Our Christian Job

If you are a Christian you may be wondering Why Should I Bother? Matthew 28 makes it clear our primary job is to make disciples, but seems like no one wants to hear. That's ok. Their response is not our concern--loving as Christ loves them is.

Whether agnostic, Muslim, Jewish, abortionist, atheist, LGBT or any person who has not yet understood salvation in Christ, we are to see them in love, not hate, not as less than we are, not as unlovable. We are to be Christ to them. That's why we question our hearts before approaching any unbeliever.

Be interested in them. Don't just pretend to be interested. Listen and begin to understand. That doesn't mean that we fall into the trap of approving their lifestyles or actions, so be careful; stay in the word of God and prayer every day.

I have friends and relations who have fallen into the trap of believing that God is just love, love, love, and whatever people do, it doesn't make a difference to him. They believe that no matter what the sin, whether simple lies or abortion and homosexuality, adultery, or even gossip, God just chuckles and keeps on loving, accepting and even approving.

God does keep loving, but he does not accept sin with a wink. He is a God of justice who will punish disobedience and will not allow sin to thrive. If he did, then Jesus died on the cross for nothing. Jesus gave up his life as payment for all those sins that we think God just overlooks or even approves.

God is love, but God is also just, and he will not accept unrepentant sin. All are sinners, both unbelievers and Christians. The difference is understanding that we are sinners, repenting of that sin, believing in Jesus Christ as our only way to God, and seeking to imitate Christ in all we do. Unrepentant sin is the eternal killer of the soul. That is why we reach out to those who don't understand.

To get back to the point of how we share these truths. Always we must check our hearts, for if we cannot feel compassion for the unbeliever, then we cannot show them the love of Christ; we cannot be open without being judgmental; we cannot lie well enough to convince them that we care.

So be Christ to the unsaved. Read the Gospels to see how Jesus treated the unbeliever. You will find that his anger was reserved for the religious leaders who rebelled by refusing to obey the truth they had studied so hard. They could not give up their own power to the Son of God. Jesus, however, showed great compassion (not approval) to the lost. That is what we are to do. Condemnation merely drives the unbeliever deeper into unbelief. Plant the seed. Don't be discouraged if you don't get to watch it grow.