Are You an Effective Christian?

Are You an Effective Christian?

       “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.  For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.” Hebrews 5:12-13 (NLT)

            At times we may question ourselves as to whether we are an effective Christian or not.  There are different ways to be effective and I will list them below.  Then mentally mark those which fit you.

You may be joyful; smiles, helpful and kind

            You may be angry or sharp tongued and withdrawn

 You may witness to others about Jesus

            You may be a person who prays

You may be afraid to tell others about Jesus

            You may have the glow of love about you

You may be the kind people stay away from

            If you have worked with many people, or been in a friendship for a long time and one day someone says to you, “I didn’t know you were a Christian.” That is a very sad statement of your walk with the Lord. On the other side of the coin, you may proclaim to be a Christian, but if you act like the devil, you are a very poor testimony for Jesus.  An old saying says, “If you talk the talk – you better walk the walk”.  This is really true because no matter how holy you talk, how you act is what shows others who you really are in Christ.

     The above scripture says that someone who lives on milk is still a baby; a baby Christian.  This has nothing to do with your age, but a lot to do with your walk with the Lord.  Sadly, there are some Christians who don’t want to do anything; they want the pastor or Bible teacher to spoon feed them the Word of God.  They do not look for the deeper things of God.  They want someone else to do it for them.  This scripture says those kinds of Christians can’t eat solid food (some versions call it ‘meat’).  These babies don’t do anything for the kingdom of God.

     Our character and attitude as a Christian is going to be a testimony to those around us. If we don’t live a Godly example, we are completely in-effective. How many people have you told about Jesus this year?  Have you ever led anyone to the Lord?  Do you study the Bible to understand more about God?

      If you were out with a bunch of friends and they started drinking and telling dirty jokes, would you join in and do what they were doing, or would you not follow their example?  If you do what they do, you will be totally ineffective and a poor example of a Christian.  Maybe you should find some new friends to hang with. 

      One of the most effective things we can do as a Christian is pray.  Prayer Warriors are what God wants us all to be.  One thing I truly believe is that prayer can move the hand of God.  I can personally attest to this by the miracles I have seen happen through prayer. Our prayers are like incense rising up to God.  Revelation 5:8 (TLB) “..golden vials filled with incense—the prayers of God’s people.”

      In these days that we live in, Christians are mocked and looked down on by others, particularly by liberals. It wasn’t always that way.  Christians used to be respected and looked up to when they lived a Godly life. It was their way of living that was effective in changing other lives.  What happened from then until now?   God hasn’t changed, but people’s standard of moral living has changed and is on a downgrade. It is frightening to look into the future and see where this will eventually lead.

     We know that one day Jesus will return and take the Believers home with him to heaven.  Then we will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.   “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”   2 Corinthians 5:10 (NKJV) If we have not been an effective Christian, what can we say about our life? 

      How serious is this?  I can only tell you in Matthew 7:22-23 (NLT), it says this:  “On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.”

     Let’s remember that when we asked Jesus into our heart that was not the end; we also need to follow the things Jesus asked us to do.  All together it means this:  Be an effective Christian!