Why Christians Should Be Careful Holding Everyone to Jesus’ Standards
Christians can’t expect anyone to share their worldview without knowing Jesus. He told us to love our neighbor, and that has to be the case with people in our lives who don’t claim Christianity, too. This isn’t so we can save face and downplay sin, but if the person I’m talking to doesn’t recognize the Bible as important or even valid, then I won’t get far condemning them and pointing to it as the ultimate authority. Instead, it’s on me to reflect Jesus as the person I base my life on, showing them the benefits of salvation and explaining those benefits any time I get the opportunity.
Plainly put, no one will be interested to know why I live the way I do if I’m eager to judge. That’s not an attractive personality trait. What is attractive, though, is the love, joy, hope, and peace that only God can provide. Like Paul says in Philippians 4:7, His peace “surpasses all understanding…”
It’s key for me to keep Jesus’ character in mind, especially when I encounter something or someone I disagree with. He defines himself in Matthew 11:28–30 as “gentle and lowly in heart,” which is the opposite of harsh and mighty, isn’t it? In turn, I can’t be biting and vicious when I see someone living differently from how I think they should. That’s the time to have empathy and compassion.
Jesus displayed both of these a couple of chapters earlier in Matthew 9:36. He was preaching to the crowds and he could tell they were broken, not because they were boastful or brash but because they were hurt at their core by an inequitable society. Matthew specifically wrote that “they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” If someone feels lost and they don’t know the shepherd, it’s my job as a Christian to introduce them.
If you flip to Romans 8:5–8, you’ll see Paul waxing poetic about the incongruity of living for the flesh and living for God, or the Spirit. You can’t do both at once because they’re inherently opposed to each other. He even says, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” It’s key that I recognize whether or not someone cares to do that before I start tossing out scripture because that gets alienating in a hurry. That’s not to say that Bible verses are ineffective — far from it — but God’s Word should never be used as a weapon against people. Instead, it’s meant to be the go-to tool in building a relationship with Him alongside prayer.
Keep reading on to Romans 8:9–11 and you’ll see where Paul talks about Christians not being “in the flesh” but rather “in the Spirit.” Because the Spirit of God dwells in me, I have that love, joy, hope, and peace that can’t be supplied by anything in the physical realm. It’s what we saw in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell in Jesus’ followers, and later on in 2 Timothy 1:6–7, it’s said that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” In turn, I’m empowered by the Spirit to speak in love and with self-control so that others can see God in me.
Social media is a complex place where people bear it all in vulnerability and then pounce in immediate defense. I’m told to “live peaceably with all” so far as it depends on me in Romans 12:18, as I’m not the one to make any sort of final judgment. And let’s be real; I’m not holier than any of my neighbors. If I repeat the idea that we all fall short of the glory of God time and again, I have to believe that about myself, too. When I see someone with a heart of stone that’s clearly troubled, I need to pray that God replaces that with a heart of flesh that’s accepting of care.
What’s more, if I disagree with someone on a moral or ethical problem, I need to compare my views with scripture before I even think about using faith as a justification for my belief. That would nip a lot of problems in the bud and while it can be a humbling process, it’s important. If I claim Jesus as my savior, I need to take a stance that aligns with his rather than modify biblical teachings to fit my worldly ideals. Once I’ve investigated myself, it’s time to come correct with an attitude of love and firmness. Jesus commanded that I do this in John 13:34–35 and said “people will know that you are my disciples” when we love one another.
I pray to never forget that I’m imperfect. My sin isn’t lesser than yours, and I’m not more deserving of Jesus’ grace than anyone who’s ever wronged another, themselves, or God. Jesus put it plainly in John 8:1–7 where he closed by saying “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone” at the woman who had committed adultery. It’s not on us to make that call, as Romans 12:19 — which comes immediately after that verse I quoted about living peaceably with all — explains that vengeance is the Lord’s for those who do injustice and don’t repent.
I want to always reflect him and show his love so that when someone asks how they can experience it, I’m living out the answer I’ll give. That has to come before I rebuke anyone or try to explain how important repentance is. If I genuinely believe that Jesus alone is life-changing and live-giving, then I can’t count on people’s lives to be transformed and renewed without him.
