God’s glory is perhaps the most fascinating and central subject for a Christian. It is a key factor to the death and resurrection of Christ, and actually is one of the reasons for Christ’s death in the first place. Furthermore, God’s glory is the biggest reason for Christians to act as they do. Truly, it is an important piece to the puzzle known as Christianity.

Although we can clearly see God’s glory in normal situations, it is far more difficult to see Him glorified when dealing with the junk of the world. Through many of these situations, it takes an outsider saying, “wow, God was really good then, wasn’t he?” for someone to realize that God had, in fact, been good, and thus was glorified.

Interestingly, God is glorified in every single sinful situation. Even through the greatest of sin, God’s glory shines through in three ways: His eternal forgiveness for this sin, his perfection emphasized through imperfection, and the actions of His children.

While the actions of God’s children, Christians, should mirror the actions of our greatest mentor, Christ, there are times in which we fall short, as fallen human beings tend to do. It is within this time that two things need to happen: the Christian in question must show humility and repent (thus glorifying Christ), and in doing so, they must act in a manner befitting a Christian.

The world is a judgmental place, and it is impossible to please everyone. There will always be those that question your faith and your motives. The real answer, however, is not people- it’s God.

At the same time, we are called to glorify Christ in our actions. Doing this regularly is almost impossible. After all, sin is deeply rooted within us, down to our habits and even our personalities. Some act in manners that may not be sinful, but may lead others to question their faith down the road. A man taking a simple drink of wine may lead another to question the man’s faith on the bounds of drunkenness. Romans speaks into this.

For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.  So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Romans 14:15-17

This verse is completely contrary to today’s culture. I, personally, have a difficult time balancing this with “blocking out the haters”, so to speak. Yet the verse is clear: do not cause your brother to stumble in your actions. If speaking certain words leads men or women to sin in their thoughts, discard them! If eating certain foods leads men to question your faith, discard it! But, remember that your ultimate glory goes to Christ, and your life isn’t about proving your faith, but about demonstrating it.

“If eating certain foods leads men to question your faith, discard it! But, remember that your ultimate glory goes to Christ, and your life isn’t about proving your faith, but about demonstrating it.”

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In the same way, we are called to be examples in the way we act as a whole. While it will be completely impossible for everyone to like you, you should at least ensure that nobody has a good reason to dislike you. If you give people a reason to hate you for who you are, outside of your Christianity as a reason, you completely ruin your testimony and discard any chance of sharing the Gospel. On the other hand, working on your weaknesses and ensuring that you actually care what your testimony looks like glorifies God.

We all have our weaknesses. Some are prideful, simpering, patronizing, or greedy. Moreover, many of us know our own faults. Mine falls along the lines of arrogance, as my friends will confirm. Yet in a recognition of my fault, I understand that I have a great deal to work in, and through praying and receiving counsel on my arrogance, I glorify God and thus strengthen my testimony.

Some people, unfortunately, refuse to see the power of God in their changed lives. Convinced so utterly of their own evil, they disregard the glorious sacrifice of Christ and claim that they must either “clean their life up to come to Christ”, or “serve penance before I can talk to Christ again”.

Both of these are extremely common. Yet, in believing this, they actually sin and weaken their testimony further. You foolish people! Do you really believe you can clean your life up to a level that Christ will accept you? It is not within your own power that your life is cleaned at all. It is Christ and Christ alone who fixes your life, and to disbelieve this is to disregard his sacrifice. Jesus came for the poor, the week, and the needy. He didn’t come for those who believe themselves to have reached a certain point in righteousness. He came for those willing to get on their knees and pray, “Father, I am the very worst of sinners. Please forgive my sin, and take me for who I am.” That is where you find repentance and true maturity.

“Do you really believe you can clean your life up to a level that Christ will accept you? It is not within your own power that your life is cleaned at all. It is Christ and Christ alone who fixes your life, and to disbelieve this is to disregard his sacrifice.”

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I hope that you have taken these words to heart. Self-doubters are the most difficult to convince, since they will continue to work guilt and shame into themselves. If that’s you, I encourage you to talk to a pastor. If not, continue to search your own heart. Are you causing people to stumble? Or are you making people think of you less through your actions? Both should be answered honestly and openly. Doing so will lead to a growth in maturity.

Alright, that’s all for today. Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post. If you did, make sure to click that Follow button below (or to the side). Then, when I release new posts like this, you’ll get notified. Thanks again, and I hope you have a fantastic day!

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