Christian Lifestyle

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948), later known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, in the town of Porbandar in Western India.

“Employing nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence [from the British Empire] and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.” Without denying his Hindu convictions, Gandhi claimed to believe “in the fundamental truth of all great religions of the world” and had a special admiration for Jesus Christ and His teachings. But Gandhi saw a major lifestyle contrast between Christ and Christianity. The great Hindu leader stated, “The message of Jesus as I understand it, is contained in the Sermon on the Mount unadulterated and taken as a whole... If then I had to face only the Sermon on the Mount and my own interpretation of it, I should not hesitate to say, ‘Oh, yes, I am a Christian.’... But... much of what passes as Christianity is a negation of the Sermon on the Mount.” And he added, “All of you Christians, missionaries and all, must begin to live more like Jesus Christ... Practice your religion without adulterating it or toning it down.” Regrettably, many professed Christians do not try to imitate Christ and live a Christian lifestyle. Some are conscious of their own weaknesses and even state, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Others try to calm their consciences and justify their personal lifestyles saying, “It’s not what’s on the outside but what’s on the inside that counts.” Instead of helping others grow and mature, some people choose to affirm them at their low standard, saying, “You are who you are, and that’s all you should ever want to be.” We should avoid judging people by the color of their skin, their physical appearance, their accent, or other superficial matters, for, as the saying goes, “no beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart.” But this should never be used as an excuse for lowering our standards.

We may have the best intentions, but people evaluate us —and the transforming power of our religion— by the way we dress, by what we eat and drink, and by our family and social behavior. So, Christ’s appeal to us today is, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).