The Outer Appearances of Christianity
Do you live for Christ and have a relationship with Him, or are you just going through the motions of trying to do “all the Christian things”? How can you tell the difference?
First and foremost, please know that I’m not judging anyone or trying to make anyone feel less-than in their personal walk with God. I only want to give others something to think about on their faith journeys. I talk about this because I struggled with it—and still do in many aspects—and hope to help others the way I have been helped.
Here is a list of habits, deeds, and life changes that most, if not all, Christians do in their walk with God.
- They might study the Bible and read it daily.
- They might attend church regularly and never miss a sermon; they might even be involved in a church by volunteering their time and skills.
- They might feed the homeless, help clothe the poor, and even travel to another country as a missionary.
- They might be a pastor, priest, bishop of a church, or another respected figure who is looked to for spiritual guidance.
- They might give up their secular lives of music, television, books, movies, lifestyles, and even friends.
- They might watch a lot of Christian TV and YouTube channels or listen to Christian podcasts.
- They might dedicate their time and skills to openly talk about Jesus Christ, the Gospel, the Bible, and Christianity in public settings or online. (YouTube, Instagram, Substack, etc.)
- They might be outwardly Christian in all they do: the way they treat others, how they dress, speak, and act.
- They might pray daily or multiple times a day.
But just because a person does all these things doesn’t mean they are living a Christian “life.” Without an intimate relationship with Christ, it’s all just another lifestyle. And that is what a lukewarm Christian is.
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
Revelation 3:15-16
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 7:21-23
As I stated, I wanted to write this article not to call anyone out or point fingers; it’s not to condemn, shame, criticize, or blame. It’s because I’ve had this pressing worry for a while concerning myself: whether I was truly living a Christian life, whether my deeds and my relationship with Christ were “good enough,” whether I was heading in the wrong direction without realizing it, and even whether I was doing the things I do for Christ or myself.
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