I’ve been contributing fairly often to a great new site called ChurchLeaders.com. I love writing articles for them as they have such a wide variety of authors, pastors, and teachers that I can learn from at the same time.

Just recently Francis Chan wrote an article entitled “Why We Need To Throw Out Out The Term Good Christian.” He stated..

I think it’s time we stop asking ourselves the question: “Am I a good Christian?” We live in a time when the term “Christian” has been so diluted that millions of immoral but nice people genuinely consider themselves “good Christians.” We have reduced the idea of a good Christian to someone who believes in Jesus, loves his or her family, and attends church regularly. Others will label you a good Christian even though your life has no semblance to the way Christ spent His days on earth. Perhaps we should start asking the question: “Am I a good Christ?” In other words, do I look anything like Jesus?

He continues,

So how did Jesus live? You could make a list of character traits to compare yourself to, but it would be far more beneficial to simply read through one of the Gospels. After you get a bird’s-eye view of the life of Christ, do the same with your own. Are you comfortable with the similarities and differences?

Those are some powerful questions. And I don’t think this has to be about legalism. I don’t think this has to be about a checklist of things you must do everyday.

1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

I think it’s this exciting idea that it’s now possible, through Christ, for our lives to progressively look more and more like the person we claim to follow.

It’s possible, if we’ll stay connected to the Vine, to begin to think, act, talk, and love more like Jesus.

It’s possible for us to experience the freedom of living life the way we were originally created to live, bearing the image of our Creator.

So which question are you more likely to ask yourself:

Am I a good Christian?

or

Am I a good Christ?