Christian: What it Means to be One

This week I'm studying Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire. He tried converting the entire Empire to Christianity by passing a law that said everyone had to follow the rules of the Church or the would be put to death. Not exactly a good way to get people to look kindly on Christianity.

Being a Christian is much more than just going to church and attending the services. It is more than tithing to the church, or even being baptized. It is thoroughly believing, with your whole being, that God sent his Son Jesus Christ to be the Savior of mankind and take away our sins. You have to believe that Christ's blood has cleansed your soul, and that God will accept you as his child if you repent of your sins and ask Him to lead you on the path of righteousness.

Obeying a law that decrees you to follow the rules the Christians follow is not the same as being an actual Christian. When you merely obey a law that requires you to do that, you are merely stepping through the motions, not actually doing them. I think that the Lord does not like enforced Christianity. When someone is forced to do something, they generally do it with a grudge. The Lord doesn't want you to serve him with a grudge. He wants you to serve Him with all your heart and soul and mind, and love him while you do it.

I don't think America would be the same if everyone were forced to be Christians. A majority of the people would be unhappy about having to worship against their will. Also, it would be against what America was founded for if a law like that were to be passed. America was founded so our forefathers could worship the way they wanted.