CHRISTians
Have
you considered what a Christian truly is? “And it came to pass, that a whole
year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the
disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26 AV Notice
that it was the disciples who were first called Christians. It wasn’t the
general public who were attending the church, but those who were the teachers,
those who knew the faith and were able to teach the people. Notice also that
they had assembled themselves with the church for a whole year teaching the
converts. Today because a person has attended a church some time or other, they
consider themselves a Christian. The thought behind this is to assure an
inquirer that they are good people who live decent lives as opposed to those
who are obviously a lower sort who drink more than average, and go to the
races. These “Christians” would be surprised to know that they are a far cry
from being what they think they are, even most regular church goers.
Jesus
was called “Master”, meaning teacher, by most of whom He met and ministered to.
Yet, He was rejected by the Scribes and Pharisees of His day, as related in the
following text:
“But I have greater witness than that of
John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works
that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father
himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard
his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in
you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of
me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour
from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come
in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own
name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of
another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think
that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even
Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed
me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye
believe my words?” John 5:36-47 AV Christians are sent by
Jesus to do His work, the work of God in the world to all people.
If we were able to
determine who and how many are true Christians today, we would be quite amazed
and disappointed. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the
prophets. Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew
7:12-14 AV FEW THERE BE THAT FIND
IT!! Why? Because most do not treat others as they would be treated themselves.
This is the law and prophets, “love God with your whole self and love your
neighbors as yourself.” These are the two commandments of our Lord for those
who would be one with Him. This is the fruit of the teachings of Christ, and
only those who bear this fruit can qualify as a Christian.
As
Christians go with this love into the world, teaching the Gospel of Christ,
they are rejected just as Jesus was rejected in the account from John 5 (above)
because the worldly know that they cannot produce this fruit of love without
first submitting their lives to Christ by hearing the Gospel and allowing
themselves to become secondary to those in need, as did Jesus and all true
Christians from Antioch until today. The greatest work of love is the teaching
and preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, yet where are these workers and
teachers of love? Most are in the comfort of the church walls, not in the
highways and byways of their communities where souls are dying and are headed
for Hell.
If
you consider yourself a Christian and are not bearing fruit for the Kingdom of
God personally, you are not a Christian. You may be in training to become a
Christian one day, but until you are born again into the Kingdom and are
actively preaching the Gospel as he commanded, you are not in Christ. Rather,
you are rejecting Him just as the Pharisees did in His day on Earth. This is
sin, pure and simple because it is breaking God’s law.
“Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Galatians
3:24-25 AV Knowing that you are breaking God’s law and are guilty of this
sin, and knowing that there will be no sinners in Heaven because God is
separate from sinners and cannot allow unredeemed sin in His presence, then you
must know that your condition is perilous. The solution is to repent of your
sin and especially this sin of rejecting Christ’s law of love, receive Him,
submit to Him and be committed to His work of Gospel teaching and preaching
where ever you may be at any time of day. Then and only then can you call
yourself a Christian.
WTL Ministry www.wtlministry.org
8/6/2002