“A CHRISTIAN IS…”

 

1.  Some of the books in my library might be compared to a flashlight.

2.  They are kept close by because they are needed again and again.

3.  One of the books I value is “The New 20th Cent. Encycle. Of Religious. Knowledge.

4.  This book covers a wide range of subjects.

5.  One of the subjects that it covers is Christianity.

     A.  Under the entry labeled Christian, there is a long article.

     B.   This article tells about what the word Christian meant in the past.

6   Later in the article the word Christian, is given a 20th Century meaning.

7.  Here with this book says about the term Christian and our time period.

     A.  “Within the church the term (Christian), BP came to have changing definitions. Modernists

          Movements made the term “Judaism” more a CULTURAL HERITAGE THAN A RELIGION;        THE SAME PROCESS OCCURRED WITHIN CHRISTIANITY {EMPHASIS MINE, BP).

     B.   That fact was seen by conservative Christian leader J. Gresham

     C.     Machen, whose Christianity and Liberalism (1932) warned that there must be limits to the range              of beliefs which can be called “Christian” if the word is to retain any meaning at all.

     D.  If I were to summarize what I have just read I would says this:

8.  Almost, 75 years ago the word Christian was a very broad word.  Seventy five years ago the word

9.  “Christian” included all kinds of groups.  Now the word includes even more religious groups

10 For many, “Christian” is more a cultural heritage than a religion.

11. In light of how the word Christian is used we may rightly ask,

 

I.   ARE ALL THE PEOPLE AND GROUPS THAT CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIAN REALY CHRISTIANS?  WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A CHRISTIAN:  I WANT TO LOOK AT THESE QUESTIONS FROM TWO PERSPECTIVES THE WORLD’S PERSPECTIVE, AND THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE?  (Projector on)

 

     A.  There are people in the world who believe in Jesus Christ.  These believers are considered, by            B.     most, to be Christians.   With some the thinking is, “If you believe in J Christ you’re a Christian.

     C.  Is this right?  Remove first tab from chart.

           1)   In James. 2 we learn a fact or two about belief.  In verse 19 James wrote (Read)

           2)     Demons are capable of belief.  James tells us that they have some beliefs about God.

           3)     James tells us that they have some beliefs about God.  In a little while we will find out that

           4)     They also believe in JC does belief on the part of demons make demons Christians: NO

     D.  From Jas. 2:10 we may draw a conclusion: A person or a demon may believe in Jesus.

     E.   This belief does make the believer a Christian.  All Christians must believe in Jesus.

     F.   Not all believers in Jesus are Christians.  POINT # 2 on the chart.

     G.  The world connects Christianity with confession.  If people confess Jesus, world says: 

     H.  That person is a Christian.  Is this right?  Remove the second tab.

           1)     Mark1:21-27 in the first part of Mark 1, we read about Jesus’ tempts

           2)     Mark 1:14 say; that John was finally taken prisoner.

           3)     Mark 1”16-20 tells how Jesus called some of His apostles.

           4)   I will start reading at vs. 21:  READ vs. 21-27.

     I.    I said that I would prove that demons believe in Jesus.  Mark 1 is proof.

     J.    The described. Demon was aware of Jesus, and He believed in Jesus.

     K.  The demon said; I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.”

     L.   The demon not only believed, He confessed.

           1)     Contrast what you have just heard/read with the world.

           2)     From the world we hear, “If you confess Christ you are a Christian.”

           3)   The Bible says that even the demons confess Christ.  They are certainly not Christians.

     M.  I again must emphasize this point:  To be a Christian, One must confess Christ.

     N.  Not all who confess Christ are Christians.  Next line on the chart

           1)   The world thinks of baptism as primarily a Christian act.

           2)   If one sprinkled, dipped, or has water poured on them they are a  Christian.

           3)   Is the world’s view correct? No.  Lift the appropriate tab.

           4)   The Bible says that there is one baptism, EPH 4”4-5.

           5)   The “mode” of this baptism is immersion.  Col. 2”12 says QUOTE: John: 3:23 shows that                      bible baptism; by immersion’

     O.  Several years ago I experienced what the world calls baptism.  A special Sunday came.

           1)   My father and I were at a religious service.  We went to the front, kneeled before a man              2)     dressed in a robe.  Water was taken from a container that was supposed to be special.

           3)     And water was dribbled on us.  At the time I did not know any better,

           4)   I was like the people who a re described in Acts 19.

