Monday, July 18, 2011

What is a Christian?

Written the evening of July 17th 2011.
Wow! I just realized how long ago my last blog was written! Must have been because I took a bit of a break.
So I’m going to tell all you guys a secret. I keep a note book beside my bed and write in it in case of emergencies. When some things dominate my mind, I have to jot it down. Emergency!!
Tonight while I’m lying in my bed, trying to get early shut eye, I think about something, well I think about this alot. What is an actual Christian?
By the way I’m trying to get to bed early because I have to be in the pea patch at 4:45am.
Back to the subject...
The definition of a Christian in a dictionary might be, “a person professing belief in Jesus as Christ or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.” Well that’s a fairly well starting point, but falls short of actually communicating the biblical truth of what it means to be a Christian.
“Christian” is used several times in the New Testament. Followers of Jesus Christ were first called Christians in Antioch, as read in Acts 11:26, because the behavior, activity, and speech were like Christ. In case you might be wondering, “Christian” literally means “follower of Christ.”
But here comes the unfortunate news. Over time the word Christian has lost a great deal of its significance. It is often used of someone who is religious or has high moral values but who may or may not be a follower of Jesus Christ. Across nations people who do not believe and trust in Christ, consider themselves Christians, For the simple reason, they go to church or live in a Christian nation. But this along with good deeds does not make one a Christian. Going to church does not give one the authority to call themselves a Christian, just as making you stand in a garage make you an automobile!
Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
So a Christian is someone who has been born again by God, stated in John 3:3; John 3:7; and Peter 1:23, and has put faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
St. Paul wrote to the Ephasians, “By grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God.”
A true Christian is a person who has put faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ including His death on the cross as payment for sins and resurrection on the third day, John tells us, “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become Children of God.”
The mark of a true Christian is love for others and obedience of God’s word. A true Christian is indeed a child of God, a part of God’s true family, and one who has been given new life in Jesus Christ.
Definitely makes ones thoughts go on and on. Do we measure up to the standards of being called a Christian?

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