You are bound to have noticed in the shops the most recent food craze is plant-based food or meat-free, Vegan?? To be honest, some of the food is delicious. Personally, it is not that I would never want to taste meat again, but if I was left with no option but to change to a plant-based diet, I believe that taste and flavours and nutrition would be enough to satisfy me long term.
Have you seen these things in stores? You may have noticed some labels like No-Chicken Kiev or No-Duck spring rolls. I was included in a discussion this week when we discussed how these new vegan ‘meats’ were being labelled the same as the meat only with no in front. The conclusion of the discussion is that more suitable names should be found for these products. I have to agree.
It got me thinking about how we identify and label things. If these products can still have meat titles without the meat, and don’t start stressing, I’m not going to go there with the whole gender thing (I wouldn’t have enough time in my week!), can we identify ourselves as Christian without having Christian values as our main ingredient?
Personally, Christian wouldn’t be a term I would often use to identify myself because, in our culture, especially in Northern Ireland, the word Christian stirs up so much religious crap. Although, by faith, that is exactly what I am, I would be more inclined to say Jesus follower or Christ follower.
I will often say the Bible isn’t a rule book, it’s a guide, and I mean it. If you want to live your life for Jesus and go after everything God designed for your life you’re gonna want to stick to these guidelines, it’s all in there. I guarantee you.
But can we really live our Christian lives without Christian values?
Can we claim to live a Christ-centred life then still gossip about people? Can we be filled with Christ and still hold grudges against those who hurt us, or have no compassion for those in need or hurting around us? Are we authentically Christian if we pick and choose which moral codes we like out of the Bible? Is being a no-Christ Christian going to church on a Sunday as part of your social calendar, while not being willing to serve God? Does being a no-Christ Christian look like throwing your hands up to nice music on a Sunday, yet being an ungrateful brat to get your own way on a Monday? Or purposely causing conflict in situations, or refusing to resolve conflict because of pride? Or being impatient in traffic or in a checkout queue, just another place we don’t need to be Christ-like?
My worry is that what we excuse in grace is just accommodating a new culture of Christ-less Christians, because we want Christianity to become more appealing or accepted, or simply because we are afraid to call our friends out on these behaviours. Have we become too accepting of poor values?
“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NLT
I feel like I’ve had to challenge myself on what behaviours I compromise and accept in my own life this week and I wonder…
Do you feel these areas could be improved in your own life?
Would you be willing to challenge a friend on any of these listed above?
Do you believe these are things to be concerned about?
I believe that we can’t just will ourselves to be more loving or patient or kind, it has to be a heart makeover. We need to lean into God more, understand his heart and ask him to change our heart in the areas where we lack.
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
Ezekiel 36:26 NLT
Good post. Like you I have been re-examining myself and focusing more on me. I am not a church person but follow Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Believe in the power of prayer.
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Amen, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord,” yet it must spring from a new heart given by the Lord and can’t be an outward thing or a work of the flesh, but must rather be from faith working in love. The Lord will eventually discipline his own, so admonishing and exhorting is the loving thing to do, notwithstanding that the tares that call themselves wheat will not have their nature changed by conforming their outward behavior, but perhaps their futile efforts will cause them to self examine and turn to Christ in faith. That, or they may label you a legalist and adopt an antinomian stance that suits their lifestyle. Good post, God bless!
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Unfortunately it’s true that people also try dieting spiritually too.
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Very indepth share! Man (huMam) was Created to eat of the fruit of the Earth (Vegetation i.e. Vegan) the unseen do not eat flesh, though when in a dream (Acts 10:11). … Peter related the vision again in Acts 11:4-9 he was taught that ALL God made was good. WE as ManKind changed what we were created to be by disobeying. Yet, our Loving Father has permitted us…
Yet, as an MD if I was asked to evaluate the nutrition of a Vegan vs a prime steak loving ‘nomad’ in stature…we all can figure out the results.
So, awesome piece Sister! To God be ALL The glory, Amen
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Great write up
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Without Christ our striving to be Christ like is just religion, a form of godliness without the power.
We become Christian’s or followers of Christ the moment we ask Jesus into hearts.
The bad behaviors change to good…more Christ like ones as we renew our minds and allow the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out…this is a process known as sanctification, a lifelong process indeed.
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If we do not proclaim Christ, then our message has not eternal value. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. He alone is savior of the world.
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I completely agree. When you say Christian people get all religious. I prefer to say that I am aiming towards a relationship over religious I have been to church where people don’t even know scripture properly it seems like mainstream Christianity has really infiltrated the churches these days. When you are a follower of Christ you stand on truth and sometimes it’s not easy and sometimes it is hard. Great post! May Yahweh bless you!! Thanks for following my blog ❤❤ Dedee
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Dedee, I love your blog title. Thanks for making me smile.
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Aww thank you so much ❤❤ your comment made me smile too ♡♡ we are divinely delivered
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Religion*
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I enjoyed your post very much and found it resonates with me and the song clip at the end is beautiful.
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Thank you. So kind for you to leave feedback ❣️
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Great read 👍🏼
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I love your spin on meatless meat & how it parallels to a Christian life that is bearing fruit versus one that is Christian in name only.
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Great post! I try to ask God to reveal the areas I need to work on and show me how to be more Christ- like. I loved this post!
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Excellent thoughts and well written! I think the Parable of the Ten Virgins is exactly what you are writing. All ten had the title, all ten were bridesmaids. Yet when it came to it, only five had the oil. To the other five He proclaimed, “I know you not.” Very harsh words! Let us not think that we can wear the title Christian but not bear Christ and His cross!
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Thank you William I really appreciate you added that. I love how others are reminded of scripture by reading. Thank for taking time to leave a comment
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I am SO thankful that God gave us His Word. You are so right: it includes everything we need to lead the abundant, God-enhanced life! P.S. Thank you very much for becoming a follower of my blog, From the Inside Out. I pray you find the posts meaningful whenever you’re able to visit!
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