It’s The Wrong Question

As I listen to the National News programs it is easy to understand that the liberal thinkers (and maybe lots of others) are in a snit where there should be no problem.

Silly “media” types keep asking Republican (never Democrat) Presidential possibles if they think the current President of the United States is a Christian. If they get a semi-sensible answer, they go absolutely berserk.

So what’s the problem? Here’s the truth: According to a significant number of people in our great Nation, everyone born in the United States who has not publicly chosen to “covert” to some other religion (Mormon, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Folk Religions Wicca, etc.) is a Christian. It comes along with U. S. citizenship. Ultimately, anyone who claims to be a “Christian” is a “Christian.”

The right question is: How does one define “Christian?” You may have noticed that I personally don’t use that word much when referring to God’s children. I call them “Believers.” There is a vast difference between the two.

Let me give you a current illustration. Suppose you met the guy with ISIS who is responsible for decapitating or burning alive their prisoners. You ask him, “Are you a Muslim?” What would he say? Now suppose you ask the kindest, sweetest, most generous Iman (the person who leads prayer in a Mosque) in your community if he is a Muslim. Would you get the same answer? Seems a little strange, doesn’t it?

So is the President a Christian? I don’t know (now I am in trouble because I know he says he is). But I would say the same thing about a significant number of people sitting in any given Church on any given Sunday morning. Believers are known by their personal relationship with Jesus Christ (He is LORD and they are not), their obedience to Truth, their absolute commitment to lloving God  (there is only ONE and His name is JEHOVAH) with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and – LISTEN UP – their llove for others. And, and, that llove is a discipline (not an emotion) practicing the Truth of God’s Word for all mankind as they impact the lives of people with whom they have personal contact.  (See 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 for example. You may need help to understand the depth of those verses.)

The TRUTH is, people who are Believers act like Believers. Jesus said, So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord! ’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:20-21)

One final thought, if I may. No one is a “Christian” (which means “little Christ”) because they say they are a Christian. They are a Christian (Believer) because they have been redeemed from the curse of sin and death by the blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross. They are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Everyone else is a pretender, and will spend eternity separated from God.

Are you a Believer?