Misconceptions of the Christian!!

[Zoss]

There is a huge misconception and judgement that people, including the media, music, books, and Christians themselves, make about Christianity and Christians. There is this attitude towards Christians where people think we are happy go lucky people who see only happiness and love and sing songs like “a friend I have in Jesus”. People think that Christians are just these naïve, innocent beings who walk around the world oblivious to the hurt and the pain and the torment that this broken world delivers. This is so untrue. Some Christians have had these great lives, growing up in the church and living as these innocent and good Christians their whole life, but that is such a small percentage of the Christian population. So many of us have been through such deep and painful grief, loss, trial, change, heartbreak, and regret. We haven’t all been perfect, and this is WHY we need Jesus, and why we seek him. And here is where another common misconception comes into play; there is this idea that we accept Jesus into our lives and suddenly we are all future-focussed, and happy and we are happy because we know we’re going to heaven and we return to a state of oblivion and naivety. This is SO wrong. As Christians we look back on our mistakes and we see them, and we regret them and we FEEL regret and we FEEL remorse and we FEEL shame. We face decisions and temptation every single day. People often think of Christians as these conservative, uncreative people who do everything in a G-rated way and think expression is wrong. I know that for myself, as a Christian, I want, and I feel Jesus wants me to, make my life into art; to create and express whether it be through poetry or art or stories or music. To express love, and pain, and hope, and fear, and regret, and confusion. I am not afraid to push the boundaries and find out more about who we are as people, and I am intrigued by the nature of humans and this earth we were so graciously given. God does not want us to sit here and accept everything he has told us without questioning it; we were made to ASK the tricky questions and allow God to navigate us through life in order to find the answers. The life of a Christian is not an easy of comfortable one, and it sure isn’t a boring one. It is a beautiful one and an artful and emotional one, full of self-expression and love and hope, and I could not be more thankful for the God I have and for Jesus Christ my Saviour.

I hope this speaks to someone and helps you to feel more secure in the free and creative being our Lord created you to be! God Bless x

 

[rag4aCrown]

Greetings in the Lord Jesus;

Christians is a man made word in the New Testament. It simply means "followers of Christ". Amen.
It is used 3 times; Christian once, and Christians twice.
I believe this word is inspiration of God; by Christ's followers.
However, Is anyone following Him?
I believe this is where the misconception lay.
To follow HIM, as in 1 Peter 2:21, means to follow in HIS steps. Jesus is our (living) example, in which, we as believers, are to follow.
And, the Word clearly states; He suffered for us, and if we follow Him; we best arm ourselves likewise, for we shall suffer for His names sake. Amen.
No one wants to suffer, not for themselves and not FOR HIM.
We want the best of both world's but we do not want to have to do anything to accomplish His complete grace.
We suffer ourselves (verily), working hard to make money so we can enjoy the finer side of life (here); but work to have the finer of life (there)?
The Word tells us if we desire the blessings of this world, its treasures and clothes and food; He will give us our hearts desires; but, we have received our reward.
Now, if we desire our rewards that He has built for us in heaven; we will lay this world down and pick up our cross and follow HIM. Amen.
We will suffer in this world, be judged, condemned, afflicted, persecuted, slain for His names sake.
Jesus tells us "they will do these things to you; but know they did it to me first. They hated me without a cause."
It is a blessing when we suffer for His names sake. As the Word says; He counts me worthy to suffer for His names sake.
If we are not suffering IN Him, For Him; we may want to check ourselves and look in the mirror at self.
God cleans His house, made without hands, a vessel meet to be used by the Father; then sends His cleansed vessel into "the house made with hands" to stand IN faith WITH God, and God uses that vessel to reprove the spirits. Does the potter not have control over the clay?
The "fruits of the spirits" comes forth; what lives in our hearts is clearly made aware. There is nothing hidden, that shall not be revealed. Amen.
We are either found ALIVE (righteous) IN HIM or DEAD (unrighteous) IN HIM.
They are many self transformed Christians sitting on the pews; Self can not transform self; nor can self teach self to Love as God Loves.
We had better be willing to go through some things, believing, having faith in God, and watch as God works.
We look through a glass darkly and then face to face. Amen. God shows us self; self has to be willing to REPENT of self, point the finger at self, and God cleanses and purges self, replacing self with His Spirit. Amen.

All praise, honor, and glory be to God. Amen.