What Does It Mean To “Live Out Your Christianity”?
I am often asked what it means to live out our Christian lives, and discover that most people don’t know what it really means. The typical response from most Christians would be to serve God and avoid sin, but follow me before you come to that conclusion.
While avoiding sin and having good outwardly works are almost always a wonderful side-effect of being a new creation, I honestly don’t think that’s what it fully means to really live out our new identity.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were really good at avoiding external sin and doing all kinds of serving and outward religious stuff. But they weren’t living out a Christian life, were they? In fact, they were the exact opposite. They were called whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). They looked clean on the outside but inside they were dead.
Heck, I know plenty of atheists who outwardly are nice and honestly don’t commit that many sins. At least no more than a typical Christian.
So if the Pharisees and atheists are outwardly good and aren’t outwardly sinning any more than us, that can’t possibly be what it means to live out the Christian life.
So how do we live the Christian life and our new identity? I believe it’s with a bold acknowledgment that Jesus’s blood is what made us right with God. That Jesus is the only thing that paid for our sins. That nothing we outwardly do or don’t do makes us right with God.
Living out our Christianity is a total acknowledgment of who Jesus is for us. It’s surrendering our rights to somehow earn salvation or righteousness through our own effort. It’s totally trusting in Christ as our everything.
You won’t find a single atheist or Pharisee that ever did that.
Take away: Even those that reject Jesus can look clean on the outside (whitewashed tombs), but it’s what’s on the inside that matters. If you want to live out your identity, acknowledge that Jesus made you right with God…..not your behavior.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
2 Comments
I wholeheartedly agree that Christianity is also about the inward change and expression of our Christian faith. But this is not instead of the conscious avoidance of sinful life including its outward expression).. The following scriptures provide impactful relevance on the subject: under discussion.
A.
Our assurance that, if we are in Christ Jesus, we are not subject to condemnation.
Romans 8:1 (NIV)
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,“
B. Individual responsibility with regard to sin:
Romans 6:11
“ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
C. Who are those in who are in Jesus Christ?
Galatians 5:24 (NIV)
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
D. Our individual responsibility with regard to sin v salvation:
Philippians 2:12 (NIV)
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,”
How we view the inward and outward expression of our Christianity and whether we give total value to and adhere with one or both is predicated on whether or not we follow Christ’s example as expressed, among others, in Hebrew 12:1-2
Hebrews 12:1-2
“ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
For those who see themselves as among those created for the eternal glory of The Almighty God (Isaiah 43:7), there is no choice but to:
1. To count oneself dead to sin and alive in Jesus Christ to The Almighty God.
2. Crucify the flesh and its passions and desires.
3. Who work out their salvation (including when they are by themselves) with fear for and trembling before God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit.
4. To run the race of salvation with the grace of Jesus Christ our LORD with perseverance fixing our eyes on Jesus and enduring our cross for the joy of eternal life that is before us.
Any time we sin, you do it consciously and knowingly.
Regarding crucifying the flesh. This is a one time at that happens at the moment we trust in Christ. After that, the old you is buried with Christ and the new is here. We are not being called to kill ourselves (crucify the flesh) over and over day by day.
I think you’re misunderstanding what it means to “work out” our salvation. The context isn’t “work for”, but rather is calling us to “work out” what has already been “worked in”, namely Jesus.
You may be misunderstanding the ‘fear’ verse. We know that there is no fear in love, because fear has to do with punishment, and the one who fears is not perfect in love. This type of fear being described, has nothing to do with being afraid of some type of reaction from God. It’s more of an all knowing that God lives within us. It’s simply utterly amazing.
You’ve also completely missed the context of Paul’s letter about running the race. You’re describing enduring across as a daily ongoing event.. Jesus carried his cross one time. And then he died and was resurrected. He’s not running around with a cross on his back anymore, nor should we be..