How can I be sure that I am not keeping others from coming to Christ?

Q: I have many friends who are not Christians because they say Christians are hypocritical. I do not think of myself this way, but how can I be sure that I am not keeping others from coming to Christ? — D.C.

A: No one who is a Christian is perfect, but there are people who claim to follow Jesus but are far from His teaching. At the same time, it is dangerous for others to let what they perceive as hypocrisy in others divert them from Christ Himself. Christians will sometimes falter in their walk with Christ, but Christ never falters. We must not put our trust in people. The object of our faith is in Christ alone.

Christ never brings disappointment. We grow in Christ not by following other people, but by following God’s Word — the Bible. Understand His teaching and examine His life. We must not get sidetracked with disappointment in others. We must live our lives consistently. This is what He expects us to do as His followers. We must always ask ourselves if our life reflects the things of Christ: His love, joy, and peace.

Jesus Christ is the complete fulfillment, example, and demonstration of perfection, and He tells us to follow Him. While we will never attain perfection in this life, we are told to walk in His footsteps and strive to please Him in everything we do. This is only possible when we stay connected to the Source of all things good. The Bible says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). When a true believer stumbles and sins, God’s Holy Spirit brings conviction and turns the individual to repentance. This is what restores our souls and clears the way for fellowship with Him. We must never put our eyes on people, but on God.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

(c)2021 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.