Articles
Perfection
As human beings, one of the most nerve-wracking things we can do is to make a first impression. We put on our best clothes, our best smile, and in some situations, we act as a fake version of ourselves. Even if we do convince others of a false idea of ourselves, it will only lead us to trouble down the road.
But, there is a Being out there that we can never trick, and His name is God. With this first impression there is no need to feel pressure or anxiety. Because no matter who we are or what we have done, we can all be confident that Christ died for our sins to become healed.
Even if we know about Christ and His teachings, it can be hard to separate people from the biases and judgments our brain creates when we meet someone new, especially people who are of different cultures and beliefs than we are. During his time here on earth, Christ did not care about the background of a person; he saw everyone as souls to be saved (even people that society deemed as unworthy or outcasts!).
We have to do our best to see people through Christ’s eyes. Whenever we are in a situation where differences become judgments and actions, we must change our thoughts to find the common ground. We can always share and live the truth while being respectful, no matter what differences we have with others. This doesn’t mean we put ourselves in harm’s way or a bad situation; but there is a way to behave like Christ where we don’t become angry, rude, ostracizing, or act on negative feelings. Christ and His teachings will conquer and prevail over our momentary struggles.
In fact, Christ’s death was a gracious act of mercy and an act of goodwill that he did on our behalf. In Christ’s death we have all been blessed with the opportunity to change ourselves for the better. There are two things we must appreciate if we decide to go get baptized and become a Christian. The first is that, this blessing given to us through Christ’s sacrifice is a gift for all. No matter who a person is or what they have done, if they declare Jesus as their Lord, get baptized, and truly repent then they are a Christian and can get to heaven. The second point is we have not done, nor will we ever be able to do, anything that can make us worthy. This is a gift of mercy from our God and His only Son. It is through this grace that we have an open door to an eternity of bliss. No one should ever feel unworthy of getting baptized, but baptism and good works are also not a one-time cure all. It is a lifelong dedication and responsibility.
Inspired by: Romans 11, Romans 12, Romans 5, Titus 3:5-7, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, Philippians
