Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” Matthew 5:44

Jesus said, “Love one another.” John 13:34

Jesus also said, “Take up your cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24-28

Yesterday I was watching a well-known news cast. Four of the five panelist said something about being a Christian. They were very sincere and from what I have seen, live out their Christian faith.

When it came time for the fifth panelist to weigh in on the topic, she led her conversation with “As a former Christian who has read the Bible two times cover to cover……” and then proceeded to quote “love your enemies” and “love one another” while saying things that are contrary to the teachings of the Bible.

I’m telling you right now that I am so tired to hearing people pick and choose verses from God’s Word to think they are supporting their non-Christian views and judging those who are trying to live a Christian life!

No one on this earth is perfect. Not a Christian. Not a non-Christian. No one. We are all sinners. (Romans 3:23). Every day. The difference by following Jesus is that when we sin and we ask Jesus to forgive us, we also ask Him to help us to try to do better. Jesus followers/Christians don’t want to stay in our sinful ways but want to always strive to do better and follow the example of Jesus.

I repeat – every single day, every single person sins. There is no one perfect except Jesus. But if we follow Him, we have the hope and promise of a perfect life and perfect body when we ascend into heaven with Him in the afterlife.

Yes. Jesus said “love your enemies.” Yes. Jesus said “love one another.” But Jesus also said to “take up your cross and follow” Him. He said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through me. ” (John 14:6)

You have to know Jesus and follow Him in order to be forever in eternity. We can’t just pull one verse out of the Bible to tout our agenda and ignore the rest of it. I am talking to “WE”…all of us.

I don’t think when we die and face judgement that God is going to be impressed with someone’s defense of “as a FORMER Christian who has read the Bible two times cover to cover”.

He is wanting to see the fruits of the Spirit within us. He wants to know that we accepted Jesus and chose to follow Him. He wants to see the evidence of sharing that gospel with others and standing up for Jesus in all circumstances. Even when it isn’t popular among the worldly ways.

Yes. He will want to see that we loved our neighbor and showed love to everyone around us. Love doesn’t mean we accept things that are contrary to the Bible and Jesus’ teachings! It means we show love in spite of those who live a life contrary to what God says, but that we, as Jesus followers, do not accept worldly ways but rather share Jesus with all people teaching them that He is the Way. The Truth. And the One who gives eternal life.

Don’t ever be a “former Christian”. Don’t pick and choose God’s Word to support your own agenda and then live like the devil.

Seek Jesus every day and be a current Christian. Every single day of your life. So that when you get to the judgement day, your actions of following Jesus and trying to show love to all will speak so loudly that the Father says, “come on in.”

Love and follow Jesus. And when you do, that “love your neighbor” and “love your enemies” stuff will come a whole lot easier. 🙂