If you want to be a genuine and authentic Christian, say goodbye to these 8 behaviors

I get it.

Walking the Christian walk is not always easy.

You strive to live by Christ’s teachings, to be a beacon of love and kindness in a world that seems to reward the opposite. 

But what do you get in return?

You guessed it…judgment, misunderstanding, and sometimes even isolation.

Many of us struggle with the gap between our intentions and our actions, between who we want to be and who we actually are.

But here’s the thing – it might not be as bad as you think. Sometimes, the problem isn’t that we’re failing, but that we’re holding onto behaviors that are holding us back.

That’s what we’re going to talk about today.

Now, understand this. I don’t want to guilt-trip you into feeling bad about yourself. That’s not the goal here. 

I simply want to shed light on some behaviors that might be hindering your journey to being a genuine and authentic Christian.

You might already know what these are…

…let’s find out.

1) Being judgmental

I’ll start with a confession. I used to be quite judgmental.

I didn’t think I was, of course. I thought I was just discerning, just aware of the ‘truth’. But the reality was that I was quick to point out the speck in my brother’s eye while ignoring the plank in my own.

In my quest to be a good Christian, I ended up becoming a Pharisee, more interested in following rules than in showing love.

The turning point came when a friend pointed it out to me. It was hard to hear, but it was true.

And it changed everything.

Being a genuine and authentic Christian isn’t about judging others but about loving them. It’s not about focusing on their flaws but about helping them see their worth in Christ.

Since then, I’ve been working on it. And trust me, it’s a struggle every day. But it’s worth it.

2) Holding grudges

Have you ever held onto anger or resentment towards someone who hurt you?

I know I have.

A few years ago, someone close to me betrayed my trust. The pain was so deep that I found myself holding onto it, nursing it, letting it fester.

I knew the Bible said to forgive, but I just couldn’t do it.

But here’s what I learned: Holding onto grudges doesn’t hurt the person who wronged you; it hurts you.

It took me a long time to forgive that person truly. But when I did, I felt a weight lifted off my chest.

Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting or pretending that the hurt didn’t happen. It means choosing to let go of the hold that the pain has on you and trusting God to heal your heart.

3) Being hypocritical

It’s been found that the most common perception of Christians by non-Christians is that they’re hypocritical. That’s a tough pill to swallow, right?

In a way, it’s understandable. We often try to present ourselves as ‘perfect’ to the world. We want to be seen as good people, as real Christians. 

But the truth is, we all have our struggles. We all have our moments of weakness.

The problem comes in when we start preaching one thing and living another.

But here’s the thing: Being a Christian doesn’t mean being perfect. It means striving to live like Christ and admitting it when we fall short.

The world doesn’t need perfect Christians. The world needs genuine and authentic Christians, those who are honest about their struggles and rely on God’s grace to overcome them.

4) Not investing in relationships

Sometimes, in our pursuit of becoming better Christians, we can lose sight of what’s truly important – our relationships with others.

We get so caught up in our own journey that we forget to invest in those around us. We forget to show love, to extend grace, to be present.

But one of the greatest commandments Christ gave us was to love our neighbors as ourselves. This isn’t just about being kind and polite. It’s about investing time and energy into building relationships.

It’s about genuinely caring for others, bearing their burdens, and celebrating their victories.

Being a genuine and authentic Christian means loving others deeply and authentically, just as Christ loves us. It’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly fulfilling. And it’s one of the best ways we can reflect Christ’s love to the world around us.

5) Ignoring self-care

Now this one might surprise you. I know it surprised me.

For a long time, I thought being a good Christian meant putting everyone else’s needs before my own. I was constantly serving, constantly giving, to the point where I was completely burnt out.

I thought I was being selfless. But in reality, I was ignoring my own need for self-care.

It took a health scare for me to realize that by neglecting my well-being, I was actually hindering my ability to serve others effectively.

I had to learn the hard way that self-care isn’t selfish. It’s necessary.

God wants us to take care of ourselves so we can be the best version of ourselves for Him and for others. That means eating well, exercising regularly, getting enough rest, and taking time to recharge and connect with God. 

6) Living in fear

Fear is a powerful thing. It can paralyze us, keep us from stepping out in faith, from taking risks for the Kingdom of God.

I’ve seen it in my own life. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of not being good enough. It held me back from sharing my faith, from stepping out to serve in new ways, from fully surrendering my life to Christ.

But here’s the truth: God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

It means trusting in God’s perfect love, which casts out all fear. It’s stepping out in faith, even when it’s uncomfortable or scary.

7) Being complacent

Complacency is an easy trap to fall into. We get comfortable in our faith, in our routines. We stop growing, stop pushing ourselves.

But the Christian journey isn’t meant to be comfortable. It’s meant to be transformative.

In the book of Revelation, the church in Laodicea was rebuked for being lukewarm, for being complacent. They thought they had everything they needed, but they were missing the most important thing – a fervent love for God.

Being a genuine and authentic Christian means constantly seeking to grow in our faith. It means pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones and striving to become more like Christ every day.

8) Ignoring the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is often the forgotten member of the Trinity. We talk about God the Father and Jesus the Son, but we often ignore the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

But the Holy Spirit is vital in our walk with Christ. He convicts us of sin, guides us into truth, comforts us in times of trouble, and empowers us to live godly lives.

Ignoring the Holy Spirit is like trying to drive a car without gasoline. It just won’t work.

Conclusion

Let’s be real. None of us are perfect. We all have behaviors that we need to say goodbye to if we want to be authentic and genuine Christians.

But the good news is that it’s not up to us alone. God is with us every step of the way, helping us to become more like Him.

So don’t lose heart. Keep pressing on, keep striving to be more like Christ. And remember, God’s grace is sufficient for you. His power is made perfect in weakness.

In saying goodbye to these behaviors, we are not just becoming better Christians – we’re becoming better versions of ourselves. And that’s something worth striving for.