The Self-Labeled Christian

I just read an article (linked on a Facebook post) titled, "Four Reasons–From A Christian Perspective–Why Kim Davis Is 100% Wrong".

It should have been titled, "Four Reasons–From Someone Who Labels Himself A Christian–Why Kim Davis Is 100% Wrong."

Each one of his four reasons was from a human/worldly perspective and, therefore, were weak. The closest it came to referencing God's word was: "The Bible actually says nothing whatsoever about same-sex marriage." Does any faithful follower of Jesus Christ actually buy that? By that "logic", so many horrible things must be perfectly fine because the Bible "says nothing whatsoever about" them from the author's perspective. He then goes on to do what has become more and more popular among Christians: Talk trash about Christians in general (and usually the church), especially if they differ from him. I should have known better since the subheading of his blog is "Jesus, Politics & Bathroom Humor." That is not a misquote, either. So a Christian finds that bathroom humor is a proper thing to put out there for the world as a part of following after Christ. After all, nowhere in the Bible does it use the phrase "bathroom humor" so it must be okay. And we all know what a political activist Jesus was.

So, down to the matter at hand: The self-labeled Christian. To be clear, this is referring to our habit (or need?) to verbally or in writing give ourselves the label. There are probably some scholars who can tell us when this began. Although I am not able to pin a date on it, we can be reasonable certain it did not occur until "Christian" was no longer a term of derision and it even enjoyed a degree of acceptance outside the ecclesia. But when the label was created, it was done so by others who observed the lives of Christ followers in Antioch and decided they were all acting (or at least trying to act) like Jesus. Looking at Acts 11:26, they were simply called "disciples" (learner/pupil) until it was too obvious whose pupil they were.

Have parts of God's church ignored its Cornerstone so much and for so long that we have created a new and commonly accepted definition and identify of "Christian"? In truth, I have known less than a handful of people who, because of their actions, were labeled "Christians" by those outside the church. It is always my goal to live so that people see Christ in me and call me by that identity. It is also a goal to not take His name in vain as in the article I just read. I would rather be like Peter and John in Acts 4:13 – "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

If you were arrested for being a Christian,

Would there be enough evidence to help convict you?

If they took you in front of a panel of judges,

Could they find a staunch witness to help convict you.

Or would they find somebody who's seen you in the shadows,

But they couldn't repeat all the naked truth they know?

Would the prosecution have the evidence to hang you,

Or would the Master suffer by your show?

If they put you in prison for being a Christian,

Would they have enough evidence to help confine you?

If they gave you a chance to obtain your freedom,

Would you stand your faith or would you deny him?

Would you cop a plea just to save your earthly body,

And let Satan win the soul Jesus bought to save?

Would the prince of darkness win you for his gallows,

Would the Judgement Day see God send you away?

Gary S. Paxton, Evidence, 1977 (hear it here)