A recent survey by Pew Research asked devout Christians to identify the attitudes and behaviors that they believed were essential to being a Christian. Not surprisingly, 97% said that “belief in God” was fundamental to Christian faith.
No kidding.
What’s more surprising is that 3% of Christians think that belief in God is not essential to being a Christian. How bizarre.
After ‘belief in God,’ the answers became increasingly diverse and interesting. Here are some of the top responses amongst devout Christians when asked about the things that are essential to their Christian identity:
- 89% said praying regularly
- 70% said reading the Bible regularly
- 61% said attending religious services
- 47% said serving the church
- 47% said not losing one’s temper
- 43% said dressing modestly
Other ‘essentials’ that featured on the list included being grateful, helping the poor and spending time with your family.
Now don’t get me wrong. There is nothing bad about any of the things that appear on this list. In fact, most, if not all, of these things are good things. However, if you were an outsider looking into Christianity, you could be forgiven for believing that being a Christian means going to church, reading your Bible, praying every day, stamping out a bunch of undesirable behaviors — commonly referred to as sin — being a generally nice person, and wearing a dress that goes down to at least your knees.
What I’ve described here though is not Christianity. It’s what I call “Churchianity,” — more commonly referred to as cultural Christianity. Cultural Christianity is really more about religious activity, habit and external appearance, rather than the true, internal, life-transforming work of Christ in the life of an individual.
I define real Christianity as simply following Christ and his commands.
I know, I know.
Following commands doesn’t sound like much fun. However, when I really take the time to look at the commands of Christ, I realize that following Christ is actually something worth aspiring to — dare I say it — even if you’re not a believer. When I look at what Jesus actually said, it makes me realize again that he really was the preeminent teacher of love, grace and forgiveness and His words are enduring and powerful.
For the record, in the four biographies of Christ — known as the Gospels — there are 49 direct commands from Jesus to his followers. Perhaps, you won’t be surprised to learn that he said nothing about dressing modestly! However, if you really want to follow Jesus, here’s the list of commands you need. This is what Jesus actually said:
1. Turn your life around
The very first word of Jesus in his public life, recorded in Matthew 4:17, was the word “repent,” which literally means to turn your life around and go in an opposite direction. Change your life!
2. Follow my example
In Matthew 4:19 Jesus invites people to follow him and to learn from him how to win the hearts and minds of others. He must have been quite a charismatic figure, because around 120 people dropped everything to do just that, becoming his traveling party over the next three years.
3. Be happy if others put you down
“If someone mocks you for your faith, then be glad,” says Jesus in Matthew 5:11–12. Perhaps he knew what lay in store for his closest group of friends — persecution and ultimately death. In fact, anyone who choses to call themselves a Christian faces some kind of opposition — even if its only of the intellectual kind.
4. Shine!
Jesus said: Let you light shine before all people that they may see your good works and praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16). In other words, become renown for your goodness to others.
5. Reconcile with your enemies
If you rock up to to church and there remember that you are in conflict with another person, go and reconcile with them first. (Matthew 5:23–25). Don’t bother coming to God before you’ve attempted to heal those broken relationships with people.
6. Do not lust
The person who is not your partner is not yours to gawk at. In Matthew 5:28–30 Jesus commands us not to lust after others and, in a moment of hyperbolic wit, commands people to cut off their own hand if it helps them to keep their hand from committing an indecent act.
7. Keep your word
Don’t even bother making promises, says Jesus in Matthew 5:37. Just become so reliable and trustworthy that all you need to say is “yes” and people know that your word is your bond.
8. Turn the other cheek
Personally, I think this is one of the most challenging commands of Jesus. Don’t retaliate. Don’t pay people back for the wrong that they dish out to you. Don’t take revenge. (Matthew 5:39).
9. Go above and beyond
I’m sure we can all think of situations in our workplaces where we have been lumped with tasks we didn’t particularly want to perform. Yet, Jesus says If you get forced to help someone else, then go above and beyond (Matthew 5:41–42).
10. Love your enemies
If there is a point at which Christianity diverges from almost every other belief system in the world, and even the default position of the human heart, then this is it. In Matthew 5:44–46, Jesus tells us to love our enemies. He even has the gall to tell us to pray for them (perhaps because it is more difficult to hate someone if you’re praying for them!)
11. Live generously and graciously
The actual wording of this command, found in Matthew 48 is “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect,” but clearly this is beyond us. The essence of this command though is to aspire to live with the kind of graciousness and generosity espoused by God towards his creation.
