Christian - Get off Your High Horse (This Includes Me.)
Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2011
by Teresa Ortiz
Freelance writer/Speaker
I will never forget a conversation I overheard while in a department store when I was a new Christian. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that it made me angry. For one, their arrogance in the matter was enough to make me throw up, and for another, it made me feel unworthy to be a Christian. Particularly because they were trash talking people who were just like me; or at least how I was not too long before I happened across this conversation. Do not misunderstand, I am not excusing sin in anyway, but their attitudes were less than Christ-like and they spoke so loudly, it was as if they wanted everyone to know this was NOT who they were and that they are so thankful they are Christians. Still new in faith, my thoughts were – well la-dee-da for you – I hope I never come off as arrogant as you now that I am a Christian.
That was over 23 years ago, and while I admit to being passionate about my new found faith and wanted to convert the devil himself, I always kept my attitude in check about coming off self-righteous and arrogant. (Sometimes I failed, and when I did/do, I was/am quick to apologize when it was/is brought to my attention.) What comes to mind at this moment is the warning from the Apostle Peter on being careful not to forget we have been cleansed from sin.
To this day, I run across Christians who have strong issues with me because I have some great friends who are not Christians and they do things that the Bible says they should not do.
I take my stand as I see it scripturally, and respond something like this – Perhaps, you can relate and/or maybe even be encouraged. Still others may completely disagree with me and tell me I am a compromising Christian. With all due respect and humility, I am okay with it – it won’t be the first time, and most certainly won't be the last. My aim here is not to defend my own conscience but to shed some light on what the Bible has to say to those of faith in how they respond to those outside of the Christian Faith. Your input is welcomed.
"I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet, I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world. Or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolater, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?” 1 Corinthians 5:9-12
Before moving forward, I would like to clarify the biblical definition of a Christian – lest there is any room for confusion. According to the word of God, a Christian is a person who has fully surrendered their life to Christ. He or she has recognized their need for a Savior and has repented of their sin and has genuinely become a new person. There is evidence of true conversion by changes in their character and behavior. This is not to say they are perfect, but there is definite change. Just because a person claims to be a Christian does not make them one; their lack of desire to know the things of God, or desire to please Him is witness to this fact.
Later in the book of 1 Corinthians we read these words from Paul:
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more; and to the Jews I became a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law to ward Christ ), that I might win those without the law; to the weak, I have became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” 1 Corinthian 9:19-23
In my opinion, these two passages fit nicely together to accomplish a balanced faith; on one hand, we are to admonish our brothers in sisters in Christ when they are in sin – to bring them back to fellowship with God; on the other hand, we are to be gentle to those outside of the faith by being an example of what it means to have a relationship with God – to meet them right were they are instead of demanding that they live a certain way before we will have anything to do with them.
Paul is not saying that he literally does what “they do” but that he puts himself in their place – why do they do the things they do? What has happened in their life that has taken them to such and such a place, and perhaps most importantly, he probably is quick to remember his choices in life prior to his surrender to the call of God on his life.
I believe we Christians have it wrong more often than not – we give grace to the Christian and judgment to the non-Christian when biblically, we are to give judgment to the Christian and grace to the non-Christian. Yet in our rightful judgment, we are to exercise grace and humility, knowing that we ourselves are far from perfection.
So why are we easily offended when it comes to the behavior of others? Why cringe or roll our eyes at the slightest hint of ungodliness? This is not becoming all things to others. I am not saying participate in sin, I am not saying approve – but I am saying we need to have the heart of Christ that responds with a desire for them to know so much more about the love and holiness of God. But if all they see is our self-righteous behavior, how will any door be open to share the good news of Jesus Christ?
We as believers have the ability and responsibility to live in this world without compromising our faith and convictions in any way and still be a friend to those outside of the faith. God tells us not to love the earthly philosophies of life, but He never told us not to love or connect with the people of the world. After all, it wasn’t the stuffy Christians who had no time for me that drew me, it was the ones who accepted me just as I was – bad mouth, bad behavior, and all. In their silent acceptance and honesty I was drawn – to the point that I changed my behavior in their presence out of respect for what they stood for – and eventually I fell to my knees to stand for the same thing.
