So you think you are Christian?

This post was inspired by my atheist friend's post on FB, she shared an image that showed that the country with majority Atheists had a better quality of life than the country with majority Christians. I thought of how many people claim to be Christian yet there is no evidence of that in their lives John 15:8. 

It's crucial that we as Christians examine ourselves to see whether we are true Christians 2 Corinthians 13:5. Mathew 7:21-23 is the scariest scripture I've ever read, it's Jesus telling his disciples that there will be people who claim to know him as their Lord and Saviour yet he will say to them - I never knew you. These are Jesus' words “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

When you become a true Christian the encounter with Jesus transforms you. Saul the person who received a legal document from the government allowing him to kill Christians had an encounter with Christ Acts 9. His eyes were open and he became Paul who through the Holy Spirit wrote majority of the New Testament. An encounter with Jesus transforms you. And if you show not fruits it means that you may not be a true Christian. David Platt describes being saved by grace is like being hit by a bus. If someone has been hit by a bus and arrives looking as if nothing has happened that person is either deceived or lying. Just like being hit by a bus, when you become a Christian you do not stay the same.

This got me thinking about South Africa a country I love! Almost 80% of people residing in South Africa claim to be Christians. Are there fruits of this in South Africa?

• We have a major problem with crime. You have to drive around the country - signs that show  "Hijack hotspots", read the headlines on the lamposts, talk to a South African - you will know about our problem with crime. 
• Rape, we are a nation that has power-hungry men who attack the most vulnerable people in our society, women and children 
• Lawlessness is rampant. Sometimes when there is a strike in South Africa, the demonstration leads to violence, property is destroyed and people are hurt. We pay our way out of a speeding fines. Criminals pay our police so that important case documents go missing. 
• Corruption. Open a newspaper you will read about a government official who bought himself something luxurious with tax payers' money.  
• The poor suffer the most. Lack of service delivery impacts the poor who are very vulnerable.
• Sexual immorality. I listened on a famous radio station as mistresses were calling in and explaining why it's better to be a mistress than to be married and you can tell their deception is deeply rooted. One of the TV stations shows porn late at night with no way of ensuring children are not exposed.

So how do we change this? We need more people to encounter Jesus Christ. We need more people to know and believe that they are sinners who can only be saved by grace through Jesus Christ. We need more people to obey the will of God because they really appreciate the free gift of grace. In a world where truth is relative, we need more churches that base their teachings on biblical truth.

Practically, what would this look like? It would be the true sign of where people love God and love others as they love themselves Mark 12:28-31. This list is by no means exhaustive..

• There will be more cheerful givers. People helping those who are less fortunate than they are - wealth distribution. Then the burden of alleviating poverty will not lie solely on the government. The church would full of cheerful givers whose money doesn't just benefit the church but serves the community where the church is planted.
• The fear of God will be greater than the fear of man.  Imagine families reporting to the police about a family members that is breaking the law. Mothers taking sons to jail for terrorising the community. Husbands being locked up for abusing their wives and children. Mother's discouraging their daughters from dating men old enough to be their fathers. Fathers telling their sons to marry and not commit adultery.
• People in jail getting visitors. Survivors of crime forgiving their perpetrators because Christ has forgiven them so they are able to forgive.
• Hard criminals will hear the word, believe and be saved. They will share their stories and more people will believe.
• Many security companies will go out of business as South Africa becomes a safe place for all
• Skilled business people will used any free time to dedicate it to mentoring young and aspiring entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs will create businesses that create employment.
• South Africa will spend more time speaking about the good of the country as the bad will not be the major highlight in selling newspapers
• Corrupt officials will face the might of the law. And the law will work for all - rich and poor.