I am reading "Authentic Christianity" by Ray C. Stedman. Still at Chapter two, but my, there's just so much insight within.
Just to jot some thoughts down. When we glaze our lives as Christians with that superficiality and dishonesty, this glaze is the first thing to crack and crumble when life becomes irritating, difficult, or threatening. There are 5 unmistakable traits of authentic Christianity, here it goes:
1. Unquenchable optimism
In a spirit of thankfulness, even amid trial and difficulty, authenticity operates by a belief in God's grace, love, and ultimate control which one can see from the book of Acts. It is a far cry from hypocrisy and not about proclaiming, "Hallelujah, I've got cancer!"
It is grounded in reality in which hurt and pain is still felt.But it functions with a hope that in the end, it will bring all the happiness that is worth all much of heartache. The same God will bring the trials and the joys and therefore, we ought to be thankful in midest of sorrows, disppointments, and perplexity as well. And of course, Paul and Silas is a good example of how they literally sing songs of praise to God, even without any premonition that en earthquake is going to jar their chains loose and set them free in the city jail of Philippi. The heart of thanksgiving must be spiced up by a hope that is resting secured on His promises.
2. Unvarying success
A Christian life presents a pattern of unvarying success. It never involves failure but invariably achieves its goals. It involves unquestionably, struggle and hardships and tears. But our triumph is always assured. There is complete achievement even if there is opposition in the end.
The living letters of Paul were words written by a man who bore on his body the wounds of a servant of Jesus, one who found liverty even in captivity. He had endured much difficulty, endless disappointments, and bitter persecution with great pain. Yet he could write with rugged truthfulness that Jesus always leads us in triumph. always in that 'triumphal procession'.
The invariable mark is that there is never a failure. Our will, our dreams, our goals, our desires may be thwarted--but God's will and plan? He can even weave our seeming failures into His overall design for ultimate triumph. Every obstacle becomes an opportunity. Success is inevitable. While the strategem of Satan turns our lives upside down, the strategies of God are so powerful, compared with human plans and strategies, that He is able to turn man's most vicious opposition and turn it to His own advantage.
3. Unforgettable impact
God tells us that our lives should be spent giving off a fragrance, a perfume, a pleasing bouquet--not only to other people, but to God. Enlarging on this thought, Paul adds: "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).
There is something about authentic Christianity that leaves an unforgettable impression when it is encountered. No one ever came into contact with him and went away the same.
Authentic Christianity leaves a wisp of lingering fragrance to God of Jesus Christ. Phony Christianity is just a bad smell! "Old fishermen never die--they only smell that way." The same can be said for false Christianity. It never dies; it only stinks that way.
4.Unimpeachable integrity
2 Corinthians 2:14: "Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God."We cringe at the idea of 'selling the gospel", we must not using selling points like 'healing' to sell Christianity. We need to be convinced of what we have wholesomely believed in and 'peddle' not for our own personal gains but for His ultimate kingdom.
Sincerity, purpose, being transparent and taking on the authority of God add up to unimpeachable integrity. People of sincerity, purpose, transparency, and authority are trustworthy. Go ring a gold coin on their conscience, for they can be counted on to live through the trenches of everyday life.
5. Undeniable reality
Paul says to the church in Corinth, "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).
In effect, he is saying, "You want letters of recommendation to prove I have authority as a messenger of God? Why, you yourselves are all the recommendation I need! Most truthfully, when we had been washed, sanctified, and justified by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are the walking, living proofs of changes and reality. There is no spiritual reality, no eternity when we have never encountered Him personally. All intellect and theological espuosals pale in comparision to one's personal meeting with Jesus.
Mere religion tries to imitate these marks, but is never quite able to pull it off. Phony Christianity pales and is a shoddy imitation that quickly folds when the real pressure slaps in. It is not being a Christian that generates Christian graces, but living as one. God has backed up His love by all these actions. There is a knowledge we must have and a choice we must make before these virtues will be consistently present. Let us not be religious frauds and refusing to experience the real thing. We must have a fresh grip on authentic Christianity today so that we can attract both God and people like flies are enticed by honey.
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