Falling Short but Striving: The Authentic Christian Journey

Sat, September 20, 2025 I by Ryan

Even when we make mistakes, genuinely striving to follow Jesus daily separates true transformation from mere religious labels.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: every Christian falls short. None of us perfectly live out the life that Scripture describes. Being a Christian means having faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, believing in His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins, and striving daily to follow His teachings and the perfect example He set.

Stumbling with a Heart of Repentance

Most of us strive toward that holy life. We stumble, we fail, but we don’t do it intentionally. We sincerely repent and move forward because our hearts truly desire to please God.

But there are also those who wear the name “Christian” without actually living the life. For them, Christianity becomes something they keep tucked away in a portfolio, hoping to pull it out only when they reach the pearly gates. They live exactly how they want to live, with no genuine change of heart and no real pursuit of Christ.

The absolute truth is, sin lives in all of us, but the massive difference is in our personal response:

The Great Contradiction of Faith

Intentionally living in sin while wearing the name of Christ is one of the greatest contradictions of faith. Jesus warned us that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom, but only those who do the will of His Father (Matthew 7:21).

Matthew 7:21 clearly states:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

True faith requires action. It demands a continuous effort to align our brokenness with His grace. We will never achieve human perfection on this earth, but our continuous pursuit of striving to follow Jesus daily proves the authenticity of our spiritual walk.