Gilmer Free Press
TRUTH OR TRADITION? – Who Is A Christian? #2 #175
Many Things.
Many attitudes and actions are required of a Christian, which in and of themselves does not necessarily make one a Christian, though many seem to think so.
Living In A Christian Nation
doesn’t make one a Christian, though it certainly is a great blessing. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Psalm 33:12) . The United States is rapidly becoming a pagan nation, believing in many gods other than the one revealed in the Christian’s Bible.
Being Born Of Christian Parents
is certainly a great blessing, but doesn’t necessarily make one a Christian. Christian parents are admonished to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) , but being a Christian is a choice each must make.
Being Religious
is certainly characteristic of a Christian, but very few religious people are Christian in the New Testament meaning of the word. Most are on the broad way that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13-14) . Saul of Tarsus was very religious, yet very anti-Christian in the beginning.
Living A Good Moral Life
is a must if one is truly Christian, but that alone does not make one a Christian. Cornelius was a very good moral person, “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway” (Acts 10:2) , yet he was not a Christian until he had called for Peter, who preached Christ unto him and his household, and commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord (Acts 10:48) .
Being Baptized
doesn’t necessarily make one a Christian, though baptism is essential to salvation. Just as Israel was not free from their enemies until after they had crossed the Red Sea, one is not free from their sins until after the waters of baptism (1 Cor. 10:1-2) . Just as Naaman was cleansed from his leprosy by dipping in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:1-14) , one is cleansed from sin during baptism. It is the act of baptism that puts one into Christ (Rom 6:3-6) , and it is in baptism that one puts on Christ (Gal. 3:26-27) . But twelve men in Ephesus had been baptized and were not Christian (Acts 19:1-7) . Ananias and Sapphira, Demas and Diotrephes had all been baptized but their hearts were not right.
Wearing The Name Christian
doesn’t make one a Christian. It’s vitally important to wear the name of Christ, because there is no salvation in any other (Acts 4:12) , but wearing the name doesn’t change what you are inside. You could change your name to Gates, but that will not make you an heir to Bill’s estate.
Attending Services Of The Church
is vital to one’s spiritual growth and health, but that doesn’t make one a Christian. We are admonished not to forsake the assembling of the saints (Heb. 10:25) , but as someone has well said: “Sitting in a church house will not make one a Christian any more than sitting in a chicken house would make one a chicken.”
While all the above are good, and most absolutely essential, all of them together does not necessarily make one a Christian. A person could do and be all the above and still not be a Christian.
Steer Creek Church of Christ, 3466 Rosedale Road, Stumptown WV 25267
Minister: Gene H Miller, 3281 Rosedale Road, Shock WV 26638-8410.
Phone: 304.462.0384 E-Mail: “ghmiller@rtol.net” Web Site: steercreekchurchofchrist.org