Christian

There seem to be a lot of inconsistencies and misconceptions in people
today and from the past that claim to be believers in Jesus Christ. Really
what defines a Christian by biblical standards? Is it plainly one who
professes a belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ? Is it really as simple as
that, or is there more to it? Some would have you believe that because they
were raised Catholic or brought up in a home that attended a Christian
Church of one denomination of sorts, that they are a Christian. There really
is no way on the outside of a person to tell whether they are, or are not a
Christian. The truth lies in a person’s heart, and God knows what’s in there.
We know there are people that do good and bad things in life that call
themselves, Christians. So what makes a person a Christian? Let’s look at
some scripture and try to shed some light on the issue I presented.

Sermon By Rev. Mark E. Vatcher

Being a Christian is not just something we do, but
something Jesus did for us. (Romans 5:8) "But God
commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."

Being a Christian is not intended to make us better people;
It is Jesus that makes us new people. Living a life in Christ
will manifest new and good fruit in our lives. (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."

Being Christian is not just pie in the sky hope when you die,
it is the kingdom of heaven in our hearts. (Luke 17:21)
"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the
kingdom of God is within you."

Being a Christian is not just a Sunday affair. It’s a daily love
affair with Jesus. Follow Gods greatest commandment to us.
(Matthew 22:37) "… Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

Being a Christian does not have to be a heavy burden, Jesus'
burden is light. Jesus said in: (Matthew 11:29-30) "Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light."

Being a Christian is not just the way you live life - it is a gift
in life to be nurtured. (Romans 6:23) "For the wages of sin
is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord."

Being a Christian can not be earned through good works. It’
s a free gift. (Ephesians 4:8-9) "For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Being a Christian is not a new start in life. It is a new life to
start living.(Romans 6:4) "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."

Being a Christian is not about were your from in the world.
It is from above, through Jesus in heaven. (John 3:31) "He
that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is
earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from
heaven is above all."

Being a Christian is not about "arriving" at a place, it's about
"journeying" to a place with Jesus. (Matthew 16:24) "Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

Being a Christian is not a life style; it is living and dying for
Jesus. (Mark 8:35) “For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the
gospel's, the same shall save it.”

Being a Christian is not about being a culture, it is Tran
cultural. (Mark 16:15) "And he said unto them, Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Being a Christian is not a philosophy or outlook on life, its
looking to a living Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2) "Wherefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the
race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Being a Christian is not a form of brain-washing, but the
washing away of sins in Jesus’ blood. (1 John 1:7) "But if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one
with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin."

Being a Christian is not a bunch legalistic do's and don't
bondage that some would have you believe. It is love, life
and liberty through Jesus Christ. (Galatians 5:1) "Stand fast
therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Being a Christian is not something passed down to us
through hereditary. It is an inheritance we receive by faith in
Christ Jesus. (Colossians 1:12) "Giving thanks unto the
Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light."

Being a Christian is not always an easy walk, but it is an
eternally rewarding one. (Matthew 5:10) "Blessed are they
which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven."

Being a Christian is not living in a fairy tale, a myth or fable.
It is a fact its witnesses even died for. (2 Peter 1:16) "For we
have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."

Being a Christian is not something hidden, private or kept
personal, it is something that shows. (Matthew 5:14) "Ye are
the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be
hid."

Being a Christian is not one of many possible religious
options. Jesus is the only way! (John 14:6) "Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me." (1 Timothy 2:5) "For there is
one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus;"

Being a Christian is not denying the reality in life, but
debunking deception and discovering true reality. (Titus 3:
3) "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another."

Being a Christian is not dependent on race, color, sex or
background. All are one in Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) "There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there
is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Being a Christian is not an excuse for our sins or an excuse
to sin, but freedom from servitude to sin. (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."

Being a Christian is not a get rich quick scheme, but
contentment in all situations. (Hebrews 13:5) "Let your
conversation be without covetousness; and be content with
such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee."

Being a Christian is not having all the answers given to you
on a silver platter. It’s receiving Him who has the answers.
(John 6:68) "Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to
whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."

Being a Christian is not a crutch, it’s a life support machine.
(1 John 5:11-12) "And this is the record, that God hath given
to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the
Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not
life."

Being a Christian is not just for looking forward to the life
hereafter, but life in abundance here and now. (John 10:10)
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.”

Being a Christian is not primarily mean going to church,
ceremonies, creeds or conduct. It is Christ in you.
(Colossians 1:27) "To whom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

Being a Christian is not being a member of some form of
religion, it is fulfillment of the promises made to Adam and
Abraham. (John 8:58) "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am."

Being a Christian is not just another momentary emotional
experience we experience, it is a lifetime commitment.
(Matthew 10:22) "And ye shall be hated of all men for my
name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."

Being a Christian is not something you are born into or a
birthright. It is a choice of being born again in spirit. (John 3:
3) "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God."

Being a Christian is not boring, It is peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17) “For the kingdom of God is not
meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Spirit.”

Being a Christian is not in contradiction with science.
Studying Gods creation reveals the creator. (Romans 1:20)
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they
are without excuse:"

Being a Christian is not irrelevant and is not just ancient
history in a book. It is life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)
"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge
of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:"

Being a Christian is not a spectator sport; all Christians are
expected to participate. (Hebrews 12:1) “Wherefore seeing
we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us,”

Being a Christian is not just something you do, it is faith in
Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of
works, lest any man should boast.”

Being a Christian is not just having faith, it is something you
do. (James 2:20) "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead?"

Being a Christian is not about buildings. It's about souls,
"spiritual stones" (1 Peter 2:5) "Ye also, as lively stones, are
built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Being a Christian is not about doctrines and denominations,
it’s a family united by Jesus blood. (Matthew 23:8) "But be
not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and
all ye are brethren." (Romans 12:5) "So we, being many, are
one body in Christ, and every one members one of another"

Being a Christian is not just another institution or
organization. It is a living body. (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."

Being a Christian is not an escape from fear of death, but
faith in conquering death through Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 2:
14) "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh
and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power
of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through
fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Being a Christian is not about getting smart, it’s about
getting a new heart. (Ezekiel 36:26) "A new heart also will I
give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will
take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give
you an heart of flesh."

Being a Christian is not about satisfying you, but self denial
and self sacrifice. (James 1:27) "Pure religion and undefiled
before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted
from the world."

Being a Christian is not a badge you put on your chest, it is
the core of your existence. (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."

Being a Christian is not salvation through observing set
rules and regulations, but faith in Jesus. (Acts 16:31) "And
they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house."

This is just a short list of what kinds of things makeup a Christian. I
know that a lot of us fall short everyday in our Christian walk with the
Lord Jesus. If the decision to be a Christian has already been made for
you in your heart, then I say pray and hold fast to your faith in Christ.
If you haven’t taken that step yet to become a Christian start now with
a heartfelt prayer to Jesus! SALVATION PRAYER! If you’re a
Christian whom feels that you’re not living a life in Christ and want to
begin now please PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS! And get back right with
God. If you are a Christian whom is right with the Lord according to
this brief list I presented then PRAY FOR STEADFASTNESS!
Wherever we are in our Christian walk with the Lord let us continue to
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and may God bless you
all that are in Christ Jesus.