Church Body and Christ Currently, the Church

Church Body and Christ

Currently, the church body does not always reflect Christ within the community or culture. That gives many people the wrong perception of the church, and of Christianity and Christ overall. With that in mind, there are several things Christians can do in order to be sure that the church is seen in a more positive and more realistic light. First, Christians can actually "practice what they preach." Many people who proclaim that they are Christian and attend church every Sunday live lives that are very different from what Christ actually taught. That hypocritical attitude, when seen by non-Christians, can quickly turn them away from Christianity and from having any interest in the church. Not all Christians do this, of course, but there are enough of them to cause distress for the church - and for those who are quick to say that Christianity is not the right path for humans. Those who believe in God are often persecuted, but one of the ways to reduce that persecution is for them to live lives that are above reproach and not open to misinterpretation.

Another thing that Christians must consider is whether they are sharing the gospel with others, and how they are sharing that gospel. "Revelation is the act of God whereby He gives knowledge of Himself which man could not otherwise know." Christians have these knowledge, but they are often accused by being "preachy" because they seem to be judging others. The bible does not call upon humans to judge one another, or to berate people who do not share one's beliefs. Instead, the bible calls upon people everywhere to love one another. That does not mean Christians should not help non-Christians to find the right path, but making these people feel bad because they have chosen differently is not going to bring them to Christ. It is better to live one's life the way Christ taught, and enjoy all the blessings and benefits that come with that. By doing so, Christians easily show non-Christians the kinds of things that matter in life, and there is no preaching involved. That is much more likely to bring non-Christians to the church. They will see the peace and joy that Christians have, and they will want that for themselves. Because of that, they will be interested in what they can do in order to have that kind of joy in their lives, and they will discover that the only true joy comes through Christ.

The church as a whole can reach out to others in the community, as well. Many churches have outreach programs, but how effective are these? Are they being operated in the most efficient manner possible? If they are not being utilized correctly, they will do very little to bring people to the church or even to help out as they were intended to do. Of course, not all churches have these programs. It has been said that "the local church has fellowship, but there is a greater purpose and a more binding relationship among its members." Churches that do not have them can consider starting them, because it gives them a way to connect with the community and show what they have to offer without turning people off because of strictness or preaching with which these people may not be comfortable. It is understandable that Christians need to be honest about the sacrifices they make in order to belong to God and not to the world, but at the same time they do not see this as a burden - and that is important. Rules and regulations are there to keep people from harm, not to restrict them into a life they would not enjoy. Depending on the Christian denomination, however, there are different sets of rules and slightly differing beliefs that should be carefully considered by anyone considering Christianity.