Pastor’s Desk

From Pastor's Desk

Beloved
I welcome you to our site in Jesus name.  It is my pleasure to pass to you the common question that a lot of people debate about.

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

The questions are often asked, “Who is a Christian? How do I know a Christian if I meet one? Does Matthew, Luke, or John pass for a Christian? Is everyone who raises up his hand in response to a preacher’s call to repentance a Christian? Does everyone who passes through the church isle to the altar pass for a Christian? Are all those in church pews during church services Christians? Who is a Christian? Finally you may ask, “Am I a Christian?”

A soul winner on evangelism met a drunk drifting down a lane. In his attempt to help him discover the true purpose of living’ he asked, “Are you a Christian?” The answer came quick and sharp “What do you think I am? A Pagan?” This is a pitiful point.

A brilliant preacher full of energy and zeal got the pass mark of his congregation. But his life at home showed a pattern of pride and jealousy found in the fallen angel – Lucifer.
A gifted and talented lady-soloist sings like an angel and prays like a prophet but she talks and acts with thunder and volcano in her voice. Her red-hot temper, contentiousness and confusion are marks of her presence at home or at work. Are these Christians? A ‘Niagara’ of stormy words is an indication of the absence of Christ in the heart.

Being a Christian is not a new label: It is a new life. The word ‘Christian’ first occurred in the New Testament. It was not in the Old Testament. “The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts11: 26). From the first use of a word, the true meaning and significance of the word become clear. Disciples were called Christians.
‘Disciple’ is a prominent word in the New Testament. It did not have any place in the Jewish Religion. One of the disciples in Antioch referred to as a Christian was in Jewish religion (Galatians 1:13) before he became a Christian. Living by the Mosiac code of “ordinance, touch not, taste not, handle not,” the ceremonial washing in holy water is ignorance of true discipleship and Christianity. Christianity centres on Jesus Christ – His love, life and light.
A Christian therefore is the person who lives the life of Christ as revealed in the New Testament.

The New Testament opens with Jesus Christ who saves from sin (Matthew 1:21) and closes with Jesus Christ, the King who will come quickly – Revelation 22:20. Christ died to make you a Christian. He did not have to die to make us a churchgoer; we can do that on our own. But we cannot overcome sin in our natural human nature. Christ died to suffer for us-through Christ’s merit. If we confess our sins and ask for pardon and grace we will be forgiven.

Peace and joy will come into our heart. We will never be the same again. Christ died to make us live – through definite faith in His precious Blood; our heart and life are changed. Christ died to reconcile us to God. Through His meritorious sacrifice, a love relationship is established between us and God. Christ died to give us a new heart and life like His. We can only enjoy a new heart at the expense of another.

The Christian life radiates the beauty of Christ’s lifestyle – humility, obedience, love, integrity and newness of life. We should check up if we are a Christian. If not, why not? “Be not deceived: God is not mocked: For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Remember that “not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.”

We can decide to confess our sins to God today and repent – make a wholehearted change of life. Ask for pardon from God in the Name of Jesus, the only one Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Believe God for His mercy. Changed and transformed, begin to live a Christian life.

Conversion is one of the greatest experiences we can ever have. Most people would love to experience it if they knew how rich and blessed it is, and how easily one can be converted. It is such a wonderful thing that none should fear being converted. In fact, all should desire it. Pagans, Muslims, atheists, and nominal churchgoers would find satisfaction, joy, peace and pleasure in a sound experience of conversion.

HOW TO HAVE THIS ENRICHING EXPERIENCE.
1. We should Recognize, accept and confess that we are sinners and hopelessly lost without God (Romans 3:12,23). That should not take long for us to accept. If we are sincere, we will realise that we have, on several occasions seen ourself in wrong moods, feelings, desires, motives, actions, etc. We have all been sinners. And between us and God we accept and confess ourself lost.

2. We should Accept and believe the good news that God sent Jesus Christ to take our place, die in our stead, and pay the full penalty for our own sins (Romans 5:8). He also was buried, but He resurrected, and is alive forever to be our Advocate before God (1Corinthians 15:1-5; 1 John 2:1,2; Hebrews 7:25).

3. Now we should rely on God’s promises, not upon our own feelings or theories. Only sincerely confess our sins, promising God to live right and believe we are forgiven according to His Promise (John 3:16; Romans 3:25; Ephesians 2:8,9; 1 John 1:9).

4. We should Declare and realize that we are saved by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and the gospel, and that we are forgiven by God and cleansed from all sins because we have met the conditions of God which are:
(a) proper faith
(b) confessions of sins
(c) repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ.
What has happened to us now is known as conversion or salvation or the New-Birth experience. Our life will now be new. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

How to live the Christian life.

1. We should Believe the gospel and the entire Word of God at all times, and WALK IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD AS YOU RECEIVE IT John 1:7.

2. We should Walk by faith in newness of life not by feelings or what our sight or environments suggest to us; “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH” Hebrews 10:38,23.

3. WE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE DAILY. Meditate on it day and night to feed and nurture the spiritual life (Psalm 1:1-3;

119:105; 1 Peter 2:2).

4. WE SHOULD PRAY TO GOD DAILY as our heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Cast all our cares upon Him, for He careth for us (John 16:23-26; Philippians 4:5,6; 1Peter 5:7).

5. We should Keep our mind stayed upon God (Isaiah 26:3). GROW IN GRACE DAILY (Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:4-11).

6. We should Recognize at all times our own weakness as well as God’s strength and keeping power. FAITH IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD (1 Corinthians 10:12,13; 1Peter 1:5; 1John 5:1-4).

7. WE SHOULD AVOID TEMPTATIONS AND SHUN EVIL COMPANIONS. RESIST SIN AND SATAN. Make friends with God’s people who understand and also have this same experience of conversion and endeavor to be a blessing to them and all others (Psalm 1; Proverbs 1:10-16; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8,9; Romans12; 1 Corinthians 13; Colossians 3:5-10).

8. WE SHOULD JOIN THE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD so that we can be helped to grow in this new Spiritual life. We should Make sure we join a Church that can assist us to live a victorious, holy life, and make us best for God (Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 28:19,20; Hebrews 13:17,7; James 5:14).

9. WE SHOULD CONFESS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FREQUENTLY AND DAILY AS OUR PERSONAL

SAVIOUR. Matthew 10:32.
We should be Be busy at winning souls to Christ as we have been won to Christ. We should be occupied in “turning many to righteousness” at every opportunity, wherever we are (Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3; Mark 16:15).
All the joy and the victory of Resurrection will be your portion In Jesus name.