THE REAL CHRISTIAN!

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“…So that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.  This life that I live now, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.”
Galatians 2:20 (Good News)

Aim
1.  To enlighten believers about the fact that only a surrendered life (to Christ) can ensure success in all endeavours.
2.  To ‘remove blindfolds from the faces of the simple’, so that the elect do not innocently part away from the truth about the identity of a true Christian.

Introduction

“Christian” is a Greek word meaning ‘the follower of Christ,’ where Christ means Saviour.  A believer is one who has confidence or faith in the dictates of a religion or consciousness, and relies on such doctrines for his or her judgments.

A Christian Believer, therefore, is a follower of Christ who has faith in the Bible, owes his or her allegiance, faith, love and life to the LORD Jesus Christ, and solely relies on all His doctrines and commandments for his or her spiritual, physical and social life.

Types Of Christians

Scholars agree on three basic categories:

1.     BABY CHRISTIAN      Hebrews 5: 12,13.

This category of Christians is often populated with the believers with weak faith.  They usually expect spiritual nourishment – perpetually – from others, since they find it difficult to grow in the things of the Holy Spirit.

They could be fresh believers, old faithfuls or even Church leaders.  The keynote here is, “the length of time spent in the fellowship does not determine the level of knowledge acquired, maturity developed, or understanding of Spiritual values”.  Most people in this category are often conservative with natural Church matters.  They are contented with their positions.

They know of God’s omnipotence, but they are too simple to move in His power – being too casual with the basic disciplines of Christian life.

2.    CARNAL CHRISTIAN     Galatians 3: 1-12.

They are religious.  Their legalism often robs them of the appreciation of the real substance of Christian faith.  The hypocrites, faultfinders and the holier-than-thou people in the faith often belong to this group.

They know the Holy Spirit and often move in his power.  They often possess the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but also allow pride, human wisdom or laid-down rules of Man to becloud their reasoning.  Hence, the works of the flesh (Gal.5: 19) would hinder them from fully operating in God’s anointing, or enjoyment of the benefits meant for the sought-out believers.

3. SPIRITUAL BELIEVERS. Galatians 3: 25-26.
These are the true Christians.  They have spiritual adoption of God by faith.  They are under the dispensation of (new covenant) brought by Christ – The Dispensation Of Grace.  They have, at one time or the other, given the full charge of their lives to Jesus Christ – to be their Lord and master – and have remained in the faith!

People in this category are no more ruled by the taskmaster – the law.  For the grace of God keeps them from sins as they stay in faith, and yield to the dictates of the Holy Spirit of God at all times!

• General Caution
Over-attachment to pre-conceived DOs and DONTs seal the believer’s heart from discerning the unique direction from the Holy Spirit.  That is religiosity, not Christianity. Hence, in Christianity, we yield our all to the Holy Spirit for us to earn the accolade ‘spiritual believer’ or ‘Christian’.
However, it is not by power, might, or ability.  We need to pray for the divine grace, shunning all appearances of sin.  As individuals, we must yield ourselves to God’s correction and directives.  Obedience to God is the greater wisdom than human ingenuity.

Who A Christian is not?

1.  A NOMINAL CHURCH-GOER
To show some fake holiness, some people religiously go to Church.  Their hearts criticize whatever is being preached.  When they hear some obvious truths, they pretend to be deeply touched, but do not change their wrong attitudes.  They often develop to become teachers or leaders.  But they are guideposts, unable and unwilling to practice what they preach (Matthew 5: 20)

2.  A SELF-RIGHTEOUS PERSON.
They are pious.  They are morally, socially and physically exemplary in conduct.  They usually know all the norms of the Church and – like Miriam, Moses’ elder sister – would be bold to criticize priestly conducts… But, having considered themselves righteous by their works, they often dismiss the need to give one’s life to Christ. (Read Isaiah 64: 6-7)  Know that sin is universal… And, that without Christ, everyone is a spiritual destitute. John 3: 3,5 tells, all of us in this category, what we must do: “You must be born again!”

