Showing Christianity

While listening to the talk “Choose You This Day” from 1971, I heard N. Eldon Tanner mention “As someone has said: “If we were to be arrested for being Christians, I wonder if there would be enough evidence to convict us?” That struck me as a relevant question for today and for my life. If you consider yourself Christian, a follower of Christ, I ask you the same question. “If you were arrested for being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Are You Christian?

At trial, evidence proves innocence or guilt. The evidence submitted can include behavior witnesses and items. First, we need to decide what identifies a Christian. From the question, it implies that a Christian must be more than someone who merely says the words. We need to know what evidence indicates a Christian.

Since Christians follow Christ, let’s start with discussing Christ. From the King James Version of the New Testament we know that Christ:

• Loved everyone
• Showed kindness
• Included everyone
• Served others
• Forgave
• Showed obedience
• Showed respect
• Stood up against wrong doing
• Taught with love
• Knew the scriptures
• Prayed

While this list does not include everything Christ did, it includes enough to start.

Now look at your life; really look at it. If you can say you are doing most of these things then you probably have enough evidence to convict you as Christian. Being perfect, Christ did everything perfectly. We are not perfect, though we can strive to be perfect. As Christians, we should strive to follow Christ’s example and be like him as much as possible.

Show More Evidence

I ask you one last time, “If you were arrested for being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” As people look at me, I hope that it is obvious to them I follow Christ. I hope that as you think about this question you will also be able to say you follow Christ at all times and not just when convenient.

In most places around the world, you will likely never be arrested for being Christian. The question though helps us to think about what we do in our life and remind us to follow Christ. Every day we should have some evidence that could be submitted as testament that we follow Christ. I urge you to figure out how you can better show your Christianity and I will strive to better show mine.

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Please note that all pictures on this post are from my personal collection and not to be copied and used without my written permission.