“You’re extreme Olatunde! I mean, what if people don’t acknowledge God’s presence at all? Does that mean I’m not a Christian? I said the sinner’s prayer. I put my trust in God and His Son and His Spirit! Who are you to tell me I’m not saved?!”
If you’ve done all of that, people feel God with you, whether they say it or not. I’m not focusing on people’s approval or disapproval. If that is the case, then Jesus Himself was unconvincing! He Himself was accused of blasphemy and gluttony! Even of demon possession!
I’m talking about our distinction as Christians.
If we distinguish ourselves by denominations, Bible reading, church building going, or anything else, we deny Christ, with us, and in us. We deny The Name Above Every Name by which we are saved. Jesus said when two or more are gathered in His name, He is with them, in their midst. This is our distinction: Jesus with us. He’s alive, in us, and with us!
What else SHOULD distinguish us?
“Well Jesus said we’d be known as His followers by our love for one another, and our unity. What about that?”
Yes, our love and unity distinguish us, but only because He is with us! It's Christlike love that is commanded of us, not just love in general, that distinguishes Christians. Jesus didn’t just say, “Love each other.” He said, “Love each other as I have loved you.” He didn’t just say, “Be unified.” He prayed for us to be one as He and the Father are one, us in Him, us in Them. But Jesus and God are alive! They are here, right now, in us, with us.
It’s not the Bible that unifies us. That’s obvious!
It’s not the buildings that unify us, because we’re in many different buildings on one block! It’s
Jesus, in us with us. This alone distinguishes us!
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