Side stepping the Christian question

     If you were asked if you lived in a particular town, would you tell the truth that you do?  If you were asked if you liked to eat at a particular restaurant, would you admit that?  If you were asked if you were married, would you answer truthfully?  If you were asked if you had a criminal background, would that affect how you responded?  If someone said you were fat, would you be offended or admit the truth?  There are all sorts of questions we are confronted with all the time.  Some are innocent and easy to answer.  Other questions bring up many issues and answering them could bring either joy or grief.  I'd like to say that I've always answered truthfully, didn't sidestep the question or denied the truth.  That wouldn't be the truth and I would be side stepping the import of this blog.  The biggest question for the Christian today (more than ever) is, "Are you a Christian?"  Straight forward question deserving a straight forward answer.  If you answer anything but "Yes", you need to address the situation and get right with God.  I've had people tell me, "I think so." and "Some would say yes." along with "What do you mean by Christian?"  Sometimes there is the "Yes, but..." answer.  The question isn't that hard.  Either you are a Christian or you are not.  Period.  Simple.
     With social pressure on the Christian, there is a tendency to try and appease people.  "We don't want to offend anyone."  Christ offended a lot of people.  Since when is "not making anyone uncomfortable" one of the 10 Commandments?  It's gotten so bad that whole denominations around the world have compromised the Christian defined by Christ to the point that that gospel isn't even recognizable.  Denominations have what Hal Lindsay has termed, "doctrines of demons" that have become the rule over the Bible.  Just for some clarity, anyone who has added to or detracted from the contents of the Bible, has had their name written OUT of the Book of Life.  If anyone can come to the conclusion that they know better than God who created them, they are wrong.  It's not the gospel according to some denomination leader, some cult leader, some self serving televangelist.  It's the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Now how hard is that?  To make it easy on everyone, why don't we just say we are disciples of Jesus Christ.  As disciples of Jesus are we doing what he wants us to do, living the way he wants us to live and admitting to anyone who ask that our hope is found in Jesus Christ alone. 
     Once it's established that you are a Christian and not ashamed to admit that fact, the rest is child's play.  Your faith (and mine) should be a shield against other questions like, "Would you like to go to bed with me?" "Do you want to go out and get drinks?" "Would you steal this for me?"  "Why don't you let loose and enjoy the world?"  There are many others.  Are we living such a life dedicated to Jesus that people automatically say, "Don't ask him/her because they are a Christian."  It's a question of where you stand and where you fall.  Both are your choice.  What are you going to choose?  It's always your choice.