Who am I to judge?

Christians, like any other minority (and believe me, we are a minority) are subject to many different stereotypes.  We are seen as hypocrites; overly pious, self-righteous people who look down at everyone else for being an awful sinner.  We’re viewed as being overly judgemental for having a definite black and white view of right and wrong, a view which clashes against worldly thinking on several accounts and doesn’t adapt to fit modern thinking.  And, unfortunately, cases of a few hateful extremists have done nothing but to cement this view amongst non-Christians.

Knowing Him

The last point of my series is an extremely important one, and on it hinges the validity of all others.  It is impossible to be a disciple of Christ if you do not know Him.  At first glance, this seems like a completely obvious and almost unnecessary statement.  Think about it for a moment, though:  what does it really mean to ‘know God’?  Can a living man ever truly know Him?  And if two people believe two separate creeds but both believe they are Christian, can they both know Christ?

Agápe

Love can mean many things to many people.  We tell each other love stories in movies and books, in which two protagonists fall in love with each other by the end.  ‘Love’ is used to describe feelings as shallow as “I love this song!” to a commitment as deep as a parent’s unwavering love for their child.  We even acknowledge it as a strong, yet platonic bond – two buddies clasping arms and saying “I love you, man.”

Why is this important?  The Bible has a lot to say about love, especially when describing the heart and mind of believers.  Biblical interpretation can be a tricky thing – and additional care should always be taken when examining critical passages.