Are You a Disciple of Christ?

 “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.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”  Matthew 16:24-25

What is it to be a Christian?  There are many different ideas about that.  Some say a Christian is someone who has been baptized.  Some say a Christian is someone who goes to church.  Some say a Christian is someone who believes in God.  Some people believe that they are Christian because their parents are Christians.  Some believe a Christian is someone who is simply tolerant and loving.  But the truth of the matter is that you can be all of the above, and still not be a Christian.

We have known several people through the years who were both baptized and churchgoers, but who lived unregenerate lives.  They’d be in church on Sunday, but would live like hell the rest of the week.  Be assured that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than sleeping in the garage makes you a car!  As for believing in God, the Bible says in James 2:19 that even the devils believe, and they tremble.  Growing up in a Christian home won’t do you any good either, unless you lay hold of the Faith for yourself and make it your own.  Being tolerant doesn’t make you a Christian either.  There is a lot of fake religion out there.

As the nineteenth century came to a close, William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said, “The chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”  He was right.

The Bible tells us in Acts 11:26 that the disciples of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch.  They were so called because they were followers of Jesus, and so we believe the biblical definition of a Christian is someone who is a disciple of, and a follower of, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”  Luke 9:23-24

Dear reader, are you a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ?  Have you given your life to Jesus, or are you holding on to it?  Do you deny yourself for His sake, or do you deny Him to indulge yourself?  Are you taking up your cross daily? or just once in a blue moon?

As the climax of the ages approaches, let each of examine ourselves to see whether we be in the Faith (2 Corinthians 13:5), let us say with the psalmist, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).  Let us present ourselves a living sacrifice.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

For he that holds onto his own life will lose it, but he that gives his life up for Jesus, will gain life eternal.

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