     P.   The apostle Paul met some people who had been baptized. These people had been dipped water

     Q.  I have no doubt that the world would have said:  “You’re fine.”

     S.     Christians are baptized; you have been baptized – Christian.”  This was not God’s view.

     T.   Paul was a spokesman for God.  Paul asked about the baptism these people had experienced.        U.  READ vs. 3 of Acts 19. Paul realized that these people had been baptized incorrectly.     

     V.  Thus we read in vs. 5, READ.  Nearly any baptism will cause the world to say “It’s a Christian                    W. From the Bible we see that the world’s standard is not God’s stand.  God instituted one baptism.

           1)   It is a dipping; going underneath the water.  It is to “get into Christ, Gal. 3:27.

           2)     And it is for remission of sins, Acts 2:38.

     X.  Again I repeat the point:  To be a Christian, one must be baptized.

           1)   Not every baptized person is a Christian.

     Y.  There are people in life who are well morale. They are kind, courteous, considerate,

           1)     Pleasant. They do not seem to have any meanness in them.  I keep telling Teresa

           2)     That this describes me.  By the world’s standard, such a person is likely a Christian.

     Z.   What does the Bible say?  If your Bible was open to Acts 19, please flip back to Acts 10.

           1)       Acts 10 tells of Cornelius.  Cornelius lived in Caesarea.  Verse 2 says of this man, READ.

    

     A.     Cornelius is indicated that this soldier was fair.  He was definitely religious.

           1)   It is indicated that this soldier was fair.  He was definitely religious.

           2)   He was, without a doubt, sincere.  He prayed a lot. He gave “alms” to people.

     B.   The world’s current definition for Christian fits Cornelius.  Christianity is connected with:

           1)     Morality, religious activities, Sincerity, prayer, and money.

     C.  This is the world’s view.  What is the Biblical view? Acts 10:5 says that Cornelius was to send for

     D   Peter - READ.  What was Peter to do?  Acts 11:13-14 – READ.  Cornelius was not saved; he was     E    not a Christian.  From NT passages like Acts 10 and 11 we learn that:

           1)     Christians must be well morale.  Not all well morale people are Christians.

           2)     Christians are involved with religion (Christianity).  Christians are to be sincere.

          

           3)   Not all sincere people are Christians.  Christians are to pray and give. Not all givers and                  prayers are Christians.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

     A.  The world has made a mess out of the word CHRISTIAN.

     B.   This word can and does mean almost anything to most people.

     C.  We need to teach everyone we can who a Christian is.

           1)   I was in Boy Scouts for several years. The 1st night I showed up I decided,

           2)   “I want to be an Eagle Scout.  My goal took a lot of time and work.  I made it.

           3)   To be an Eagle Scout, there are conditions to be met.  Unless all the conditions was met,

           4)     One does not attain this rank.  Christianity is very similar.  Only the people who

           5)     Meet God’s conditions are Christians.

     D.     Christians have met all the conditions that are on the screen.  Christians are those who “worship

     E.   in spirit and truth:  In the world, there are people who worship in spirit and error. 

     F.   The world describes such persons as Christians.  God does not.

     G.  Let me try to demonstrate the difference between God’s view and the worlds view.

           1)   Not too many years the world population was estimated at 4.8 billion people.

           2)     This is a round figure.  Estimators also said that there were 1.5 billion Christians.

           3)     These 1.5 billion Christians were Christians, by the world’s standard.

           4)     These 2 numbers say that nearly 1/3 of the world population is Christians.

           5)     One third of the world is a pretty large figure.  Compare this estimate with Jesus words,

           6)     Matthew 7:13-14 READ.  Jesus said “few will be saved.”  The word translated “few”

           7)   a very small amount.  The smallness of few is illustrated very well in Mathew 25.

           8)   In a parable Jesus spoke of a man who received 5 talents.  This man, when His master                  9)     returned, had to talents to show.  Listen (read with me) v. 21A READ.  This is the same world          10) that is used in Matthew 7:  The definition in both passages is the same. Mt:  25 shows that the            11)     world “few” really means few. This word certainly does not correspond with 1/3 of s thing.

     H.  The world wants us to think of many people as Christians.

     I.    God view of the matter is much more restricted.  His view is the only one that counts.

     J.    Only those who fully obey God can truly be called Christians.  Have you obeyed God?