Talking with a friend on the phone the other day, he asked “how do you
spell Christian?” Before I could answer “Just make a cross,” he muttered “I
guess I am one, I should know.” How to spell it or if you are one? The
conversation went on, but it left me thinking, how many think they are
Christians but don’t even know what one is? Mention Jesus in the equation, they
get flustered, “why bring him up?” So one thing I started to consider was all
the myths about being a Christian that are out there, and the misleading of
many. Without Jesus you cannot be a Christian, remember his name is Jesus The
Christ, the messiah. The Jewish people, although the apple of God’s eye denied
him the first time, don’t make the same mistake now, for he will return calling
for his church, those who believe in him to take us home. No Jesus, no
Christianity, they re still waiting, depending on signs. What are you depending
on?
The cults are not Christians, even though the LDS uses Jesus in their name,
their Jesus is not the one of the Bible. Beware, they are misled, the true
Jesus is the son of God. JW’s deny Jesus and his deity, and are going to hell,
a place they don’t believe in. But they are still going, and don’t have to, if
they recognize who Jesus is and turn to him. But what about those that fill
pews in mainline so-called Christian churches each Sunday? They give to the
church faithfully, and outwardly may exhibit godly actions, but without Jesus,
they aren’t. And may get angry or upset when you ask about him. An old boss
once told me “don’t tell me about being a Christian, my family gives 15% to the
church.” How many give to the church, the Bible says give unto God. There is a
difference, you know. Also you are not guaranteed going to heaven, or are a
Christian just because someone in your family is saved. An old biker, a Triumph
mechanic once assured me of his salvation through his wife, she knew Jesus and
he was told God will not break up the family. Truth is, he was by denying
Jesus. We choose our own fate, and depending on anyone else but Jesus to save
you will leave you still lost. So there are a lot of nice people who are being
misled and living a lie, thinking Christianity is one thing, when it is
another. So what is a Christian?
Don’t believe Wikileaks, their take is believing in the Abrahamic covenant,
no mention of Jesus. What does God say in his word, always a good place to
start? Acts gives us three verses to tell us, After teaching men at Antioch,
Barnabas and Paul called them Christians. They adhered to the teaching of the
apostles in thought, word, and deed. Even Agrippa asked Paul “could you even
make me a Christian in such a short time?” Later Peter says do not be ashamed
for suffering for being a Christian. In Titus we get more insight, that Jesus
came not because we were clean, but because the dirt of sin kept us from God.
His coming was merciful. Like Romans says “at just the right time,” and
Ephesians ties it together, we are saved by grace so that none should boast. We
cannot save ourselves! Without Jesus, you cannot or will not be saved, and
cannot be a Christian. But you can become one...
John the beloved tells us that he who does not do the things of God is a
liar, and God is not in him. Whoever claims to be a Christian must live like
Jesus did, walking in the spirit. Something we cannot do on our own, it takes
Jesus. The Old Testament was all about laws and keeping them, or how they kept
us from God when we disobeyed. The New Testament is all about Jesus, and his
grace and mercy, how he sacrificed himself, he became our advocate, and left his
spirit to guide us until the day we go to heaven. So how do we know? God gave
us his spirit, and the fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness,
meekness, long suffering, and self control. From him, not on our own. When we
repent, accept Jesus as our savior and become born again, his spirit resides in
us, and the fruit begins to grow. We cannot do it on our own.....
So Jesus made it easy to become a Christian, just turn to him, but it is
hard to be one. If we try to do it alone. Again with his spirit....we can do
all things in Jesus Christ who strengthens us. But yet we walk around
pronouncing judgments on those who do no meet our criteria, or one of a
denomination. Jesus simply said “believe on me and be saved.” No catechism to
learn, no ceremony, no tests to be found worthy, just believe. He does the
rest. So we can rest, in him. And it starts with us knowing we are a sinner.
Sin is fun or we wouldn’t do it, but it has a price we cannot pay. When we
realize what we are doing is wrong, we will repent, turn from it. When we admit
our sin, and ask Jesus into our heart, we are saved. And the changes
begin...
Our potty mouth is cleaned up. We have a different attitude, we no longer
judge but love. We forgive, a big deal, for without it, we cannot love our
fellow man as we love Jesus. We begin to read our Bibles because we want to,
and by the spirit we begin to understand the things of God. Our old crowd
begins to be less desirable, we want to hang out with other believers, and soon
the world sees something different in us,and about us. We want to be baptized,
a pubic confession of who Jesus is in our lives, not for salvation as some will
tell you, but because Jesus was baptized, and we should be too. As our new walk
in Christ begins, the world sees Jesus in us, we are new creatures in Christ,
behold the old has passed away. And we desire more and more of Jesus every day.
Something no religion or denomination can fill. We all start out as sinners, we
don’t have to die that way. Are you saved?
So how do you spell Christian? J-E-S-U-S! Simple so we can get it, free
so we can afford it. Let the world have its religion and boasting on itself, I
rather boast on Jesus and what he has done in my life. So easy to describe a
blind man given sight by Jesus said when asked about him “all I know is once I
was blind and now I can see.” Believing is seeing, the world missed him the
first time around when they saw him and didn’t recognize him. Don’t make the
same mistake now, as no man is promised tomorrow, and at any moment we can be
called home, individually or by the rapture. Absent in the body, is present
with the Lord....it all happened at the cross, and ended at the empty tomb.
Resurrected, so we can be also. More than a Jesus sticker on your car or a
perfect attendance record at church, he is the way, the truth, and the life. So
how will you know? Don’t worry, you will. Because you will know him. Not
about, but know him personal. No words to describe it, you need to experience
him yourself.
Don’t miss him this time around...
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com