Today
we live in a world where almost anything seems to be defined as
Christian or in the name of Christ. Most in our society still identify
themselves as Christian… yet most also don’t worship God with any
regularity. Most politicians claim to be Christians… That being said, why are we are not the least bit surprised when one of them lies or has an extra marital fling? How can this be?
The Bible uses the term in only 3 places: Acts 11:26, 26:28, and I Peter 4:16. At it’s simplest level, it means a follower of Christ.
What does it mean when you call yourself a Christian, a follower of Christ?
1. You must believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Believing, or even receiving Jesus is not the same as “being” a Christian… but it is a necessary part of the equation. In other words you can believe Jesus is the Son of God and even receive his Word as true and still not be a Christian.
John 1:
10. "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name,
13. who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Look closely at verse 12... believing in and receiving Jesus gives you the right to become a child of God. Many seem to believe that believing and receiving Jesus is far as we go. Jesus has done it all and nothing more is required of you. John obviously didn’t believe this… for the record neither did Jesus. Note one of the most famous mandates in the history of the world!
Mark 16:
15. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
Ok… you must believe and receive Him as your savior but what more? Today many wish to be “secret” Christians. They wish to be quiet about it. Jesus just won’t accept that...
2. There is militancy about true Christianity and Jesus will accept no less.
Matthew 10:
32. "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
33. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
A Christian has an inner peace, but in truly taking on the name of Jesus and declaring that to the world… The Christian joins a war that has been raging with the kingdom of darkness since the dawn of the human race. The darkness does not let go gracefully! Satan will throw everything he has at you to drag you back down to his level.
I John 1:
4. "These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
5. This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and {yet} walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
7. but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
So, I must believe in Jesus as the Son of God. I must declare that to the world and take my place beside Him in the struggle of righteousness. What more?
3. Christianity means making a change of life.
Jesus refers to this in a number of ways but one of them is described as repentance. If you are the same guy after becoming a Christian as you were before… you missed out on something! Are you living your life the same way now as you would have if you had never taken on the name of Jesus? Jesus said…. “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)
It is important for Christians to remind themselves of where they have been, or would have been without Jesus. It helps us all appreciate what we have and what we are now striving for.
Ephesians 2:
11. "Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so- called "Circumcision," {which is} performed in the flesh by human hands--
12. {remember} that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."
There is no hope without Jesus, and Jesus says there is no hope without repentance.
This is a total change in direction. This change begins before we are saved and continues after we are saved. Like the new birth, it is a long running part of the Christian way of life.
Consider I John 2:
3. "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
5. but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:
6. the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
7. Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard."
Christianity is a way of life… The Christian labors toward righteousness. This causes us to catch a lot of flack nowadays. A homosexual recently sued a Bible publisher because the Bible caused him emotional distress!
Repentance, the new birth, a newness of life (all Biblical descriptions) is an essential element of Christianity. If Jesus hasn’t changed you… you haven’t changed!
I John 3:
3. "And everyone who has this hope {fixed} on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness."
Jesus asks what was supposed to be a rhetorical question. In our day it seems to be a debated question. "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6: 46)
I recently had a discussion with a religious leader of our community. He made the comment, “I know the Bible teaches that, but I just don’t buy it.” What is really mind boggling is that an entire congregation knows what he believes and follows him anyway. It is almost as if they don’t believe that this value system won’t infect their children at the deepest levels. This same leader told another, “Our relationship with each other is more important than the truth.” Ultimately what he was saying without meaning to was, “our relationship with each other is more important than our relationship with God!” How many people do you know that claim to be Christians that (deep down) believe this way but would never say it out loud? When people begin to pick and choose what they want from Christianity… what they have found isn’t a new way of life. They have followed that old politician, we know from the garden of Eden… “you shall not die, for God knows that….” This serpent has done business with all of us. “They” replace substance with hype. “They” replace knowledge with ignorance… often a desire not to know. You “vote” by what you choose as your direction/guide in life!
Jesus said…
"If you continue in My word, {then} you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32)
Truth is not all that difficult to find… but you have to want it to keep it. Note that Jesus’ focus was whether or not you would “continue.” Who do we love more, God or man? That is the choice that all of us must ultimately make.
Ok… so we must believe, confess and repent (meaning it and living it). Anything more?
4. You must be baptized… for the forgiveness of your sins.
Romans 6:
3. "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5. For if we have become united with {Him} in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection,"
Compare Paul’s comment above to Jesus’ great commission.
Mark 16:
15. "And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
Obviously, according to the Apostle Paul, this is when and how we crossover from a state of spiritual death to having the gift of eternal life. Much of the New Testament is dealing with how to keep this gift of life… but it is here that we get it.
Peter’s assessment?
Acts 2:
37. "Now when they heard {this,} they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"
38. Peter {said} to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
I Peter 3:
21. "Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22. who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him."
The Bible really is consistent on all this. Man becomes inconsistent. We may fail… the Bible is the Word of God. It is trustworthy. What is a Christian? Would you rather let your local politicians define Christianity… or Jesus?
The answer should be obvious.
Hi I am glad you stopped by our blog. These articles are from an emailing that we did several years ago. Today most of our work is on facebook
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If you wish to worship with us....
Las Vegas church of Christ
709 Dora Celeste
Las Vegas, NM 87701
Our meeting times are
10am Sunday morning for Bible study.
11am Sunday morning for the worship service.
6pm Wednesday evening for Midweek Bible study.
If you wish to contact me...
yakipreacher@gmail.com
Be well
Jerry Blount
