be like God in our daily living (1 Pet 1:13-16), Peter describes what should be the end result of our faith in Christ.
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Pet 2:11-12)
Read those words carefully. Peter admonishes us to live for Christ in such a way that it would actually draw people to Christ. This is the exact opposite of what happened to Gandhi. Furthermore, this is the exact opposite of what happens so many times to people who are watching us as well. Later in his book, Peter writes, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (1 Pet 4:3). Instead, now we are to live for the will of God (1 Pet 4:1-6).
As I consider my own challenge today, I remember the words of the Old Testament prophet:
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
May we seek to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God today. Heaven forbid that we would give any other person an excuse to say, “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian.”
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
