Christianity is misunderstood and misrepresented. Instead of a movement of people that act and look like Jesus, the word has been co-opted to identify people of a particular political bent who live a particular lifestyle. Christianity is not about people who claim they believe in God. The Bible says even demons believe in God (James 2:19), and no one would ever call a demon by the name “Christian”!
Christianity is not a list of do’s and don’ts; it is not about saying a certain prayer or attending a certain church on Sunday. Christianity is all about believing in, and replicating, the character of God. Christianity is first, foremost, and always about love.
Christianity is about loving God with every ounce of yourself; it is to love others – all others – with the same amount of love with which you love God (Luke 10:25-28). The way you can tell if someone loves God with all of their heart is by the way they treat others. People who love Jesus act like He did; and Jesus always put the needs of others before His own. If someone claims to love God but acts selfishly, they are lying. Love is not selfish (I Corinthians 13:4-5). When someone loves God, they do all they can to imitate and reflect Him. This is borne out in the way they treat and serve others.
Christianity is about serving others, regardless of their history, lifestyle, or set of beliefs. We were not called to judge, but simply to serve. Christianity must never be defined by the things it is against. It all begins and ends with love, which keeps no record of wrongs and endures all things (I Corinthians 13:4-7). It is not the job of Christians to tell people how wrong and sinful they are. The job of Christians is to love every individual with the same unconditional love with which God loves us. Every soul on earth – even those who disagree with your beliefs – is of unsurpassable worth to God. Who are we to treat them otherwise?
Christianity is about standing for those who have suffered injustice (Isaiah 58:6-10). We are to set the captives free, to break the chains of those sold and held against their will. Christianity is about lifting up the poor and providing food and water to those without the means to otherwise obtain it. A true Christian will provide shelter for the homeless, care for the sick, and visit those who are imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-46). Christianity is intolerant of injustice. Christianity stands with all those who are persecuted and dehumanized.
Christianity is love; it is not about intolerance, judgment, or violence. Christianity is apolitical and anti-religion. Any other definition is distorted and untrue. Just because a group of people or a set of activities is labeled as “Christian” does not make it so. It may be too late to recover the true meaning of being a Christian. So many vile and evil things have been done in the name of Christ that it may be time for a new word. That’s okay. The point is not whether you are a Christian or not, but rather whether or not you follow Jesus Christ. Christianity is not the point and never has been. The point has always been Jesus, nothing more, and nothing less.