I've seen a fair number of good Christians with poor attitudes, and those attitudes prevent God from working good through them. An attitude, after all is a state of mind and therefore a collection of thoughts, and of course, any human would get these thoughts because we are imperfect, but when does harboring a bad attitude become sin? To oversimplify things, does thinking "murder" equate to sin because God sees our hearts?
I've always felt that the line where sin begins is when the attitude began affecting the action. But inevitably, your thoughts will affect your actions even when you don't know it, right?
Have any of you out there ever struggled with this?
He has presented me the following revelation: His forgiveness is for the imperfect. Yeah, it's not really new. But if the world (meaning those who aren't Christian) sees Christians as perfect, they will more likely say "I can't live up to that" and be turned away from Christianity because they don't even get a taste of God's forgiveness.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that God's forgiveness is a reason not to strive for a Christ-like attitude, but I am saying that imperfection is no reason to hide the fact that I'm a Christian.
It is more important to show others Christ than it is to hide what you believe in at the risk of being imperfect.
First impressions are important... at least that's what everyone says. I have (mostly) refused to display a Christian symbol on my car for fear that I would make some driving maneuver that would be considered rude and therefore jade someone's opinion of Christianity.
But we're supposed to be the "salt and light" of the word... a "peculiar people," and of course not "conformed to this world." So that means that I should be an example. Do I proudly display my Christian belief? Yes. But do I do so in spite of my actions which (not purposely) may not reflect Christ? I suppose the question is really whether or not it's OK to show that Christians are imperfect. Will my imperfect actions turn someone's opinion away from Chrisitanity rather than lead someone to Christ, or I am just splitting hairs?
Is it possible to be an example for Christ when my actions may not show him? I mean, I'm human. Sooner or later I'll mess up, but if I declare my faith publicly, do I trust God to fill in the gaps when I mess up, or do I not broadcast that I'm a Christian?
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