“A REAL CHRISTIAN”

A lady I know once overheard a child say, “My mother’s a real Christian.” A real Christian? What distinguishes a real Christian and what is the chief evidence of being born again? If we look for outward evidences such as kindness, generosity, faithfulness, zeal, sincerity, etc., these outward things can be found in many religious and moral people who know nothing of the true gospel. On the negative side, some say there are things that a real Christian won’t do. “A real Christian won’t” lie, murder, commit adultery, get drunk, etc. But when we look back at the record of holy scripture, we find examples of these and more failures in the lives of God’s people. In light of these things, what is the one true evidence of a “real Christian?” What is the sure evidence of the new birth? It is FAITH, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! Christ said everyone that lives, believes! (John 11:26) A “real Christian” will not fully and finally cease believing the gospel of God’s grace in Christ. Though they do many things, fall and fail many times, have lapses of unbelief and coldness, they will not stop trusting Christ! All believers (these born of God) do righteousness. (1 John 3:7) To do righteousness is to believe God’s truth concerning Christ and His death for our sins and to trust Him alone for all of our salvation. We do right in trusting Him just as God did. Though Abraham lied about Sarah to a king, he believed God. Though David laid with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband, he never ceased to trust Christ for grace and mercy from God in Him. Though Paul despaired even unto death, though Samson disobeyed God, though all those we read of in Hebrews 11 in some way sinned until the day they died, they all died in faith! (Heb. 11:13) God never excuses the sins of His believing people in any way but He does show that His grace and the grace of faith He gives, is sure, keeping grace. The salvation of His elect rests solely upon One outside themselves, the One that God-given faith looks out to, the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the apostles, “we believe and are sure that Jesus is the Christ.” And knowing our weakness to be like those believing saints of old, we cry, “Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief!” “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:”

Gary Shepard

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 1Th 3:3

The abounding grace of God does not preclude trials and afflictions, but those who are the recipients of Divine grace have been "appointed thereunto." Then let us not be dismayed or cast down by them, but seek grace to get them sanctified to us. Sufferings are necessary to the saints on various accounts. First and foremost, they are appointed in order that the members might be conformed to their Head. "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." {Heb 2:10} Sufficient then for the disciple to be like his Master, that he should be made perfect after he has suffered awhile. Peter himself alludes to this Divinely prescribed order in the way of salvation (namely humiliation, then exaltation, which applies not only to the Head but to His members also) when he refers to "the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." {1Pe 1:11} It was the Divine will that even the incarnate Son should "learn... obedience submission by the things which he suffered." {Heb 5:8} There was a turning point in His ministry when Jesus began "to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." {Mt 16:21} Why did He have to suffer thus? It is because God had ordained it. {Ac 4:28} Was Christ tempted by the devil merely on account of Satan's malice toward Him? No, for Jesus was "led up of by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (Mt 4:1) Remember, dear saints enduring trials, that the Savior Himself entered the kingdom of God "through much tribulation," {Ac 14:22} even as we must do. Thus, "in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor "relieve "or "help" them that are tempted." {Heb 2:18} Therefore, let us "count it all joy when ye we fall into divers temptations," {Jas 1:2} for suffering "as a Christian" is a means by which we can glorify our redeeming God. {1Pe 4:16} The privilege of experiencing "the fellowship of his sufferings" is one of God's appointed means by which we may know that we are in Christ, and no longer identified with the world that now abides under God's wrath. {Php 3:1-7} Hear the words of Christ:

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Arthur Pink

Fervent Prayers

As we all know, God who is absolutely sovereign in all things, who has declared the end from the beginning, and whose purposes and decretive will cannot be frustrated, has ordained all the means necessary to accomplish His will. One of the means God has ordained is the fervent prayers of His people. God purposes and promises to bless His people, but He also has ordained that they should make use of the blessed means and privilege of prayer. God blesses His people through prayer. God answers prayer. It may or may not be the answer we desire, and the blessing may or may not be what we expect, but it is a privilege and an act of faith and worship for believers to pray. The power, efficacy, and prevalence of prayer does not arise from any intrinsic worth and merit in the act of prayer, but from the grace of the Spirit who influences and directs to it, from the powerful mediation, precious blood, and efficacious sacrifice of Christ, and from the promise of God and Christ, who have engaged that whatever is asked according to the will of God and in the name of Christ shall be done.

John Gill

Christ bears the name of all His saints,

Deep on His heart engraved;

Attentive to the state and needs

Of all whom He has saved.

In Christ our Righteousness complete,

God's glory forth doth shine;

Where mercy, truth, and justice meet

Our Savior all Divine.

When justice smote our Surety's head,

Then satisfaction made;

The blood which our High Priest has shed,

A perfect ransom paid.

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