Inward godliness…a changed life.
A Jamaican friend recently told the story of sharing Jesus in a taxi cab with a fellow passenger. This person’s conversation was, let’s just say, very unChristlike. After a few moments, the passenger surprised her by saying that she too was a Christian and then proceeded to commend my friend’s strong faith.
This “Christian” passenger then asked where my friend went to church. Her response was that she didn’t go to church. Without batting an eye, the passenger said, “Oh, you’re not a Christian then!” This only made her smile and think about our many conversations about being church verses going to church.
My friend is not currently attending a church service, but is moving toward Jesus with other believers (the biblical definition of church by the way). In the Jamaican culture, however, attending a church service was the litmus test of a Christian, not one’s changed life.
One looked at outward signs godliness, while the other looked to inward life transformation. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3 that “Christians” in the end days will be counting on outward signs, rather than the power of the Spirit to change a life.
Let the world see your faith in Christ by letting them actually see Jesus in you. This is far more important than where you show up on Sunday morning.