Title: True Christian
Contents
Bible text: Acts 11:25-26
true Christian
Acts 11:25-26
Just as oil has sesame oil and trees have oak trees, so Christians also have true Christians. Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, went to Nathanael and said, "We have found the man whom Moses wrote in the law, and which the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" . Then Philip said, “Come!” said confidently. Jesus saw Nathanael coming with Philip and said, “Behold, this is a true Israelite, and there is no deceit in him. (John 1:45-47) He said that he was a true Israelite. Who is a true Christian? I hope you all become true Christians. I hope that everyone you evangelize will become true Christians. Who are the true Christians?
One who is united with Christ
Those who are united with Christ are true Christians. I have been going to church for a long time, but there were people who were not baptized. When I said that it was like living together and living together without getting married, I said, “I know.” and was baptized. Baptism is like being married to Jesus Christ. Baptism is the rite of becoming one with Christ. It is union with the church community through baptism, union with Christ, death with his death, and unity leading to resurrection with his resurrection. A true Christian is one who is united to Christ just as a married couple becomes one flesh.
“If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and I in God. (1 John 4:15) I have a relationship with the Lord and the Lord abiding in me. Jesus describes his relationship with God like this: “Believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me… I am in the Father and the Father is in me…” (John 14:10-11) If the Lord is in me and I am in the Lord, then I am a true Christian.
“He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17). The union of my spirit and the Spirit of Christ is union with Christ. The true Christian is constantly longing for union with Christ.
Because when I am united with the Lord, I get amazing strength. Unity is power. I am incompetent, but my confidence comes from being united with the Lord. Paul proclaims union with Christ: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? cannot be separated from the love of Christ” (Romans 8:35-37). Union with Christ separates us from the world, separate us from death, condemnation, and weakness.
Jesus compared our relationship with a vine and a branch. “I am the vine and you are the branches; if he is in me and I in him, this man bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, Ask what you want, and it will be done for you” (John 15:5,7) I hope that you will become true Christians who bear fruit in union with the Lord.
Those who learn Christ
Those who learn Jesus Christ are true Christians. The child grows up, goes to school and begins to learn. After playing, learning begins. Commencement means beginning. The way to become a Christian is to graduate from the world and enter the school of God to learn from Christ. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart… … .” (Matthew 11:27-28). With learning, there is progress. When the will to learn is strong, the speed of growth will accelerate and the height of growth will rise.
George Washington, the first president of the United States, known as the founding father and still respected until now, had his parents passed away when he was young. There was a time when I was invited to a meal with my brother, who is four years older than me, from a good family. Before we started eating, we said a prayer of thanks and watched them sit upright and eat. When Washington returned home, he meticulously documented what he had seen there. How to hold a fork, how to use a napkin, how to talk during meals... … . From then on, I tried to learn from people. He learned and became a respected leader. how to speak How will you act? How are you going to get things done? His character and moral qualities made him a respected leader.
Learning is imitating and making your own. After all, those who learn well are good at imitating. In other words, it is an imitation. A Christian is one who learns of Christ and imitates Christ. “Be imitators of me, just as I am imitators of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
A local family went on a trip with their family. Everyone was entrusted with their work, from cooking to cooking. My husband, who went to church but never prayed, was appointed as the prayer service the next morning. He made up a prayer and slept and memorized it. Finally, I prayed for breakfast. “You let me sleep like I was dead last night… … . Thank you for waking me up this morning like a resurrection and eating breakfast… … .” It went well, but I can't remember the ending part. Next to her grunting husband, the wife becomes more nervous and says, “Lord… … . Lord... … .” Makes a groaning sound. After a long period of silence, it ended. “The one who fed 5,000 people with 5 bottles and 2 words prays in his name. Amen.” It was. I hope you will learn Christ and become a true Christian.
A follower of Christ
A true Christian is a follower of Christ. “Follow. means that the military follows the commander. It is to follow orders. The commander is Christ. Also, slaves do what their master tells them to do. Jesus said about the way of discipleship, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 6:24) I hope that you will be true Christians who deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Jesus. .
“And Jesus spoke again, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12) A true Christian is one who follows Jesus and lives in the light. “If we follow Jesus, we will obey the gospel and our path will be bright. This is the Christian song, the confidence of the future.
Peter became a true Christian by following Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “Follow me. I will make you fishers of men.” He said, “It was good to leave the net immediately. (Mark 1:17-18) He did not delay when he followed Jesus. I stopped what I was doing and immediately followed. I left everything and followed him.
Those who follow Jesus are Christians. In front of those who follow, there is one who leads. A leader cannot exist without followers. In baseball, no matter how well a pitcher throws the ball, it is meaningless without a catcher who can catch it properly. The leader we must follow is Christ. “Make the leader successful, and you will be successful.” If I succeed in Jesus Christ, I become a person of Christ. Great leadership and great followership must meet.
We need good follow-up skills. You need to practice and refine your Followership skill. When you join the military, you get terribly trained. It's about learning to obey orders. The word “follower” is derived from the words “to help” and “to support”. The person who follows becomes an indispensable person for the leader. Those who follow big things become great people, and those who follow small things become small people. Be a true Christian by following Christ.
Those who preach Christ
A true Christian is a preacher of Christ. When you tell him to come, he sends you to train those who come to Jesus. It is the Christian who has received the command to evangelize. If someone who cures cancer knows how to cure cancer alone and doesn't publish it, it's a bad person. It is a really bad person to know that Christ is the solver of human death and curses and not to say it. Evangelism is the only way that sinners will not be judged.
Paul speaks to King Agrippa. “King Agrippa, do you believe in the prophets? I know you believe Agrippa said to Paul, "You are trying to persuade me to become a Christian with a few words. “Paul said, “I speak little, but many, but I pray to God that you and all who hear me today, except for these bounds, be like me” (Acts 26:24-29).
A Christian is a preacher of Christ. Evangelism is to preach Christ who has moved from darkness to light and from death to life. Spreading the good news. It's about sharing the Christ Jesus I have. Whether you hear it or not, believe it or not, it is what you preach.
I ask you. Are you a Christian? A Christian is one who has received Christ. Christ is in me and I am in Christ. A Christian is a learner of Christ and an imitator of Him. A follower of Christ, a follower to the end to the end. He is a preacher of Christ. Let's open the door of evangelism through prayer. Let's open the door of evangelism with our body. The Lord values a person's soul more than the whole world. A true Christian is one who rejoices in the preaching of Christ.
“… … .The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (verse 26). They must come to Antioch. There were true Christians in Antioch. Grace was seen in Antioch. A true Christian has a spiritual aspect. The word Christian is used only three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26, 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16). They are so rare.
To become a true Christian, you must cling to the Lord with a strong heart. Barnabas, who is full of the Holy Spirit and faith, is a true Christian. We should all strive to be true Christians. Please do your best to become a true Christian.