Real Christians are people who profess to follow Christ with their lives, not just their lips. Their lives are great testimonies of God's goodness, and they live to obey the great commission that the Lord Jesus Himself gave, saying:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20)
Driving People Away From Christ
One great irony, however, is that many who are commanded to bring the love of God in Christ to people fail to do it. Instead of letting people see the great love of God demonstrated in the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, these people show the opposite: that they are the ones who need more of God's love compared to those who don't know Him yet.
I've written this article in the hopes of helping you, dear reader, avoid the mistakes that many Christians do that drive unbelievers away from Christ. It's God's desire for all men to be saved (see 1 Timothy 2:4), and it's our role to bring the message of God's salvation to all men through our lips, hands, and lives.
3 Things We Do That Drive Unbelievers Away From Christ
Here are some actions that will drive away unbelievers from the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Being 'Un-Christ-Like'
Christ-likeness, which should be the goal and pursuit of every Christian as according to God's will (see Romans 8:28-29), is a very important thing. I'm pretty sure you've heard of some who leave the church because of the apparent "hypocrisy" by other church leaders and people – this hypocrisy stemming from failing to "walk the talk."
We cannot preach the Gospel of such a loving Saviour and then live like we don't know Him. We can't profess to be a Christian or Christ-follower and then live like we're sons of the devil. Such hypocrisy drives people, including believers, away from the Lord we profess.
2. Being Like The World Itself
We cannot say we love God and then act like the very people that hate Him. James 4:4 tells us,
"You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
If we dress up, talk like, and behave like people who don't know Christ and have repented of our sins, the sins that He bore for us, what makes us different from the unbelieving?
3. Not Loving Others
"The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people, able to teach, patient, in gentleness instructing those in opposition." (2 Timothy 2:24-25)
The Bible is chock-full of instruction regarding the importance of love for our brothers and sisters. Yes, we're told to preach the Gospel to those outside the church because God loves them and wants them to be saved, but we're also commanded to love each other as the sign of real and genuine Christianity.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)
