You have different types of Christians. Some are truly Christians and others are "Christians." True Christians are the people who really follow God, walking with Him and always trying to learn more about Him. So-called "Christians" are people who just talk and talk about God, but aren't really following their preaching. They'll go on and on about how they think other people should live, but they don't even follow what they're telling that person. Or sometimes, they just say,"Oh, yeah, I believe in God," but they're still living their old life.
My family and I are going through 1 John, and it says a lot about this topic:
If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7)
Wouldn't we be hypocrites if we told someone how they should live, but not live it out ourselves? When people do this kind of thing to me, it gets me a little annoyed. I'm not perfect one bit. I try so hard to follow God, but man, is it hard! Some days I mess up so much, but God is patient and forgiving; He gives me so many chances! And there are those days when maybe we don't want to read the Bible or go to church--God wants to spend time with us! It's such a privilege to know God, to be able to walk with Him, to spend time with Him. Look at what it says in 1 John about God's forgiveness: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). And if we do sin, we should ask for forgiveness (as is says in the verse), but turning from the sin, never coming back to it. Some time ago, I would ask God to forgive me on a certain matter, but I didn't exactly turn from it. I have changed from that (although I still struggle with some aspects of it). It's so crazy to see how I was a year ago, and to see how much I've grown spiritually. I hope to grow even more and gain more wisdom in areas of my life.
Whoever says,"I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. And this is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:4-6) So we should live how Jesus did. Some days might be better than others, and some might be completely horrible. No matter what happens in our life, great or tragedy, we should still praise God through it.
Let us not be the person who talks the talk, but let us be the one who walks the walk.
Until next time!
--Viviana
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