What Is A Christian?

What Is a Christian? By Romans

I wasn't sure what to speak on tonight, so I consulted a book that has been for me a gold mine of unlimited riches, The World's Bible Handbook by Robert Boyd. In an article titled “I Am What I Am,” in the section commenting on 1 Corinthians 15,  Mr. Boyd compiles a list that describes what we, as Christians, are. I have titled tonight's Discussion, “What Is A Christian?” I have used most of the headings and Scriptures from the Bible Handbook, but I have also added a few ideas and Verses of my own to round things out. Tonight, we will be looking at what makes us Christian. Speaking for myself, Mr. Boyd has compiled a list that is more thorough and, seeing it all in one place, is more inspiring than anything I have ever seen before. It also serves to powerfully point out the stark difference between how the world writes us off a fools, compared to how God provides for us, and has welcomed us into His Family.

First, we should remember who we were:
Ephesians 2:12: “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Then Verse 19: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

We are forgiven:
We read in Romans 4:7: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

That, my friends, is who we are, [i]Blessed[/i] because we are forgiven.

And, as a result of being forgiven, Paul goes on to tell us in Ephesians 4:32: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

But being forgiven is just the beginning...

We are justified:
Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith...”

We are declared to be righteous:
Romans 3:25: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

We are sanctified (which means, set apart for Holy use):
Hebrews 10:10: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

1 Corinthians 6:11: “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

We are children of God by adoption:
Romans 8:15: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

It is important to point out here that in the Middle East, Abba is an intimate term of endearment. We miss that intimacy in this culture if we don't fully realize that that is how children there say, [i]“Daddy.”[/i] That is how the Almighty God wants us to think of Him! This really struck home powerfully for me when I visited Israel. I was in a crowded street walking through the crowds of both tourists and local residents, when suddenly a happy little boy broke through the crowd and ran to his father calling, “Abba! Abba!” It was then that I realized, as never before, the kind of relationship that God wanted with me.

Ephesians 1:5: “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will...”

We are a new creation:
2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

As children, we are heirs of God, as well as joint-heirs with Christ:
Romans 8:16: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

But, as heirs, [i]what[/i] do we inherit?
Matthew 25:34: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

Revelation 21:7: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

We are members of the Body of Christ:
1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.”

Ephesians 5:29: “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”

We are the Temple of God:
1 Corinthians 3:16: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

1 Corinthians 6:19: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

We are kings and priests:
Revelation 20:6: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

Revelation 22:5: “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

1 Corinthians 4:8: “Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

We are the people of God:
1 Peter 2:10: “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

“Peculiar” is not a word that is usually used as a compliment. But if you hear it in these two other Verses you might be less concerned about it being applied to us, as believers:

We read in Psalms 135:4: “For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.”

And then in Titus 2:14: “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

We are crucified with Christ:
Romans 6:6: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”

Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

We are dead with Christ:
Romans 6:8: “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”

Buried with Christ
Romans 6:4: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:”

Romans 6:6-7: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

And then we are raised with Christ:
Colossians 2:12: “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”

Romans 6:3-8: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”

We are seated in the Heavenlies:
Ephesians 2:5: “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Being a Christian means that we are not of this world:
John 15:19: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

John 17:15: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

We are delivered from this present evil world:
Galatians 1:3: “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”

We are in Christ's Kingdom:
Colossians 1:13: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

We are each a child of light to the lost:
Acts 13:47: “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”

Ephesians 5:8: “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”

We are co-laborers with God:
1 Corinthians 3:9: “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

We are servants of Righteousness:
Romans 6:18: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

We are God's Workmanship:
Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We are like Christ:
1 John 4:17: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

We are at Peace with God:
Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

We are Heaven's Ambassadors:
2 Corinthians 5:20: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

We are empowered witnesses:
Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

We are the salt of the Earth:
Matthew 5:13: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

We are the light of the world:
Matthew 5:14: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

We are highly valued:
Luke 12:6: “... ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Of more value than sparrows? Is that being highly valued? Well, it is when you consider what Jesus said immediately before that: “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?” Yes, we are highly valued.

We are Jesus' disciples:
John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

We are victorious:
1 Corinthians 15:57: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are more than conquerors:
Romans 8:37: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

We are Jesus' friends:
John 15:14: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

We are glorified:
Romans 8:30: “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Who are we?

We are Christians.

We read in Hebrews 3:14: “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end...” Besides being made “partakers of Christ,” we read in 2 Corinthians 2:15: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ...” On another level we are told in Ephesians 4:25: “...for we are members one of another.” The list of positive themes that describe us can supply us with many, many hours of meditation and edification in our spiritual walk. I have never heard any of our detractors ever use any of the adjectives, descriptions and categories that I used, tonight, to describe who and what we are. The world dismisses us as fools believing in fairy tales. They don't have the [i]remotest[/i] idea of the blessings poured out on us by God. But remember, Jesus told us to expect to be resisted and rejected: He said beginning in John 15:18: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.”

But I also hasten to add these words of consolation that Jesus also spoke to us in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Lastly, we are [i]complete[/i] in Christ:
That is such a reassuring and comforting thought: We read in Colossians 2:10: “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Now, if you think I could get through a Discussion without sharing with all of you the comments of Matthew Henry, you are wrong. Regarding our being complete in Christ, Mr. Henry writes: “We have in Him the substance of all the shadows of the ceremonial law. All the defects of it are made up in the gospel of Christ, by his complete sacrifice for sin, and by the revelation of the will of God. To be complete, is to be furnished with all things necessary for salvation. By this one word "complete," is shown that we have in Christ whatever is required. "In him," not when we look to Christ, as though he were distant from us, but we are in him, when, by the power of the Spirit, we have faith wrought in our hearts by the Spirit, and we are united to our Head. The circumcision of the heart, the crucifixion of the flesh, the death and burial to sin and to the world, and the resurrection to newness of life, set forth in baptism, and by faith wrought in our hearts, prove that our sins are forgiven, and that we are fully delivered from the curse of the law. Through Christ, we, who were dead in sins, are quickened. Christ's death was the death of our sins; Christ's resurrection is the quickening of our souls.”

This concludes this Evening's Discussion, “What Is A Christian?”

Romans, January 13th, 2012