12. Don’t show off your generosity
We all know of people (usually celebrities), who make a big fuss over their donations to worthy charities and other causes. Sure, the charity will benefit from the gift, but the giver benefits from the social capital they gain from appearing to be “such a generous person.” On the other hand, Jesus says, when you give to others, do it quietly and without making a fuss. (Matthew 6:1–18).
13. Do things that matter eternally
In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus labels the acquisition of wealth and possessions as ‘short-sighted’ and instead, commands people to invest in things that matter eternally — like other people, for example!
14. Seek God first
Jesus commands us not to be consumed with worry about what we will eat or drink or wear, but to seek God first and to trust him to provide for our needs (Matthew 6:31–33).
15. Don’t judge others
Here is the command that many Christians seem to forget from time to time. In Matthew 7:1–3, Jesus is very clear that those who follow Christ are not to judge others. It’s a shame that Christians have somehow become renown for doing the opposite.
16. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans
Jesus actually commands believers not to share their faith with people who do not wish to hear it. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus says, “Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.”
17. Ask, seek, knock
It is comforting to know that Jesus invites us to come to freely come to God and present our request to him. In Matthew 7:7–8, Jesus says, “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need.”
18. Treat others as you’d like to be treated
Otherwise known as the ‘golden rule’, this is perhaps one of the most famous commands of Jesus. Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7:12). Or, to put it simply: Treat others how you’d like to be treated. Can you imagine how the world would change if we all lived by this principle?
19. Don’t look for shortcuts to God
Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life — to God! — is vigorous and requires total attention (Matthew 7:13–14)
20. Look for character, not charisma
In Matthew 7:15–16, Jesus commands us to be on guard against false teachers and preachers, who smile a lot and who drip with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character instead. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook!
21. Pray for more helpers
God wants to do a lot of good things in the world, but there are so few people who are willing to spend their lives for the betterment of others. Jesus commands us to pray for more people to help! (Matthew 9:37–38).
22. Be wise and inoffensive
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus forewarns his followers that not everyone will be open and receptive to hearing about the Gospel. Therefore, we are commanded to be wise and inoffensive in the way we share out faith.
23. Don’t be afraid
In Matthew 10:28, Jesus commands his followers not to be afraid. He says, “Don’t be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life — body and soul — in his hands.”
24. Listen to God’s voice
In Matthew 11:15 Jesus simply implores those who are listening to carefully consider what he is saying.
25. Cast your burdens onto him
One of my favorite commands of Jesus appears in Matthew 11:28–30. Here Jesus instructs us to lay down our burdens and rest. How good! In fact, it’s so good that I’ll quote it here: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
26. Honor your parents
In Matthew 15:4, Jesus gives a command to which all parents say, “Amen!” Here he instructs us to honor and respect our parents.
27. Beware of performance-based religion
Jesus was very critical of the religious system of the day, which was largely based on rule-keeping as a means to attain salvation. The gate-keepers of this performance-based religion were a group known as the Pharisees and Sadducees, and more than once they bare the brunt of Jesus’s wrath. In Matthew 16:6, Jesus tells us to be nothing like them!
28. Don’t run from suffering
Who would have thought that following a Savior who suffered and died in such a horrific way would somehow lead to an easier life. Yet, it is a commonly accepted misconception. We wrongly believe: “If I am a good person, then things will go well for me.” Not so, says Jesus! Suffering is part of life. In fact, in Luke 9:23–25, Jesus commands us to “Take up our cross,” if we want to be his followers. Don’t run from suffering, but embrace it!
29. Be kind to children
At various times in the Gospels, Jesus’s disciples are seen to try to keep children away from Jesus, because Jesus was — in their opinion — far too busy and important for kids. Yet, in Matthew 18:10, Jesus commands us not to look down on children, but to welcome them.
30. Restore broken relationships
Matthew 18:15–17 is another command along the theme of reconciliation (Jesus seems to make a few of these). Here Jesus lays out a step-by-step guide for handling conflict in a constructive way, in an effort to restore broken relationships.
31. Don’t be greedy
“Be on your guard against any kind of greed,” warns Jesus in Luke 12:15 because, contrary to modern ideals, life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
32. Forgive others
In Matthew 18:21–22, the apostle Peter comes to Jesus and asks him, “How many times should I forgive a person?” to which Jesus responds, “Seventy times seven,” by which Jesus actually meant there should be no limits to how often you forgive someone.
