Welcome to the
Crestview Church of Christ
Marshall, Texas
Have Faith to Be Yourself!
Have Faith to Be Yourself
I want you to think about the idea of being a Christian”. How do we know we are “being Christian” in our lives? Do you think it is putting up a front and acting like what you assume others think a “Christian”should be? Is it just saying and doing the things that others expect a “Christian” to say and do and pretending to be something that you know deep down you are not? Do you think: “I can't wait to get out of these church clothes and just be myself!” Is that really being Christian”?
Let’s think about it...
Gen.1:26 - Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...”
If I showed you the likeness of a horse, what would it look like? That’s right! It would look like a horse! If I sat down and drew a likeness of you in my artpad, then showed it to someone; who would they say it looked like? That’s right, again! They would say it looked like you.
Gen.1:27 - And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
If God created all of us in His image and likeness, what should others see when they look at us and our behavior toward them? Right, again! The likeness of God’s loving nature. That is the true you. The way you were created down to the center of your being is to reflect the likeness of God to all creation. The entire purpose of Christianity is God's desire that we should once again be ourselves, uncorrupted by sin and pride.
Putting on “church clothes” and acting the part of what you think a Christian should be is make-believe! There are far too many “make-believe” Christians!
Do not pretend to be something you are not. That's called lying!
Do not act like something you are not. That's called hypocrisy!
Our purpose as Christians is to show the true likeness of God in all our words and actions. God does not lie, so Christians do not lie. God is compassionate and merciful, so Christians are compassionate and merciful. God is forgiving, so Christians are forgiving.
We, as Christians, strive daily to throw off the corrupted self of pride and selfishness and hatefulness and apathy and worry and, through God’s power, become our true selves. The person God created who will show God's likeness and image in their own unique and personal way is what God desires from us. He created us, so who better to know how we should be! Be willing to trust God's Word and do all that He instructs us to do. He is showing us how to throw off the corrupted self of pride and sin and live out our true selves in meekness and mercy.
Have the courage to follow God’s Word and be truly Christian, then...
Have the trust to put all of your life in the hands of your Creator, then...
Have the faith to truly be yourself as He created you to be, then...
Heaven will look down and see God's likeness on earth, a Spirit that is loving, forgiving, compassionate, humble, merciful, and awaiting for God's Son to come and bring us back home to our Father. The Father Who created us to look just like Him!
Follow God's Word and strive to be yourself! &n