Christians Should Be Different

1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”

Why is it that the Christians of the first century were able to do so much damage, in a positive sense, in such a relatively short period of time (Acts 17:6)? And how is it that these first-century believers, without the tools, technology, and media that we utilize today, were still able to radically impact their culture? The short answer is they followed and practiced a radical, non-compromising Christianity that is not known by many in the twenty-first century. When we read about Christianity in New Testament books like Acts, we might classify it as something that was radical, over the top, and perhaps a bit on the extreme side. But to them it would have been nothing less than normal Christian living. They were different. Christians should differ from non-Christians in every realm, not just the religious realm. We should differ from non-Christians not simply because we show up at church on the weekend or attend a midweek Bible study. Rather, we should differ from non-Christians because we conduct our businesses differently, we treat our spouses differently, and we raise our children differently. Our values should be different from those of non-Christians. People need to see this difference in our lives, but all too often, it simply is not happening. If we want to impact our world like the first-century believers did, then we have to get back to the principles they applied. It starts with the Christianity they practiced. Christianity based on the unconditional love of God, great faith, uncompromising word of God, and demonstration of the Spirit and power.