I leave us with one final admonishment:
“As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which we have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you ay be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:3-9
Remember, it's not a person's outward behavior that will earn them salvation, it is a changed heart that recognizes their need for a Savior.
Zero compromise plus zero arrogance equal salt and light.
© Teresa Ortiz
To this day, I run across Christians who have strong issues with me because I have some great friends who are not Christians and they do things that the Bible says they should not do.
“Still new in faith, my thoughts were – well la-dee-da for you – I hope I never come off as arrogant as you now that I am a Christian.”
"I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet, I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world. Or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolater, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?” 1 Corinthians 5:9-12
Before moving forward, I would like to clarify the biblical definition of a Christian – lest there is any room for confusion. According to the word of God, a Christian is a person who has fully surrendered their life to Christ. He or she has recognized their need for a Savior and has repented of their sin and has genuinely become a new person. There is evidence of true conversion by changes in their character and behavior. This is not to say they are perfect, but there is definite change. Just because a person claims to be a Christian does not make them one; their lack of desire to know the things of God, or desire to please Him is witness to this fact.
Later in the book of 1 Corinthians we read these words from Paul:
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more; and to the Jews I became a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law to ward Christ ), that I might win those without the law; to the weak, I have became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” 1 Corinthian 9:19-23
In my opinion, these two passages fit nicely together to accomplish a balanced faith; on one hand, we are to admonish our brothers in sisters in Christ when they are in sin – to bring them back to fellowship with God; on the other hand, we are to be gentle to those outside of the faith by being an example of what it means to have a relationship with God – to meet them right were they are instead of demanding that they live a certain way before we will have anything to do with them.
Paul is not saying that he literally does what “they do” but that he puts himself in their place – why do they do the things they do? What has happened in their life that has taken them to such and such a place, and perhaps most importantly, he probably is quick to remember his choices in life prior to his surrender to the call of God on his life.
I believe we Christians have it wrong more often than not – we give grace to the Christian and judgment to the non-Christian when biblically, we are to give judgment to the Christian and grace to the non-Christian. Yet in our rightful judgment, we are to exercise grace and humility, knowing that we ourselves are far from perfection.
So why are we easily offended when it comes to the behavior of others? Why cringe or roll our eyes at the slightest hint of ungodliness? This is not becoming all things to others. I am not saying participate in sin, I am not saying approve – but I am saying we need to have the heart of Christ that responds with a desire for them to know so much more about the love and holiness of God. But if all they see is our self-righteous behavior, how will any door be open to share the good news of Jesus Christ?
We as believers have the ability and responsibility to live in this world without compromising our faith and convictions in any way and still be a friend to those outside of the faith. God tells us not to love the earthly philosophies of life, but He never told us not to love or connect with the people of the world. After all, it wasn’t the stuffy Christians who had no time for me that drew me, it was the ones who accepted me just as I was – bad mouth, bad behavior, and all. In their silent acceptance and honesty I was drawn – to the point that I changed my behavior in their presence out of respect for what they stood for – and eventually I fell to my knees to stand for the same thing.
I leave us with one final admonishment:
“As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which we have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you ay be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:3-9
Remember, it's not a person's outward behavior that will earn them salvation, it is a changed heart that recognizes their need for a Savior.
Zero compromise plus zero arrogance equal salt and light.
© Teresa Ortiz
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)Teresa, this is an amazing article and I thank you for writing it. I get so tired of Christians telling me, "Judge not that ye be not judged." I keep telling them that we are not to judge the unbeliever; that is God's job. But it is our job and our responsibility to judge those inside the church, not to condemn them but to admonish them and make them accountable to their faith, as we should also be held accountable for how we act as Christians.
