Be Honest About Your Perspective on Christ

It is oxymoronic that a person can happily claim the title of Believer in Christ, while simultaneously not fully and happily accepting as true the actual words of Christ and of his apostles and prophets which is explicit in that title, and must be true if there is any actual benefit of belief.

If you are a believer, then believe and follow unashamedly. Don’t pretend not to believe for fear of others who are skeptical. You have nothing to be ashamed of if you believe, say, in the way the Apostle Paul did, do you?

But if you are only an interested observer, do not take the title of believer until you do. If you are a curious but doubtful, then be that openly and humbly until things change. If a seeker, then seek the truth until you find it. Say, “I am a seeker but not yet a believer.”

If you selectively endorse some things Christ and his prophets have said as a generalist, and just as readily endorse what others claiming to be prophets have said, then replace the title of Believer in Christ for Student of Christ. If you are a skeptic then state that while looking hard at the Bible. There is a difference between a believer who sometimes questions, and a true skeptic.

If you are attracted to Christ and his words at times, catching a glimpse of the beauty of it all, but not ever immersing yourself into those words, this isn’t true belief. Exploit your interest for whatever good you can find, but remember that the New Testament records the temporary attraction of many who ultimately lost that interest only to turn back to the emptiness of their old comfortable religious externalism or even their former full disinterest in Christ altogether. This is what most of your friends have done.

Above all, do not be satisfied to live in the shell of Christianity with all the forms and religious talk without truly believing.

Remember what Jesus said, “You are my disciples if you abide [remain] in what I have said. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8 ).

Live honestly. There is a way forward if you do.