A Christian Isn’t…

A Christian isn’t defined by…

1. Trying harder

2. Managing sin

3. Living with integrity

4. Not cussing

5. Not smoking

6. Not drinking

7. Reading the Bible

8. Praying

9. Going to church

10. Participating in a small group

11. Submitting

12. Serving

13. Watching the company we keep

14. Believing “correct” theology

15. Having the perfect marriage

16. Having the perfect children

17. Staying faithful

18. Being responsible

19. Being a good citizen

20. Pretending to be someone or something we aren’t

21. Keeping a To Do list

22. Proving ourselves

23. Striving for perfection

24. Witnessing

25. Being good

26. Following the rules

27. Dressing modesty

28. Having a positive attitude

[Feel free to add to the list here: __________ ]

A Christian is defined by…

1. Running to Jesus

It is not what we do or don’t do (as good as some of those things above are). It is not a list. It is not a matter of doing. It has already been done (“It is finished…”). It is a matter of being. It is a matter of who and Whose we are.

A Christian rests in Christ as his beloved daughter or son.

“God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4-7).

It is living in Christ’s grace…in his unmerited favor.

It is walking life’s tightrope above the net of God’s unconditional love.

It is resting in the fact that…

There is absolutely nothing you can do to get God to love you one iota more than he already does…and there is absolutely nothing you can do to get God to love you one iota less.

It is all grace. Beginning to end.