I used to be criticized in high school by a preacher's kid (I was a deacon's kid; those two never get along) that I was compromising my faith because the kids did not make fun of me, but they always ridiculed him, yet I was always able to share my faith with others when they wouldn't listen to what he had to say. I found that same thing in my places of work. It made me want to share my faith more, knowing that people took seriously what I had to share. The key was not to give them the 'holier than thou' attitude.
Teresa, thank your for an encouraging article. I may be able to spin a rhyme and maybe teach a lesson in the process, but I'll never be able to write like you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Hi David, thank you for sharing your experience, it's sad the arrogance that is in the church, granted you guys were kids, and hopefully the preacher's kid learned humility along the way, but we see this in adults who profess to be mature Christians. Although we are human and will fail to be Christ-like 100% of the time, there is a big difference between being genuine and having that Holier than thou attitude that is worn on many shoulders. It's no wonder Jesus spent so much time admonishing the "religious". I appreciate your kind words. I had written this piece about a year ago, but just revamped it and posted here, because unfortunately, there are some Christians on SW who have been just as guilty at bashing as some non Christians. God help us and forgive us! Thanks again for taking the time to comment and share your encouraging story.
Amen sister. I have recently become a Christian. Thats not to say I just started going to church. I have found the holy spirirt and truly believe these day's. I loved this article. I am lucky to have found a good church without judges and high horse Christians. It takes all kinds of us to reach out to one's like us. My family is widely diverse my dad has a pretty strong relationship with God but he has only been there for 5 years or so. My mom is trying to get there she has strong beliefs but hasn't fully embraced a church I think because of Christians with there nose in the air. I have a brother who claims he believes in God but also beleives in other God's. That one kill's me, I've tried to explain to him that you can't beleive God is the one true God and believe there are other God's. Whatever he's young I just hope he figure's it out. My point is I try to set an example and not be so high and mighty that it's a turn off to listen to me speak about my relationship with God Jesus and The Holy Spirit. It took me 30 yrs. of doing stupid thing's to figure out I was on the wrong road. I hope I have 60 more yrs. to spread the word of Christ. Jesus is Lord, it's simple but so hard for us to get sometimes. Thank you Teresa for being a voice for us Baby Christians. Thats a term my Pastor used to describe where I am.Hello Chad. Blessings to you! Thank you for sharing a bit of your testimony. I am so happy to hear this helped to encourage you. You are so right; It's simple, but so hard. That's because God's ways are not our ways, and when we truly surrender our hearts and minds to him, our ideas and actions are challenged, but so worth it doing it God's way. I will be praying for you and your family. That walk between going to church or being raised in church to having a real and active relationship with God through Jesus Christ is tough and sometimes long, but we have this promise from God's word: He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete until the day of Jesus Christ." AH! We can rest in this no matter how things look a long the way. It's not ours to know what God is doing in the hearts of men, this is why making final judgments about others is mean and more importantly, unbiblical. Keep seeking, keep growing, you won't stay a baby for long! Thanks again for sharing. Teresa
Hi Teresa! This is an 'read worthy' article.
I remember a Bible verse in Luke 12:48, "But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
It's very simple & clear, 'more punishment for Christians & less for the non-Christians.'
As representatives of Christ we need to treat both in the same manner but in love.
If I don't mix with a person who is in sin then how can I rescue him? That's what Jesus did for me & you when we were in deep pit of sin. Isn't it? So why not we as HIS representatives do the same. After all "...love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8...
If we have Christ-like love then we can 'judge-less & talk-less' but can cover up 'his', 'her', 'their' sins...
God bless sis & thanks for writing and reminding...
Regards...Hi Chiradeep! Thanks for the comment. We must remember so that we remain humble. Blessings! Teresa
Thank you for your positive and encouraging outlook. Great articleHi there! Sorry it took so long for me to reply. I have been away for awhile! Lots of company for the past month. I'm glad you found this a positive message. Blessings to you! Teresa
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