As I think about what it takes to be a Christian, I’ve decided it’s a lot of hard work. You make a public confession of your faith, go into the waters of baptism, the easy part, then everyone holds you to a perfect standard — this is the hard part. In fact when you do mess up, as we all do, those who do not believe or those in the faith that are better at hiding their sin, look down to you and say, “To be a Christian is to be Christ like, and you are not Christ like.”

The truth of the matter is, no matter how much I try and how spiritual I work on being, I will never be “Christ like.”  Good thing for me and for you is the term Christian actually does not mean Christ like. It actually means those who are devoted to the Anointed One. It originally started off as a slanderous and sarcastic term thrown at the 1st century church by the devout Jews and unbelieving gentiles. It quickly became a badge of honor for the believing Jews and they accepted the label whole heartedly.

I don’t know about you but it’s much easier for me to take on the label of someone devoted to the Anointed One rather than say I’m like the only perfect human being that ever existed. Because I’m not like Jesus, he extends to us his grace and mercy. I am devoted to Jesus. My righteousness comes from him. He is my savior and king but that’s as much as I have in common with the creator of the universe.

I think it’s funny how nowdays Christians want to get away from the label of “Christian” because of all of the negative connotations that come with it. You get around some groups and they want to be labeled as “Christ Follower” rather than Christian because of the impossible definition society has given that word. I say we go back to the original  meaning of Christian, that was intended to be slanderous, and fully take on being those devoted to the Anointed One.

If someone wants to mock me or make jokes about me because I have not only dedicated my life to following the teaching of Christ but to follow the person of Christ, I say go for it. I’m a human being in a fallen, yet redeemed, state and I will do my best to love society as Christ loves society. I will dedicate my life to living out the abundant life Christ provides for me. I am as devoted to Jesus, the Anointed One, as I can possibly be.  I’m in no way perfect but I am devoted.

Pastor Marcus Kelly

New Life Foursquare