How do I know if I am
really a Christian? According to research, almost 80% of Americans lay claim to
that title. Yet, when we look out into the world and we compare the behaviors
of those claiming to be Christian and those not, we just see little difference
between the groups. Divorce, children being born out of wedlock, addictions of
all types, and many other behaviors that the world exhibits, appear to be just
as prevalent in the Christian as in the world.
Well, we claim, we
might be Christians, but we aren’t perfect yet. Sanctification is the process
of becoming like Christ and it is a life-long work. Yes, I agree, but the
Christian life is more than saying God is changing me and then continuing on as
the rest of the world does.
Let me digress before
discussing change in the Christian. We cannot give due justice to this
conversation until we agree on what being a Christian actually means. We must
define the word.
The Merriam-Webster
dictionary defines the word Christian as “one who professes belief in the
teachings of Jesus Christ.” That seems to be a reasonable definition. Jesus
defines it in a very similar way in John
8:31, saying “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you
abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.” To be a Christian is to abide,
to live and believe in the Word of Christ.
So, if we apply that
definition to the word, then the logical progression in the search to determine
what a Christian is, would be look to the teachings of Jesus and then find out
what His teachings are. What is the Word of Jesus? Any legitimate attempt to do so, requires a
careful look at the Bible, particularly the New Testament, to find out what
Jesus teaches.
Before I go on, I
offer that anyone who claims to be a Christian, but rejects all of the
teachings of the Bible, is not by definition a Christian. Jesus left this earth
over two-thousand years ago, but since then, through archeological science, we
have documents that prove out to be the ancient writings of His day. These
documents were written by those who walked with Jesus in person or directly
knew someone who did. If you reject the canonicity of the Bible, meaning it was
inspired by God’s Holy Spirit as He moved the authors to write it, then you
really have no legitimate reason to call yourself a Christian, because without
the Bible, we have no reason to even believe Jesus existed. So, the first test
we must make in order to determine if we, ourselves, are really a Christian, is
to decide if we believe the Bible is what it claims to be.
Assuming you accept
the Bible as true, if not you might as well stop reading this, then let us now
begin to explore what the teachings of Jesus are, so that we can decide if we
are truly a disciple of His.
The first teaching of
Jesus is possibly the most important test of our belief; the deity of Christ.
Simply put, Jesus claimed to be God. Do we believe that Jesus was God? The
scriptures say He did. No, He didn’t walk around yelling, “I’m God, I’m God”,
like some kind of insane man, but the Gospels certainly demonstrate that He held
claim to being part of the triune nature of God. He was so adamant about this
truth, that He died on the cross because of that claim as we see in the Gospel
of John.
John 10:22-38
At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. "I and the Father are one." The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'? "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father."
At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. "I and the Father are one." The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'? "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father."
The Jews wanted to
stone Jesus because they said He was making Himself out to be God. Under threat
of death, Jesus refuses to dispute this claim.
Another bold claim of
His deity, as well as claim to being eternal, is found in John 8:57-59,
“So the Jews said to
him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus
said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So
they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of
the temple.
Using the phrase,
“before Abraham, I am”, was a reference to God telling Moses to tell the people
that “I AM” sent him, as we see in Exodus, chapter three, which is one of God’s
names for Himself. The Jews understood Jesus was claiming to not just be from
God, but to be God. Again, Jesus makes this claim under threat of death.
The Bible is replete
with many references to the claim of Jesus to be deity. Please, do your own
study of the scriptures. But here are just a few verses that tell us Jesus is
God.
Titus 2:13
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
2 Peter 1:1
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Romans 9:5
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Jesus claimed to be
deity and the other writers of the Bible agree. This is the first test of our
Christianity, believing Jesus is God. This is why we refuse to accept the
claims of other groups such as the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses, that they
too, are Christians. They deny the deity of Christ, which means they deny the
teachings of Jesus, Himself.
How about you? Do you
believe the truth of the scriptures and follow the teachings of Christ?
More to come next
time as we continue to answer the question, Am I a Christian?
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