"And Agrippa
said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest
fain make me a Christian" (Acts 26:28).
Let us say at the
outset that we are using the word "Christian"
strictly according to what is found in the New Testament,
and it is assumed that this will be accepted. Our enquiry
will take the form firstly of a process of elimination,
and we shall observe
What
a Christian is Not
(1) To become a
Christian is not to become 'religious', or to adopt a new
'religion'.
Among non-Christian
peoples, a turning to Christ is often referred to as
'accepting Christianity', and in what are called
Christian countries conversion is frequently referred to
as 'becoming religious'. Such expressions, with their
associated ideas, are altogether inadequate and indeed
fundamentally false. There was no more religious man on
the earth, in his time, than Saul of Tarsus. Read what he
says of himself in Acts 22 and 26, and Philippians 3.
Here was a man who was just aflame with religious zeal
and passion. No argument is necessary, with history
before us, to prove how wide of the mark religion can be.
And that is true of
'Christianity', when it is merely a matter of religion.
To be a true Christian is not to accept a creed or
statement of doctrine, to observe certain rites and
ordinances, attend certain services and functions, and
conform more or less diligently to a prescribed manner of
life. All this may be carried very far, with very many
good works; but those concerned may still be outside the
true New Testament category of 'Christian'. Herein lies
the danger of an assumed acceptance with God, which may
bring that bitter disillusionment foretold by our Lord
Himself in those startling words: "Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not... by thy name do
many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I
never knew you: depart from me (Matt. 7:23,24).
No, religion is not
Christianity, either more or less; it may be only a
deception. So that when we seek that people should become
Christians, we are not asking them to change their
religion, nor are we asking them to become religious.
Religion, as such, has never made this world happier or
better.
(2) To become a
Christian is not to join an institution called
'The Church'.
If the truth were
known, there is no such thing as 'joining' the Christian
Church. We never took any steps, either of word or deed,
in order to get our limbs to become members of our
bodies. There is no distinction between our members and
our bodies - our members comprise our bodies; but they do
so, not by organization, invitation, examination,
interrogation or catechism, but simply by life. So, in
the Church of Christ, provided that a true
life-relationship exists, a 'membership' in the technical
sense is a superfluity, and may be a menace. If there is
not that relationship, then no 'membership' can
constitute the Church of Christ.
There are multitudes,
we fear, who have 'membership' in what is called the
'Church', who are not able to stand up to the test which
will be presented when we come to speak of what a
Christian is. But let us say here that when we appeal to
people to become Christians we are not asking them to
'join the Church'. And it must be realised that
Christianity is not just one more institution or society.
You may go to many places called 'churches', and never
really meet Christ, or find satisfaction.
Of course, that is
negative. We must realise, however, that when we become
Christians we share one new life in Christ with all other
born-again believers, and thus we become one in Christ.
That really is the Church. It is for us, then, to cherish
that relationship and jealously watch over its
sacredness. There are immense values in it.
(3) To become a
Christian is not to become a part of a new movement.
It is true that there
is a sense in which Christianity is a movement, a Divine
movement from Heaven. But there are very many who
conceive of Christianity in terms of a great enterprise
for world betterment or even evangelization. The appeal
is so often made that people will come and associate
themselves with this great 'work'. There is that in most
people which makes a response to such an appeal, and
would like to be in a great movement. But such a way of
approach is to court trouble, or at least to be found
sooner or later in a false position. Moses got the
'movement' idea in Egypt - and then had forty years'
inaction in the desert.
There is that which
comes before the 'movement', and the movement is with
God, not with us. The greatest value in movement,
when God's time comes for it, often is that we have
learned not to move without Him.
We do not appeal to you
to join a movement. We do not invite youth, saying, 'Here
is something into which you can throw all your natural
powers and youthful enthusiasm!' We would say: 'God has a
purpose: you are of concern to Him in relation to that
purpose. But - you cannot even know or
enter into that purpose until something has happened in
you which has made you another person. In that purpose
you will need much more than natural powers and youthful
enthusiasm.'
That brings us to the
positive side
What
a Christian Is
In seeking to show what
a Christian really is, we can do no better than take the
case of one who not only was a great instance himself,
but whose experience has been that of every true
Christian since. We refer to the one who was addressed by
a Roman 'King' in the words at the head of this chapter -
the Apostle Paul. While the method of his conversion may
not be the usual or general one, the principles are
always the same.
Here, then, are the
first three principles and realities of a true Christian
life.
(1) "Who art
thou?" "I am Jesus."
The first thing is
the inward realisation that Jesus is (not was) a living
Person.
The very first words of
Paul when confronted by Christ were: "Who art
thou?" To which the answer came clear and strong -
"I am Jesus!" It was a startling discovery, and
Paul might well have exclaimed, 'What, Jesus alive?'
Jesus had been put to death, crucified. All that remained
to do was to blot out the memory of Him and destroy what
represented Him. To this work Paul (then Saul) had
committed himself. We can hardly imagine, then, what a
startling and paralysing thing it was to be confronted
with the fact that Jesus was not dead, but alive, and in
glory. And not only with the fact, but with the Person
Himself.
