Christian

You know, it's one thing to identify yourself as a Christian, but it is entirely another thing to actually be one. Many think of it as a lifestyle choice, or a set of rules, or a co-existing motivation and source of information to life. What they don't understand is that being a Christian essentially is throwing away your own life, and replacing it with a new one. The "Christian life" in essence is then, a life where our dreams are either secondary or completely in sync with those of our Father. Christian, simply explained, is us being a child of God, bonded through Christ. If we acclaim to abide by these things, there is a complete omitting of our past pleasures and struggles, and we forfeit our earthly comforts and lives for something bigger. Often as we go about our lives, the moment time runs short, the first thing we cut short is our spiritual affairs. It is not like we have no time for them, we just do not have time management. A lot of the time, we serve for the recognition of others and perhaps the fellowship with another. These things are not sinful if they are not our motives for service. Our motive for service should be our love for Christ and our God alone - anything else comes as an addition.

As humans we keep deciding what is best for ourselves, and what our desired outcome should be. As the lesser wise in the relationship between Father and Son we seem to be arrogantly choosing what is optimal. We neglect the fact that our every hair and every breath occurs under God's consent, and instead of fearing God, we fear what does not happen in accordance to our plan. All human fear comes from our lack of ability to surrender ourselves. If we surrender our life, we do not fear death. If we surrender our possessions, we do not fear poverty. Ironically, after being in God's image, the one thing we as humans constantly fail to do is the one thing that God modeled for us. And that was Jesus surrendering himself to die for us. Jesus still feared his death, he was distressed to tears of blood. Yet it was okay because aside from his situation, he was willing to surrender whatever it took for us. The cup could not be taken away in another way, and so it was so that he died for us.

A Christian realises this and the more he or she comes closer to his Father, the more he or she realises this great sacrifice made for us. We were saved from not a temporary but an eternal damnation. We stared in the face of solitude because our selfishness and evil desires created such a great divide from God. Even then that divide could not stand, and God crossed from holiness to human flesh, that we may know grace, forgiveness, love, kindness. That we may know God. The Christian life is a life of sacrifice. As the Son looks up to the Father, we model that of which the Father has shown us. That no greater love exists than that which was unconditional and undeserving. This is definitely a choice, but it is not a choice that cannot be half made. Either you are or you are not a Christian. If you call yourself a child of God, you must live by it. It is difficult, we can't do it alone and our Father holds our hand along our crossroads, but, though unachievable in this earthly life, it is in eternity. This life here is just the beginning, and the choices we make are indeed our foundation. We must keep our faults close to our understanding and embrace our salvation even closer. A Christian, must keep approaching towards the likeness of Christ, there is no stopping.