33. Don’t split those who God has brought together
Matthew 19:4–6 is a statement by Jesus on the sanctity of marriage and a verse that is often quoted at wedding ceremonies: “What God has brought together, let no one separate.”
34. Serve others
In Matthew 20:26–28, Jesus establishing a counter-intuitive principle for attaining greatness: “Whoever wants to become great must first make himself a servant.” Jesus goes on to wash the disciples feet — an act that would usually be carried out by a household servant. Imagine that! The Son of God washing the dirty feet of men!
35. Use the church for what it was intended
In Matthew 21, Jesus walks into the temple in Jerusalem and finds it full of money-traders and rip-off-merchants trying to exploit people — many of them poor — who had come, in genuine faith, to worship there. At this, Jesus unleashes an angry tirade, driving out those who were taking advantage of people and loudly declaring, “My house will be a house of prayer for all people!”
36. Don’t doubt
As Jesus heads towards his inevitable death on the cross, his disciples most likely were growing increasingly concerned — even afraid. Jesus encouraged them with the words of Matthew 21:21–22: “Have faith and do not doubt!”
37. Invite in the outcast
Luke 14:12–14 really shows the heart of Jesus for the poor and marginalized. Here he commands his followers: “When you host a dinner or banquet, don’t omly invite your friends, your brothers, your relatives, or your rich neighbors. But, invite the poor, the amputees, the cripples, the blind as well.”
38. Respect authority
When the teachers of the law tried to trick Jesus into saying something that they could use against him, they came to him with a question that they thought was brilliant. Many a politician has stumbled on the question of paying taxes, but Jesus simply replies: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:19–21).
39. Love God
When Jesus was asked to summarize the whole of the law and prophets, he reduced it down to just two simple statements. The first was “Love God.” It doesn’t get much more straight-forward than that! (Matthew 22:37–38).
40. Love others
The second half of Jesus summary of the law and prophets is equally concise. “Love others as you love yourself,” — an echo of the ‘golden rule’ (Matthew 22:39–40).
41. Be ready to go
You never know when your time is up, nor when the world may come to an end. Therefore, Jesus commands us in Matthew 24:42–44 to always be ready to go!
42. Remember me
Jesus shared one final meal with his closest friends in Matthew 26:26–28 and, as death loomed large on the horizon, he instituted a remembrance feast known as the Lord’s Supper. His command was simply, “Remember me!”
43. Start a new life
Jesus command in John 3:5–7 is to “Be born of the Spirit,” which is another reference be being “born again” or to “start a new life in God.”
44. Don’t walk into temptation
When Jesus enters his final hours on earth, he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Knowing that the hour of his arrest is near at hand, and finding his followers falling asleep, he instructs them to “Pray that they do not give in to temptation.” (Matthew 26:41).
45. Care for others
Following his death and resurrection, Jesus has a poignant meeting with his apostle, Peter, on the beach one morning. Knowing that Peter had ultimately denied knowing Christ to protect himself, Jesus reconciles with Peter and then commands him to “Care for his sheep,” John 21:15–16. This was a passing of the baton from Jesus to Peter and the other disciples. Care for the believers after I have departed.
46. Baptize those who believe
Known as the ‘Great Commission,’ Jesus concludes his ministry by commanding his followers to baptize all who believe in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) — a practice that continues to this day. Baptism is a symbolic death to the old life, and a resurrection to a new life in Christ, represented by lowering a person beneath water and then raising them up again.
47. Let God’s power be your strength
Jesus instructs his disciples to be empowered by the promised Holy Spirit in Luke 24:49 — for strength, wisdom and courage.
48. Teach others to live like me
In Matthew 28:20 Jesus give his final instruction to his followers. He tells them to “Form other people in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you” — the very commands that appear here in this article!
49. Keep My Commandments
Finally, Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Yes — the ones in this list!
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Summing it All Up
Why on earth do people want to reduce Jesus’s message down to a sin management program with a side of church attendance, Bible reading, and prayer? Sounds like a drag to me.
When one actually looks at the commands of Christ, you can’t help but notice a few mega-themes: reconciliation and restoring broken relationships, treated people as we would like to be treated, regarding and serving all people — especially the unfortunate, being generous, not judging others and resting and trusting in the goodness of God.
Now that is a religion I can follow.
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This post was previously published on Medium.com.
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