Saying You're a Christian vs. Being a Christian

Matthew chapter 7 has always been one of those passages that makes me stop and think. Jesus says that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven. That's a pretty serious statement because it shows there's a difference between saying you're a Christian and actually living as one.

When I read that passage, I don't immediately start thinking about other people. I start thinking about myself.

The truth is, I haven't always been true to my faith. There have been times when I let my temper get the best of me. There have been times when I said things I shouldn't have said, held grudges longer than I should have, or focused more on what I wanted than what God wanted. I'm sure if we're all being honest, most Christians could say the same thing.

What I've learned over the years is that being a Christian isn't about pretending to be perfect. If perfection were the requirement, none of us would make it. Christianity is about recognizing that we're sinners who need Jesus and then allowing Him to change us little by little throughout our lives.

That's where I find myself today. I know I'm not where I should be yet, but I also know I'm not where I used to be. Every day I'm trying to become a little more like Christ. Some days I do better than others. Some days I fail miserably and have to ask for forgiveness. But the important thing is that I'm still moving forward.

As I've gotten older, I've found myself caring less about winning arguments and more about growing in my relationship with God. That's not to say I don't have convictions—I certainly do—but I've learned that spiritual growth is more important than always having the last word.

Matthew 7 talks about knowing people by their fruit. To me, that means our faith should show up in the way we live. It should affect how we treat our families, how we treat strangers, how we handle criticism, and how we respond when life doesn't go our way. Nobody gets that right all the time, but there should be evidence that Christ is working in us.

I don't want to be someone who simply says I'm a Christian. Lots of people can say the words. I want my life to reflect what I claim to believe. Will I always succeed? No. I'll still make mistakes. I'll still need God's grace tomorrow just as much as I need it today.

But my goal is simple: to wake up each day and try to be a little more like Jesus than I was the day before. That's not about earning salvation. That's about loving the One who saved me and wanting my life to honor Him.

I'm a work in progress, and I probably always will be. But by God's grace, He's still working on me, and I'm thankful for that.

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