SEARCHLIGHT
Are you living an authentic Christian life?
SCRIPTURE
And I pray that, as you share your faith with others, it will grip their lives too, as they see the wealth of good things in you that come from Christ Jesus. Philemon 6 Living Bible.
SPOTLIGHT
What is authentic and what is artificial? How do you determine what is real and what is superficial? With the increased use of AI [Artificial Intelligence], the line between knowing if something is real or unreal has become greatly blurred. Scammers have been able to communicate a level of trust, causing many people to lose thousands of dollars. Impersonations have become very easy, and fake news has misled many people.
Today, people are skeptical of leaders claiming to tell the truth. Many are disillusioned because companies and institutions have been deceptive. Media communicators have been exposed for conveying misinformation, rather than being a reliable source of information.
Within our society, there is a great need for authenticity. Christians should lead the way to a resurgence of authenticity. While sitting in church, a boy turned to his father and asked “Daddy, what is a Christian?” The father replied, “A Christian is a person who loves and obeys God. He loves his friends and neighbors, and even his enemies. He prays often, is kind, gentle, and holy, and is more interested in going to heaven than in possessing many earthly riches. That, son, is a Christian!” The boy looked puzzled and after thinking for a moment asked, “Have I ever seen one?”
Authentic Christian living could be a key to turning society toward honesty. People need truthful leaders and meaningful relationships. What they are seeing is superficial and artificial. Genuine Christian living could greatly restore ideals, such as trust and respect within society. Authentic Christians could provide meaningful relationships rather than superficial ones.
Christian authenticity refers to a believer living a life that genuinely exemplifies one’s personal faith, beliefs and values. What society does not need is AI Christians.
In the book of Philemon, Paul issues a call to his close friend, Philemon, to be an authentic Christian. Philemon was a wealthy man who had a personal life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. His character, priorities, and values had so dramatically changed that Paul considered his friend to be his spiritual brother and partner in ministry.
Paul’s purpose in writing was to appeal to Philemon to forgive a runaway slave named Onesimus, and receive him back not as a slave, but as a friend. This was a big request. Philemon would have to see Onesimus not as property, but as a person. He would have to view him not as a slave without rights, but as a spiritual brother. In essence, Philemon would not just be taking back Onesimus but elevating him to a different status.
There is no explicit proof that Philemon did as Paul requested. However, it is largely accepted that he did, since the letter appears in the New Testament. But what is so very important is that we learn a great deal about what it means to be an authentic Christian. As today’s Scripture focus says, there is a wealth of good things that come from personally knowing Jesus Christ.
What does an authentic Christian look like? When a person encounters the living God, God touches his/her heart. And when a person undergoes a Godly heart transformation, tremendous change occurs. Here are just a few evidences of someone being an authentic Christian:
#1 Godly transformation begins in the heart and then influences your head [how you think] and your hands [what you do] When you personally encounter Jesus Christ, your whole life is changed from the inside out.
#2 Forgiveness is given to any offender for any reason, just as Jesus forgave you. You cannot go through life without someone hurting you so bad that you do not want to forgive that person. Forgiveness does not come easy when a wrong has dug deep into your heart. You cannot completely forgive without divine help. Your willingness and ability are restricted by your emotions. Should you not forgive, you open the door of your heart to living with resentment and bitterness. Your willingness and ability to forgive are rooted in how much you allow Jesus to touch your heart. Jesus forgave you freely, fully, finally and forever. He can empower you with His divine love to do the same for those who hurt you.
#3 Reconciliation is given to an offender. You can begin to reconcile with someone by praying for his/her well-being.
#4 Equality replaces any prejudice. Authentic heart transformation leads you to see every person as a creation of God. No one is to be treated as a piece of property but as a person with Godly potential. All people are worthy of dignity and respect. No longer do you look down on people. You now see them with God’s eyes.
God longs for you to be the real deal. Don’t just look like a Christian, be one! Don’t just sound like a Christian, be one! Jesus Christ, the living God, wants your heart transformation to be so authentic that people will say “There is someone you can trust. If you want the truth, talk to him.” Jesus Christ does not want you to act like a Christian but instead be one!
SOMETHING TO DO
Are you an authentic Christian? As a believer, are you living a life that genuinely exemplifies your personal faith, beliefs, and values? John Bevere said, “If we are going to be authentic and relevant, we must embrace truth and allow it to transform us at our very core.” Joyce Meyers said, “This generation is desperately searching for something authentic. People are always watching us. They are watching us to see if we are the real deal. Without a transformed heart, we can never be the light that the world around us so desperately needs. Stop acting and start being!”
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for changing my life. You have given me the highest purpose for living. In addition, You have blessed me in so many ways. I ask that You, Lord God, would daily empower me with Your divine love, so that I will be genuine. Help me to forgive, forget and treat all people equally. I cannot do this on my own. Guard me from acting like a Christian. I want to be an authentic Christ-follower. AMEN!