When Jesus issued the Great Commandment he make 2 points; First was to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second was to love your neighbor as yourself. It is quite clear that far too many Christians today are failing to hold the 2nd part of what Jesus said.
I have seen and witnessed numerous Christians within churches who are closed off to the outside world. They choose to surround themselves with those they are comfortable with and have a well known level of understanding with. Instead of seeking to love those who are different or those who are "outsiders" they are trying to selectively choose who their neighbor is. This is a misunderstanding of what Jesus told us we should be doing and a very misguided focus.
When Jesus explained to the lawyer in the Gospel of Luke who his neighbor was, Jesus made it clear that our neighbor is not who we identify with or who we rather be around, it is someone who is different than us. By using the Samaritan in the example, Jesus took what the Jewish people knew as an enemy and made them someone who we should love as a neighbor.
Sadly today many churches, including the one God has led me to leave, do not accept or fully understand this concept. Using my larger church as an example, they make it clear through their actions that a neighbor is someone who is wealthy, known by multiple people within the church hierarchy, and fits a certain profile in appearance. If you do not meet one of this criteria, you are ostracized and made to feel uncomfortable in church gatherings. Having myself attempted to be part of the smaller communities setup with this church, it became clear I was not someone who belonged because my wealth was not up to snuff. Instead of these so called leaders taking the time to get to know me and who I was or where I was coming from, I became ignored, pushed away, and looked down upon.
Counterfeit Christians are those who live in this absorbed world they create. Instead of living as Jesus taught, they are more a part of the world then not. If Jesus intended for only the wealthy or higher educated to be included as His disciples and followers, He would have never sought out the people He did. Just as Jesus explained to the lawyer, it is not who you want to pick and choose to be your neighbor, it is the one who is nothing like you that is.
Until more Christians start to understand this, they are being counterfeit. Churches are not serving the purpose of bringing Jesus to those who need Him. Individuals who are lost or broken are not finding the love and support they need. Communities are not filled with genuine disciples who Jesus calls to love their neighbors as themselves. Instead of churches being focused on how many people they pack in on Sunday, or how great of a worship team they can assemble, or how many small groups they can create, they need to focus on Jesus.
I have seen and witnessed numerous Christians within churches who are closed off to the outside world. They choose to surround themselves with those they are comfortable with and have a well known level of understanding with. Instead of seeking to love those who are different or those who are "outsiders" they are trying to selectively choose who their neighbor is. This is a misunderstanding of what Jesus told us we should be doing and a very misguided focus.
When Jesus explained to the lawyer in the Gospel of Luke who his neighbor was, Jesus made it clear that our neighbor is not who we identify with or who we rather be around, it is someone who is different than us. By using the Samaritan in the example, Jesus took what the Jewish people knew as an enemy and made them someone who we should love as a neighbor.
Sadly today many churches, including the one God has led me to leave, do not accept or fully understand this concept. Using my larger church as an example, they make it clear through their actions that a neighbor is someone who is wealthy, known by multiple people within the church hierarchy, and fits a certain profile in appearance. If you do not meet one of this criteria, you are ostracized and made to feel uncomfortable in church gatherings. Having myself attempted to be part of the smaller communities setup with this church, it became clear I was not someone who belonged because my wealth was not up to snuff. Instead of these so called leaders taking the time to get to know me and who I was or where I was coming from, I became ignored, pushed away, and looked down upon.
Counterfeit Christians are those who live in this absorbed world they create. Instead of living as Jesus taught, they are more a part of the world then not. If Jesus intended for only the wealthy or higher educated to be included as His disciples and followers, He would have never sought out the people He did. Just as Jesus explained to the lawyer, it is not who you want to pick and choose to be your neighbor, it is the one who is nothing like you that is.
Until more Christians start to understand this, they are being counterfeit. Churches are not serving the purpose of bringing Jesus to those who need Him. Individuals who are lost or broken are not finding the love and support they need. Communities are not filled with genuine disciples who Jesus calls to love their neighbors as themselves. Instead of churches being focused on how many people they pack in on Sunday, or how great of a worship team they can assemble, or how many small groups they can create, they need to focus on Jesus.