All that this implied
and involved has been the teaching of many centuries
since. But for those to whom these present lines are
addressed, this can be resolved into a very simple
matter. We begin our Christian life by an experience of
this living reality. Not a Jesus of history, but a Jesus
of heart experience. That He really is alive is the one
thing which is open to be proved by us, and it is the
most serious matter as to our eternal destiny. We have
only to drop our traditions, our prejudices, our
suspicions, our questions, our mental problems, and,
quietly kneeling, speak to Him (although unseen) as we
would speak to one whom we could see; telling Him out of
the honesty of our heart what we would tell Him if we
were face to face. The first step is definitely to speak
to Him, as to a Person.
This is the way of a
discovery. We learn from the New Testament that the
Spirit of God is abroad in the world just to bring about
this discovery - to make real that Jesus lives to save
and be our very life. This wonderful realisation, that Jesus
lives, comes to the heart of every one who honestly
turns and puts it to the test; and everything springs out
of that.
There is only one way,
really, of knowing Jesus, and that is by coming to Him.
It may seem very unreal and foolish to say something to
someone of whose existence you have no inward proof; but
might this not be the same in other circumstances? You
have heard of a physician. What you have heard makes you
feel that he is just the man for your case. Will you say
that you don't believe that there is such a person? Will
you say that there is plenty of evidence available that
he was killed some time ago? Will you go as far as going
to his house and seeing the man spoken of, and then
telling the man that you don't believe that he is the
physician? If you will do this, then either your case is
not very serious, or you are refusing to admit its
seriousness. If you are really alive to your need, the
very least that you will do will be to go to the
physician, tell him your trouble, and say: 'I am advised
that you can meet my need, and I ask you to do so. My
coming to you represents an honest enquiry and committal,
in spite of many doubts and questions.'
My friend, Jesus Christ
was ever ready to make the desired gesture to an approach
like that. The discovery that Christ is a living reality
is the first thing in the Christian life. This is a test
as well as a testimony.
(2) "What wilt
thou have me to do, Lord?"
The second thing - in
Paul's case, as in every true Christian life - is
represented by one sentence: "What wilt thou have
me to do, Lord?" (Acts 22:10).
This represents a new
position and a new relationship. How very different from
that of the old Saul! Hitherto his life and activity had
been out from himself - what he thought he would
do, what he proposed, purposed, planned,
determined, and desired. Self-determination had been his
way of life, although he would have said that it was done
in a good cause - even done for God. What an example Saul
was of the fact that a man's very best intentions and
devotions, in what he believes to be God's interests, may
yet be doing God the greatest disservice - and he himself
be totally blind to the fact. We shall speak of this
again later (chap. 2, sect. 2).
We see here, then, that
one thing is a clear evidence of a life truly acceptable
to God; it is the absolute Lordship of Jesus
Christ. Paul first used that word, "Lord", at
his conversion; it came out spontaneously when he
realised that Jesus lives! From that moment Jesus
was his Lord, his Master. We know from his life afterward
how utter was that surrender and change of government.
Everything from that hour was on the basis of "What
wilt Thou?"
Yes, it is the
hall-mark of a true Christian life when, with the same
inward realisation and abandonment, we say to Jesus,
"Lord", and thenceforth have our whole lives
governed by Him as Master.
(3) "Christ in
you".
There is one more
indispensable mark and feature of the Christian life to
which we will point at this time. It is shown in the
words addressed to Paul by one Ananias: "The Lord
Jesus... hath sent me that thou mayest... be filled with
the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17).
The consummation of
this basic work, by which we become Christians in the
true sense, is that everything which is true of Christ is
made an inward thing with us. Up to this point,
although everything has been very real and deep changes
have taken place, it has been mainly as in an outward relationship
with Christ. But it would have been fatal to have left it
there, however great the discovery. We cannot live upon
something which happened at a certain time. We cannot
meet all the tremendous forces of evil which will oppose
us, in the strength of a mere memory, however vivid. We
shall never live triumphantly, or serve effectively, or
satisfy God truly, on any basis of what is merely outward
and objective.
The fact is that only
Christ can really satisfy God; only Christ can do God's
will and God's work. Only Christ can overcome the
spiritual forces of evil. Yes, only Christ can really
live the Christian life. Hence, the one great inclusive
and crowning reality of a Christian is - Christ Himself
WITHIN! Paul later put this in these words:
"Christ in you,
the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).
This becomes true by a
definite act when we believe. The Holy Spirit
takes possession of us in an inward way. This indwelling
of Christ had never been known by any man in history
until Christ had died and risen and been glorified. It is
therefore the peculiar wonder and glory of the Christian.
It is this very thing that explains the New Testament
term - "born anew". There was nothing
like it before.
So, then, in a word,
our question, 'What is a Christian?' is answered in three
initial things.
(1) Realising that
Jesus is alive.
(2) Enthroning Him as
absolute Lord.
(3) Having Him as an
inward presence and power by the Holy Spirit.
The testimony of a true
Christian must ever be -
'He lives! He lives!
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me, He talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives,
Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know
He lives?
He lives within my
heart!'