3 Things Christians Do
/We are in a unique moment in history and it feels like a transitional, generational moment. As Christians, it is important to remember the universal characteristics that are shared with all Christians, in all times. In other words, there are some fundamental things that Christians just do. Period. I summarize three of these things based on a sentence from a letter written by Paul, the Apostle, to some friends in the ancient city of Philippi.
Worship - This is a core universal value and one of the areas many are attempting to reconcile now with the stay-at-home orders. The tension many are feeling is embracing the distinction between event-based worship & lifestyle commitment-based worship. What makes worship, worship in the truest sense of the word? Regardless of how you answer, worship is what Christians do.
Boast about Jesus - The point here is that Christians celebrate Jesus and make Him the focus of their praise. Jesus is the MAN and we are all fans. If He had a jersey, every Christian would wear it proudly. The word Christian comes from Christ anyway, so that’s saying something. What we boast about communicates something about us, which leads to the next point…
Put no confidence in flesh - Christians go against the tendency of drawing ultimate self-definition from social categories. In other words, Christians live from the basis of their relationship with God through Jesus. The things typically used to get ahead or build social capital don’t translate to the Christian life. Those things have a shelf-life and expire based on whats en vogue. Christians build their lives on something way more stable and lasting.
Based on Philippians 3:3