Obedience by Faith HOW TO KNOW YOU'RE FOR REAL
For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45.
Would you like to know for sure whether or not you are a Christian? Would you like to know for sure whether you are a genuine follower of Christ? "Oh," someone says, "the proof of it is if you are living a good life." No, that doesn't prove a thing. There are many people who live good lives apart from Jesus. They are externally obedient, apparently good moral people. There are good people who would give you the shirt off their back, and curse God at the same time. You know that. Morality can come from all sorts of bad motives. We can put on a good performance because we want others to think well of us, because we want to stay out of jail, or even because we're just too afraid to do anything else!
So how are we supposed to know whether we are really Christians? Steps to Christ gives two tests. Of whom do you love to talk, and of whom do you love to think? (See page 58.) If you find yourself often thinking of Jesus and wanting to talk about Him, this is probably as close as you are going to get to a test of whether or not you are a genuine Christian.
The early Christians were called "Christians" because Christ was all they could talk about. "Christ did this. Christ said that. Christ did the other." And finally the people who listened said, "We might as well well call them Christians." What would you be called if people chose your name on the basis of what you talk about the most? If you are a Christian, you will love to think and talk of Jesus.
As we continue to focus on Jesus day by day, and look at His love and mercy, and understand more of the sacrifice that He made in living and dying for us, we will be changed. As Jesus becomes the center and focus of our lives, our conversation will reveal the fact. Our thoughts will center upon Him. And our behavior will more and more be genuinely obedient, as a result of seeing what Jesus has done for us and how great is His love for us. It is by dwelling upon Jesus and His love that our lives are changed.
For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45.
Would you like to know for sure whether or not you are a Christian? Would you like to know for sure whether you are a genuine follower of Christ? "Oh," someone says, "the proof of it is if you are living a good life." No, that doesn't prove a thing. There are many people who live good lives apart from Jesus. They are externally obedient, apparently good moral people. There are good people who would give you the shirt off their back, and curse God at the same time. You know that. Morality can come from all sorts of bad motives. We can put on a good performance because we want others to think well of us, because we want to stay out of jail, or even because we're just too afraid to do anything else!
So how are we supposed to know whether we are really Christians? Steps to Christ gives two tests. Of whom do you love to talk, and of whom do you love to think? (See page 58.) If you find yourself often thinking of Jesus and wanting to talk about Him, this is probably as close as you are going to get to a test of whether or not you are a genuine Christian.
The early Christians were called "Christians" because Christ was all they could talk about. "Christ did this. Christ said that. Christ did the other." And finally the people who listened said, "We might as well well call them Christians." What would you be called if people chose your name on the basis of what you talk about the most? If you are a Christian, you will love to think and talk of Jesus.
As we continue to focus on Jesus day by day, and look at His love and mercy, and understand more of the sacrifice that He made in living and dying for us, we will be changed. As Jesus becomes the center and focus of our lives, our conversation will reveal the fact. Our thoughts will center upon Him. And our behavior will more and more be genuinely obedient, as a result of seeing what Jesus has done for us and how great is His love for us. It is by dwelling upon Jesus and His love that our lives are changed.
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