Q&A #3:
Why does it seem that so many abide by these thoughts while contained in these walls (church), but once outside this service it is forgotten? People are completely different out side of church…by being rude or inconsiderate. Why?
I think this is the rubber meeting the rode question!!! I echo your question. Why is it that so many christians don’t act like Christians outside church?!?!? The main thing i would say to this person is, be careful to take the log out of your eye before you take a splinter out of someone else’s. We are to be more worried with our own salvation than others. The more we allow Jesus to transmogrify us then it will spread to others around us. Our job is not to judge, our job is to love and serve, as we do that with a pure heart, then Jesus can show up and begin to change the hearts of others.
My heart for this 7 weeks is that God will do such a huge work in all of us that we are the same people in and out of church!!! Then the community will start to change.
Matthew 7:16, “By their fruit you will recognize them…” Why is it always so easy to spot the bad fruit? It never fails I leave service on a “high”, and then get to the foyer or the parking lot and someone steps on my toe, or cuts me off. My first instinct is to yell ” YOU HYPOCRITE, didn’t you hear the message today!” Aren’t we supposed to be not just hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word! Then the Holy Spirit quietly reminds me that by the measure I judge them, so shall I be judged. It really doesn’t matter what is done to me, it is how I respond and the condition of my heart that Christ cares about. I can’t answer for others, but one day we will all stand before the Father and give an account. Pictures in my mind begin to play of all the things I’ve done that probably didn’t look so “Christ-like” but at the time seemed completely justified. Finally, the thought hits me, “just because you stand in a garage, doesn’t mean your a mechanic. People being rude in the hall or parking lot may be at church, but it doesn’t mean they are Christians. I would say, there in the right place physically! As we begin to become so full of God, it will overflow to those around us, and it will transmogrify people to be in the right place spiritually.