Shadow Christian

Are you a Christian?

If so, can others recognize it? In Matthew 7:16 we read ''Ye shall know them by their fruits.” James also wrote in his letter that faith without works is dead and that we need to be doers and not only hearers of the Word.

I thought for a long time that this sounded more like work-righteousness: We are only true Christians once we do a lot of good deeds. Whoever has too little on his list is a bad Christian and thus not saved...

What is grace by which we are saved then? Is grace dependent upon good works?

Let's look at it backwards. Jesus died for our sins. Therefore, everyone who believes in Jesus is saved through God's grace. There are no ifs or buts! Only through grace we obtain eternal life – and have already received it.

In today's scripture Jesus says that He is our Light so that we don't have to remain in darkness. He is the Light of God. In John 3:16 we read that God loved us so much that He gave His only beloved Son for us.

Let's return to the question of works. What can a person who is so loved do, other than also to love? When the moon is in the light of the sun, can it do anything other than shine its light? We, as Christians, stand completely in Light and Love. Can we do anything other than shine from sheer love? And what is a greater love than to do good towards our neighbor?

The works is thus not the prerequisite of a good Christian, but the result! Only when we ourselves stand in the Light, are we able to pass this Light onto others. Whoever is still in darkness, whoever has not accepted this love, for him it is difficult to give love to others.

Where there is no love and no Light, there is only darkness, there is no living faith, it is a dead faith. But, God loved us first. When we accept this love in Christ, we are saved and have eternal life. And so, filled with love, it is impossible for us to do anything other than also to love.

Are you standing in this Light – or are you still a shadow Christian?

I wish you a blessed day in His Light of Love.

Rainer Gigerich