If you abide in Me and My word abides in you, then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
What does it mean when I say I’m a Christian? Does it mean I think I’m better than someone else? That I’m perfect? That I attend church all the time? That I don’t drink and think anyone who does is horrible? That I condemn people who disagree with me?
Taking these in reverse order, first of all, it does not mean I condemn anyone. Not for disagreeing with me or for anything else. It’s not my place to condemn anyone. I may condemn sin—in myself or others—but I don’t condemn the person who commits the sin.
Being a Christian certainly doesn’t mean I don’t drink or pass judgment on others who do. If so, I’d be passing judgment on Jesus Himself. I don’t know if they had beer or whiskey back in those days, but wine was a part of Jesus’s life. He didn’t drink enough of it to become inebriated, but He certainly did drink it.
Being a Christian doesn’t mean I’m at church every time they open the doors, either. Some of the finest Christians I know don’t attend or belong to a church at all. The New Testament tells us not to forsake the gathering together of Christians, but it doesn’t say anything about meeting in a dedicated building with a spire on top and an altar inside.
As a matter of fact, I do belong to a church, but I rarely attend the formal service. My fellowship comes from my Sunday School class, which I do attend very regularly un less I’m out of town. That close fellowship with a small group of people who all know one another is what I think the Bible means by “gathering together.” And I’ve learned much more in small groups or one-on-one discipleship than I have in massive church services.
That I’m perfect is laughable. I’m so far from perfect, I have difficulty even think with that means.
I would never think of myself as being better than anyone else, either. You don’t know my sins, but I do. Paul said he was the chief among sinners, and that’s more or less my testimony, too. I would never try to think or act like I was better than someone else.
So what do I mean when I say I’m a Christian? The simple answer is that I’m a sinner saved by grace. That’s true, but it’s incomplete. Yes, I’m saved by grace, but the moment grace stepped in to provide my salvation, God planted His Holy Spirit inside me. Having His spirit inside me gives Him a way to work in me to accomplish His goals.
A tiger can’t change its stripes, nor can I perfect myself. But if I’ll get out of God’s way, He can work inside me to make me a better person—or as He says in Romans 8, to conform me to the image of Christ. I will never attain the goal of being Christ-like in this lifetime, but I’m a little bit more Christ-like today than I was when I was born-again back in 1974. And that’s a good thing, not only for me but for everyone who comes in contact with me.
David N. Walker is a Christian father and grandfather, a grounded pilot and a near-scratch golfer who had to give up the game because of shoulder problems. A graduate of Duke University, he spent 42 years as a health insurance agent. Most of that career was spent in Texas, but for a few years he traveled many other states. He started writing about 20 years ago, and has six unpublished novels to use as primers on how NOT to write fiction. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his non-fiction Web Wisdom: Godly Inspiration from the Inbox and starting his new fiction work—a series of novellas set during the period from 1860 to 1880—using methods he and @KristenLambTX developed when they cofounded Warrior Writers Boot Camp.
Contact me at davwalktx@yahoo.com or tweet me at @davidnwalkertx
David N Walker 
I love your thoughts on what it means to be a Christian, David. I am a Christian although I don’t worship in any “organized” fashion. I hadn’t articulated it that way before, but I feel like I do try to “get out of the way” as you said and let God work through me by using the talents I was given and simple acts of kindness to try to make some small corner of the world a better place each day I get out of bed : ).
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Thanks, Pam. So glad you’re staying in touch, and I hope all is going well for you.
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I’m doing well David – just got another essay accepted for publication : ). I continue to get inspiration from all of you!
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The entire message resonated with me, David. But the one that got the Amen-from-the-back-pew (memories from childhood) was “get out of His way…”
We attend church when we can. I, personally, prefer those Sundays when we volunteer for what I call Holy Roller duty. We prep and roll the breakfast burritos they sell for $1.00. I love to work the sales window when harried moms bring the little ones by for breakfast before Sunday School.
As for small gatherings. Mine don’t happen on Sundays. They happen at least twice a week at AA meetings. We laugh, we share, and we keep coming back.
Last night, the discussion involved the Keystone for our sobriety. For some it was the group, for others it was their children. For me, it was the group, the reminder from my sponsor that I didn’t have to handle a troubling problem alone, and–most importantly–God, my Higher Power–the source of serenity I had not known since childhood.
He bonked me on the noggin with a wine bottle. But, He sure got my attention!
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Hope the bump has gone away, Gloria, but I’m glad He bonked you, if that’s what you needed. He had to let my finances fall into the toilet to get my attention.
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I like this. I agree with so much that you said – I think sometimes (well, a lot of times) we get so caught up with rules and who’s doing what that we forget to just love each other and life – which is what Jesus was trying to teach us all along. Lovely post.
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Thanks for stopping by, DH. I appreciate your support.
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I love your relationship with God. Your faith is evident in everything you write and I mean that in the best possible way imaginable. I’m not a Christian and I still think we could hang out and be friends. I feel like you would accept me and love me just the way Jesus would want you to and for that, I feel very blessed to have met you in the wild cyber world.
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Thanks you Tameri. Your response makes me feel wonderful.
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This.
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I love how you described what you believe “gathering together” means! I also feel more like “the body of Christ” at Sunday School when we’re studying the Bible in a small group, than during the service. I love your thoughts on this, David.
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Thanks, Ellie. I appreciate that.
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I so agree with you! I try to go to Church when I can, but don’t attend every weekend. I do like that an hour is totally focused on spirituality and I can’t achieve that at home.
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Thanks, Susie. I have nothing against attending church services. I just feel I get more out of – and contribute more to – a smaller, less formal group like a Sunday School class or a home group.
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I think that is great~!
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When someone thinks they are perfect you know there is a problem within them. The only perfect one died on the cross over 2000 years ago.
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Absolutely, Shirley.
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