In “Part I,” we succinctly covered what a Christian is: a person who is reconciled to God by grace alone. In this installment we will cover what a Christian isn’t.
Generally, two parts must be considered with regards to what a Christian is: God’s part (grace), man’s part (faith). Often a third part comes into play: man’s actions (works). We often get really hung up on man’s actions or behavior. We see with our eyes what man does (works) and we jump to conclusions about …some might say “we judge”…what is or isn’t in his heart (faith). Here’s where we segue over to what a Christian isn’t.
First, there are two versions of this question: what is not a Christian; what is a Christian not? The former is answered when we examine our findings from part I; a person who is not reconciled to God by grace alone. Simple. The answer to the latter is not so simple. Similar to the issue of what a Christian is, it breaks down into God’s part and man’s part, but gets hung up on man’s works.
Why do we get so hung up on works? Why are we always trying to label behavior as Christian or non-Christian? We see with our eyes man’s works, and we judge his heart…his faith. We are not to judge. We are not Judge.
Notice, I did not say “Christians are not judge.” “We” throughout the paragraph above refers to all of mankind: God is the judge of us all (even those who don’t believe He is). God loves us all equally and will judge us all wisely, justly, and perfectly by the same standard according to His grace. If a person is reconciled to God by grace alone, they will freely submit their life to His holy judgment and in the time of judgment when all of mankind will submit (for He is God), they will be saved; that person is a Christian.
Only God can see past the works and into the heart; God knows…and only God knows. Maybe that’s why the real answers to questions about Christians come from God, and they reveal more about God than man.
May the Lord reveal more of His holiness to me and through me; for His glory. Amen.
Friday, July 13, 2007
What Is A Christian? (Part II)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
that is a very plain explanation: a person who is not a christian is someone who is not saved by grace. a christian is not judge. is that it? can you go further and say a christian is not a murderer? not really, i guess. a christian is not a...is that it? a christian is not judge? can it really be summed up in so simple a sentence? as a murderer you can be saved by grace and become a christian. it's so simple. but i still find it hard to wrap my brain around it. if it's so simple as "a christian is save by grace and a christian is not judge" then why are we insructed in the bible to let our fellow christians know when they are walking the wrong path? we know it's the wrong path from what we read in the bible but it's always "judgement" to be the determining brain about your brother's path. but, i am not judge.
I’m reminded of an old joke: Two cars are barreling down the highway on opposite sides of the median. The driver of the car on the correct side of the median rolls down his window and yells, “you’re going the wrong way.” The driver of the car on the incorrect side of the median ignores the well-meaning warning and turns to his passenger and says, “How arrogant, he doesn’t even know where we’re going.”
When my wife and I are driving to an agreed upon destination (in the same car or as a caravan), if I deviate from the route and she recognizes it, why wouldn’t she tell me? Unlike the comically tragic scene above, she knows where I desire and intend to go; she would not be judging me by merely pointing out that I am no longer traveling the route I had indicated I desired and intended to travel.
As fellow believers, we have indicated a mutual desire and intent to travel to the same location (namely, a location that can only be reached via one specific route), and we are obligated to support (not judge) one another through the journey.
Another point that may have been missed is that the Christ said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself (2nd great commandment).” Do you want your neighbors to jump to conclusions about you, or to judge you?
Post a Comment