So, how
can I really tell if you're a Christian?
by:
Pastor Dan M. Appel
A few of you are probably old enough to remember the old television game show
"To Tell the Truth." Three people would all claim to be or to have
done something and a celebrity panel had to try and figure out which one of
the three was telling the truth. They asked them questions, watched their reactions,
heard their answers, and made their best guess.
There are a lot of people out there claiming to be followers of Jesus. But, not all of them are telling the truth. Sometimes it is hard to tell who really is a Christian and who is not. I never will forget the anguish in a Muslim acquaintance's voice as he talked about the Crusades and asked me if these foreign invaders really were followers of Jesus. They claimed to be, but their actions only served to alienate a whole part of the world from God.
My heart ached as I sat in a friend's house the other day as he sobbed out the story of a very painful church split in his local congregation. Unspoken, but very much a part of his thoughts was the question: "How could a group of Christians do this?" As I experienced his pain, I had to ask myself "How does a person decide in the middle of a controversy like this if his tormentors really represent the God he claims to serve?"
I am learning to appreciate an accolade from a friend. When he comes out of church after a service he sometimes says: "Pastor, you spoke well of God, today." It makes me glad that I did, but makes me ponder all of those times when I am not certain that my words or my life succeeded in representing God well.
How about the person who is seriously searching for a relationship with God; or that person who is looking for a church home in the face of the bewildering array of churches out there all claiming to be the true followers of God? Is there some litmus test a person can use to tell if another person is really a Christian? I believe there is. Christ gave it to us on the final day before His crucifixion. It is found in John 13:35 and it says: "This is the way that people can tell if you are truly my disciples - if you love each other."
Every time I put another few dollars in Bill Gates' pocket by buying another piece of his software, he gives me an assurance that I am purchasing the real thing! It is the Microsoft Seal of Authenticity. This holographic seal on the box states that I can be confident I am getting the genuine article. All around the world there are pirates with CD burners producing "knock off" copies of Bill's products. The Microsoft seal on the package tells me I am getting the genuine article. That means my warranty is valid, I can send it back if it is defective, that I can count on Microsoft to support me if the directions are not clear, and I can sleep at night knowing that he is not missing my few dollars in his bank account.
Jesus says there is a certificate of authenticity that the genuine Christian will carry. It is what will set him or her apart from the pretenders. This seal is the way that we love each other. He says there is something different in the way true Christians treat each other that sets them apart from everyone else. It is described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. True Christians are patient and kind. They are not jealous of others or boastful when things go well for them. They are not arrogant or rude. They don't insist on their own way; they're not irritable or resentful. They aren't glad when things go wrong for someone else, but rejoice when others are successful. They put up with all kinds of inconvenience and frustrations from others; believe the best about them in all situations; hope for the best even when they don't deserve it; and hang in there with you when everyone else has abandoned you. True love is never ending.
Our church is often not that kind of place. We struggle with being authentically loving. We are often selfish, self-centered, and unkind. All too often our pride keeps us from placing others before ourselves. Instead of serving, we are often consumed with power. We have a hard time admitting that this is the way we are. We all too often get defensive and hostile when God's Holy Spirit tries to hold us accountable for our attitudes and actions.
But, our church is committed to becoming the kind of place where you can experience love - not smooshy cheap sentimentalism, but genuine love. We're just discovering what it means to love and to be loved and we like it! We're discovering that kind of love is life changing! If you're looking for love, why not drop by and let us tell you about a God who loves you so much He was willing to die for you. Better yet, we'd like to show it to you first hand.
How
do I send this message to a friend?
In Netscape - click "File." Then
"Send File."
In Internet Explorer - click "File,"
then "Send," then "Page by E-mail" or "Link by E-mail."
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