What is a Christian?

Three ‘Christians’ go to church each week, one volunteers in the nursery, one is an Elder, the other a member of the choir.  Each has their own story, each continues in their chosen sin unabated.  Which leaves this question?  Is the woman who is having an affair with her best friend’s husband a Christian?  Is the man who sells illegal drugs to pay for his daughter’s education a Christian?  Or what about the man, who divorced his wife because he wasn’t in love with her anymore, is he a Christian? 

What is a Christian?  If you were to ask 100 “Christians” you would get 100 different answers.  I think the reason for that, is partly because we have a lot of anemic, shallow preaching today, which has left the church with a generation of people who think they are Christians but really are not.  These are people who have been told to believe, but they have never been told to repent. They have been promised heaven, but they have never been warned of hell.  They have been told that God wants them to be happy, but they have never heard that God wants them to be holy.  I wonder whether a lot of these people even know what the genuine gospel message is. Recently there was a survey that revealed that 7 in 10 American adults have no clue what John 3:16 means “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (As I have pointed out before believes means to obey, for even the devil believes, yet he is doomed)  

The same study also revealed that barely one-third of all adults know the meaning of the term, "the gospel."  Thus it should not surprise us that the fact is, what is considered as Christianity by many today would not even qualify as such in the first century.  However the Bible is very clear about who is a Christian.  According to the apostle Paul, a Christian is someone who has put his or her faith in Jesus Christ, and Christ alone, as Savior and Lord and God.  A Christian is someone who has turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God “to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.  Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’” Acts 26:18.

It is not for me or you to decide who is a Christian and who is not. That is ultimately up to God.  We are told however that we will recognize them by their fruit.  I do know one thing, what we don't need more of today are 'sort-of Christians'. What we need are 'no-doubt Christians'—people about whom you could say, "There is no doubt in my mind that person is a follower of Jesus Christ."  Could you say that about the three individuals mentioned above, could you say that about those you know, more importantly would they say that about you?  

Easter - The Truth (part 1 of 5)

Okay it is time to put aside all of the other issues, all of the other ideas, thoughts and concerns and address the single most important event in the history of mankind.  This begins the first of a five part series on “Easter the Truth”. each will have a short video to help reach your soul.  The truth of Easter is a story of hope, the promise that people had waited thousands of years for the fulfillment of, and that we today shake our heads in wonder at the terrible, beautiful truth of what God did just so that we might have the choice to be reconciled with Him.  It is a story that God wrote into the heavens at the beginning of time, (and we will look at that in this small series) Odds are that if you are reading this you are not a CEO Christian (Christmas -Easter Only) but if by chance you are, or if you know someone who is, this is the time to stop and take stock of how you are living your life and evaluate it against this one all important fact. 

In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He existed in the beginning with God.  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.   God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.  The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.   John 1:1-11

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ Luke 24:5-7

Really think about the above verses, let it sink into you; let them pull at your heart and your soul.  If you choose not to internalize them, to live your life in gratitude of them, then in your heart and life, Easter is just a day that children believe a rabbit bounces all over the world hiding hard-boiled chicken eggs (really??), and you celebrate it by going out and gorging yourself on more food then most people in the world eat in two weeks time.  If however you believe the truth, but are choosing your way, and not following and doing as He instructed, then the question must be asked “How can you continue in your sins and trespasses (they are not the same, there is a significant difference between them and we will look at the difference another day)?  Is the life you are choosing to live worth the price that Jesus paid for it?  

Go back and read those verses again and again… This Easter are you going to celebrate and worship our Lord (A job description not a name) and Savior for the amazing grace and love that he pours out into the world,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 

 Or are you going to go hunting for chicken eggs, left by a rabbit? 

It all begins with waiting, waiting for Him. 

Next Post - Easter (Part 2 of 5)

Someone Worth Dying For

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you have already figured out that rarely will I pull a punch.  I do not attempt to soften the blow, I deliver the truth - point blank, it is part my personality, but more it is because too many who call themselves Christians will not. Too many just want to be liked, they want to be tolerant, understanding, they want to be popular. 

This post is no difference, I will not pull my punch or soften the blow, here is the simple truth… You do not have to look very deep into the pages of the bible to realize that those who choose God’s way often are not the most popular people around, that applies to Jesus himself.  Rather what you find is a book filled with wicked and sinful people, that regardless of how much God does, their very nature is to turn from the light and embrace the dark.  Nothing has changed, we are the same.   

This is why so many people have such a difficult time truly understanding John 3:16.  How could God so love someone like me that He would send his only son to die a horrible death in my place?  How could Jesus think I was worth going through all that he had to? No maybe others, but not me, I am not worth it….. That is what we tell ourselves.   

When the truth is: God loves you so much that he sent His son to die for YOU, that you are someone worth dying for.   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16 (believe means to obey, to follow, it is not just an intellectual acceptance of an idea, but it begins with accepting the idea).

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:6-7

Five points of Christianity

You have Christianity wrong if do not understand and have not internalized these 5 points.
 

                        1.    God can not be Loving -  without being Just 

2.    There is no forgiveness without repentance.

3.    There is no salvation without surrender.

                        4.    There is no life without death.

5.    There is no believing without following.

Most who fill our churches today want the benefits of Jesus, but are not interested in the sacrifices; they want Heaven but are unwilling to bear the cross.  They want a free ride.  We memorize John 3:16, but ignore John 9:23

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.   John 3:16

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  John 9:23

Are you doing it His way?  Or have you put a whole new spin on it - “if it feels good do it” otherwise know as doing it your way; and one day when you kneel before God is it your plan to simply proclaim “But I was just doing what made me happy.” 

Twenty times in the New Testament, Jesus issued a compelling and challenging invitation: “Follow Me.”   John 6 tells of Jesus at the height of His popularity, feeding 5,000 men plus women and children (to put that in context: this crowd was nearly as large as was the capacity of the largest theaters in the major cities of that time), afterwards knowing their hearts He left to cross to the other side of Lake Capernaum, the crowd followed not because of who He was, but because they wanted free food. On the other side, Jesus delivered hard words to the crowd and to the disciples - after which “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” John 6:66    

Jesus did not chase after them, Jesus did not try to appease them with entertainment, trinkets or donuts and ice cream, Jesus did not try to please the majority, Jesus did not make his teachings softer, in fact Jesus ratcheted up his teachings.  Jesus came to sift the wheat from the chafe.   Jesus is NOT looking for fans... He's looking for followers.

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!   So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot  nor  cold —I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:14-16

Are you a Christian? Or just one of the many fans who are okay with following Jesus when it is easy - when it feels good, or when you want to be forgiven (without actually repenting) all of which sounds like free food to me; but are unwilling to press on in difficult times, to do what God says to do, instead of what you want to do; unwilling to internalize:

                        1.    God can not be Loving -  without being Just 

2.    There is no forgiveness without repentance.

3.    There is no salvation without surrender.

                   4.    There is no life without death.

5.    There is no believing without following.

It's time to decide if you are okay with being lukewarm.