One of the things that has been a burden to me as a believer in the USA is the lack of moral character of the church. In a study done by George Gallup, he noted there was virtually no difference in morality between Christians and the rest of the population. This should be alarming to those who claim Christ!
Jesus has called us to be holy, set apart, and different. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven.” Basically put, our life needs to be different, and if it is, it will draw people to Jesus.
One of the early church fathers named Basil the Great, really showed a great example of this type of living. Here is a snippet about his life:
Among the holy Fathers who opposed the unjust rich who relied on material wealth and scorned or were indifferent to the injustice and the hunger that prevailed in society was Basil the Great. It should be noted that Basil had spoken out about the scorching issues of his time, after first having set an example himself. He had distributed the immense wealth that he possessed and then became priest and bishop of Caesaria of Cappadocia. Thus, he was not merely speaking theoretically, from the confines of an office. He firstly practiced and then taught. His word was like thunder, because his life previously was like lightning.
“His words were like thunder because his life was like lightning.” What an incredible testimony! You see Jesus Christ changes lives. Everything about his life, the way he lived, his sacrificial death, and his glorious resurrection help draw people to himself. The Son of God loves us and proved it on the cross because he wanted to forgive our sins and give us new life in him. He wants all people to know his love and grace, and he wants to use Christians to do that. Do you know the love of Jesus in your life? If so, is it changing who you are? Does anyone else know that Christ has changed your life based on how you live?
Jason Allen
First Baptist Central
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