Short
One of the most common objections to Christianity that I hear goes something like this: “You are all a bunch of hypocritical people. You are supposed to be happy and perfect.” I don’t blame them for this statement. I kind of think that as Christians we have done a horrible job of explaining that perfection and happiness isn’t the goal.
It doesn’t help that they probably don’t read the Bible. All you really need to refute this argument is a Bible. You don’t really need any particular verse. Just show them how many pages the Bible has and then ask them this, “If belief in Christ was all you needed for happiness and perfection, don’t you think this would be a shorter book?”
Honestly if it were that simple then all of the stories in the Old Testament would sound like this, “God found favor with _______ and he/she lived happily ever after.” And the New Testament stories would sound like this, “_______ trusted in Christ and lived happily ever after.” Christians know this is not the case.
David paid for his sins long after he started fully following God and Peter denied Christ three times the night that Christ was crucified (and was later crucified himself). These men were not perfect and had terrible things happen to them that certainly didn’t make them happy. Interestingly enough you cannot find a place in the Bible where it guarantees happiness or perfection. In fact the Christian life is described as difficult and hard.
We should work hard to tell others that Christianity isn’t about perfection or happiness. Christianity is about a relationship with Christ who died for our sins.
And what ever you do: DO NOT use this phrase: “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” I throw-up in my mouth a little every time I hear it. (And puppies die when you say it…just kidding…maybe.)
I don't know about puppies dying when that phrase is uttered, but God probably kills a kitten.
hahahaha
word.
we are bad a relationships, to God, with each other and as examples.
maybe that;s just another way to say we are not perfect
My recent post Caption Please
All of this sounds so cliche… not because it's inaccurate but because we fail to put it into practice. After all, a cliche is just a statement that's been repeated over and over again without any action to back it up.
Good reminder, man.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Good post, well written.
Question: the content of your post is this: Christianity is not about "happiness and perfection" but about a relationship. You follow this thought up with examples of people in the bible who fell short but never out (David and Peter).
I've never used the phrase, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven" but I am curious why you end your post by loathing that phrase when that very phrase at least skimms along the point of your post?
My recent post My Reader To You: 02.03.10
I hate that phrase because its cliche and it makes our faith sound like a genie in a lamp. "Did you screw up today? Well..just rub this magic lamp and POOF all better…now come back when you mess up again." It simply doesn't communicate the reciprocal commitment and sacrifice that we choose to make when we follow Christ.
(Although I do agree with the sentiment of that statement…we should try not to use pithy sayings to explain our faith. It cheapens it.)
We were discussing similar to this at our community group last night. The expectation that non-Christians -> and if we're telling the truth other Christians put on Christians. We're never supposed to swear, drink, watch bad movies, lie, pretty much just mess up. If that were the case I'd have a serious issue since I mess up all the time. Just because we are Christians doesn't mean we don't have a sin nature.