3.  A PERSON LINKED TO GOD/CHRIST ONLY BY NAME.
I am Michael.  She is Judith.  The LORD is called Emmanuel, just like you.  My father’s name is Michael (Senior) and your mother’s name is Mary, married to one Joseph… All the names in the Bible cannot bring anyone into the kingdom of God.  Our lineage of Christian background, or exemplary good works (without allegiance to the Lordship of Jesus) can never buy us a place in heaven!  WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!  And salvation is neither by birth, baptism, circumcision, nor by the adoption of a Christian name.

4. A PERSON WITH A STRONG MENTAL LOVE.
There are some wonderful pious people who had never seen anything wrong with spiritism, occultism, or other religious cults, which deny the lordship of Jesus Christ… After all, with all their conformity with their tribal culture, they still have strong love for God, and Jesus Christ.  Some of these people could build Churches that they do not attend and donate heavily – in the same breath – to build Mosques or invest in Philanthropic deeds.

John 14: 21 tells us to keep Jesus commandments: This is the only type of love that God knows.  We must give our lives and love first, to Christ.  Then, we shall not fulfil devil’s promises ignorantly.  We would not partake in dead works, which has no divine rewards!

5.  THE INDEPENDENT BELIEVER.
They are those vastly read minds, which have ‘X-rayed’ the Catholicity and have come to the conclusion that ‘It has been polluted’.  So, forsaking the gathering of saints(Heb.10: 25), they now independently study the scriptures, Christian literatures… and are more sacerdotal than the Priests!  They consider themselves to be above Pastoral guidance or help.  Some of them have delved into parapsychology and other scientific knowledge-acquisition that makes man feel wiser, holier and learned than others!

This is the bedrock of religious error. For such people would not reason with the knowledge shared in fellowships, especially at Adult Sunday Schools like this… Read Romans 1:28ff.  If these people have not taken possession of reprobate minds, they would be contented with the simplicity of the Gospel… abiding in Christ, not in their personal assumption of genius.  (Read John 15)

6.  THOSE WHO ARE OVER-DEPENDENT ON MAN. 1 John 2: 27.
Some people refuse to develop their faith – even after being born again.  They are too busy to read the Bible: ‘After all,’ they would say, ‘We hear enough of Bible provisions every Sunday.’  They do not wait on the Holy Spirit, since it is faster for them to seek seers, prophets, or maraud-soothsayers for spiritual guidance at such difficult times… They are like the weeds shaken by the winds.
A person without strong foundation in Christ often backslides to search fora better Church due to trials, or short wilderness experience.

7.  THE RELIGIOUS PERSON.
God has no intention to abolish the laws when He sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ.  But, He said that works are insufficient (Galatians 3: 1-3).  God abhors our religiosity borne out of unrighteousness (Matthew 5: 17-20).  Read Romans 7 at home, please… The Religious Person often embraces the law (which is only a shadow of God’s plan for mankind) and ignores the substance of the law (Which JESUS typifies: Purity, Power and Love)… This kind of righteousness is like that of the Pharisees and Sadducees… It is like filthy rags before God.  Righteousness does not come by legalism. (Galatians 2: 21)

Questions For Discourse
1.        What does Christianity mean to you?  Now, who is the real Christian?
2.        Can you justify – or give your own expression to the prescribed types of Christians in Heb.5: 12-13 and Gal.3: 1-12, 25-26?
3.     One philosopher, Karl Marx said: ‘Religion is the opium of the masses!’ Opium is a substance prepared from Poppy Seeds used to relieve pain, cause sleep, and smoked as a drug to soothe the senses. Do you agree or not?  Discuss.
4.     Would you justify the seven ways of associating with God that does not necessarily make one a Christian?  Defend your point with facts.
5.     Who can recite the Apostles’ Creed?
6.     What is the relationship of the Apostles’ Creed to this Study on The         Real Christian?
7.     What is the first step to SALVATION in relation to becoming the Real Christian?

Conclusion

“Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, …unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus through all ages, world without end.  Amen.”    Ephesians 3: 20-21.

Coming Up, NEXT, in two weeks…
4TH BIBLE STUDY –
SALVATION!