Are You Sure, You Are A Christian?

[sleeping-with-god]

I want to throw out a question I posed to my congregation a short time ago. The question is simple: Are you a Christian? Wait just a minute. Don’t be so quick to respond to the question. Think about it for a moment. Think about what is being asked. Think about what a Christian means.

In a recent Bible class with my church we examined the Lord’s Prayer. Each week we focused on a section of the Prayer. In the second week we focused on the phrase “Hallow be Thy Name.” When we utter those words we proclaim, “Holy is the essence or character of God.” In Biblical times it was believed that one’s name reflected the nature of a person. Names still hold significance today. Parents often name their children based on the aspirations they have for them. People sometimes rename themselves because of who they believe they are. Names hold power. They invoke images, thoughts, dreams and expectations.

What does your name mean? I am not talking about your first name, middle name or last name. I am talking about the name that you get from your Savior: Christian. That question might not be as simple as it appears, especially when we examine the word. Many people forget that Christ is a title bestowed upon Jesus (this title in some sense became a name for Jesus). There are some people who believe in Jesus. They believe he was a prophet. They believe he existed during a certain time. They believe he was a reformer and rabbi. Any historian, philosopher or student of religions and sacred texts can believe in Jesus. But that is distinct from believing that Jesus is the Christ. Belief in Jesus and belief in Jesus Christ are not the same.

The Hebrew word Mashiah (translated as Messiah) refers to the anointed one. In Greek this concept is relayed through the word Christos, from which we derived the word Christ. The root word in Christian is Christ, Messiah, or the anointed one. What would happen if we defined the word Christian as one who resembled the Christ or one who was skilled in being like the Chirst? (The suffix ian actually implies a person with skill or expertise i.e. historian, pediatrician, etc.) In other words what if the word Christian was a name that was bestowed upon us not something we automatically receive because of where we go on Sundays (or on Easter, Christmas and Mother’s Day)?

The word Christian is only used three times in the Bible (Acts 11:26, 26:28, 1 Pet 4:16). Maybe we should return to using it more sparingly. What if we defined a Christian as someone like the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of Humanity? A Christian is someone who begins to share in the will and desires of Christ.

Many people are members of the crowd of Christ. We see them wherever there is a big event or show. A good number of people are followers of Christ. They stay in the background and glean what they can. Some are even disciples of Christ. They practice the disciplines of Jesus (meditation, prayer, fasting, etc.) But how many Christians are there? How many people share in the will, desire and character of Christ? Now let me ask you again. Are you sure you are a Christian?

 

[Biblicist]

When I became a believer at 16 this was a question I asked on a number of occasions as did many of my peers but about 2 years later when I was Baptised in the Spirit with speaking in tongues that question went well out the window.

As I believe that a Christian can lose their salvation due to gross sin this would be about the only way that someone could be fooling themselves but in my view this is probably a rarity than anything else. I should point out that there are times when one can certainly feel dry but this does not challenge our knowledge that we are born again of the Spirit of God.

PS. I'm not so sure that this is the best forum for this question.

 

[Pentecostal Boy]

@Biblicist: I'm pretty sure it was more of a thought provoking essay/apologetic work than a technical question. A kind of question to our souls so to speak.

And I can totally relate to this post. In the south people call themselves Christians because it is expected and it means you are a good person. And as much as many of us tend to hate to admit it you can be a good person and NOT be a Christian. We have forgotten that we need to really BELIEVE what we believe just not tell someone who isn't Christian that we believe because a thousands year old book tells us to. But because it has been revealed to us in a relationship, in a desire. Awesome post man!

 

[Biblicist]

Pentecostal Boy,

I agree that the question was probably meant to be merely thought provoking; but for those who are filled with the Spirit with the ability to pray in the Spirit this assurance tends to make the question somewhat redundant.

Having now said this, I am very conscious of the trend within many Pentecostal congregations where we now find those who are essentially only 'Christ-followers' and not Disciples - so for those who merely attend Full Gospel congregations without really understanding the importance of the Spirit in our lives then the question has more than just a bit of relevance.

 

[Pentecostal Boy]

I'm not talking about people in Pentecostal churches vs. any other denomination. It has become a very popular trend in Christianity to have "fire insurance". Having nothing to do one way or the other with what denominational church you attend. The trend has become too widespread in Christianized countries in general, we think that being a good person who says they believe in God is enough. Perhaps it also lends to the fact that we are used to being able to jump from thing to thing in our culture and try to do the same to God, unfortunately.

 

[Biblicist]

Pentecostal Boy

The trend has become too widespread in Christianized countries in general, we think that being a good person who says they believe in God is enough.

I agree with you on this point as there has certainly been a trend across the board to see churches encouraging people to 'join' the church merely as Christ-followers where they follow the teachings of a good man as against the necessity of having to repent and acknowledge our wretchedness - of course very few congregational leaders would dare put it so crudely as I have done but this is what many of them are doing without even realising it.

Sadly this can also affect those believers who have experienced the Spirit of God in his fullness and I would certainly be somewhat foolish to deny otherwise.