ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? (PART 1)
TEXT:
"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:"
(Philippians chapter 1 verse 27, King James Version)
To ask if one is a Christian has become a pertinent question to ask in these end times. This is partly because of the unfortunate influence of the world over the Church. While the Church seems to be getting worldlier, the world appears to be getting Churchier. Too bad!
Sin is largely responsible for the mess the Church finds herself today. One thing sin has done to us is to confuse our values, to the end that we can hardly tell for certain what is good for us and what's not. Such confusion is with us today, that real things appear unreal, while things that are of no consequence whatsoever are pursued with untold eagerness and zeal.
It's sad to say that in these times that we are, the Christian doctrines that form the fulcrum to our revered faith, which were handed down to us are practically out of joint. Someone has said that should the Apostles of old visit the earth today, their search for the replica of the Church they left behind would utterly be in vain.
I wonder how we got here! What we find today is a society that tends toward magnifying insignificant things; and this anomaly has successfully crept into the Church.
Someone told the story of how one night, thieves broke into a department store. Though they didn't steal anything, yet they did change all the price tags around. The next day, a 6,000 Naira worth pair of shoes sold for 500 Naira, and a 500 Naira worth item sold for 6,000 Naira. It was said that the store did business until noon before they found out what had happened. This caused an untold havoc to the store owner!
This is exactly what satan has done to the Church. He's succeeded in deceiving us to place high value on base, inconsequential things while on the other hand, he's tricked us to place low value on sacred, chaste and virtuous things.
With the current happenings in the Church, Apostle Paul's admonition to the Philippian Church still holds sway more than ever. He told them to let their "conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ," (Philippians chapter 1 verse 27). Another translation, the Plain English Version says it this way,
"Listen, you heard the good news about Jesus Christ, and you trusted him, so keep on living the way he wants you to live, no matter what happens. …" Yes, there's a way that Jesus wants us to live our lives.
Take a look at Him! He lived a simple, lowly and meek life. He was at all times about the business of His Heavenly Father. His love and compassion for others was exemplary! He was the One that could ask His detractors an astounding question, saying,
"Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?" (John chapter 8 verse 46, New International Version)
Are you a Christian? Does your life replicate that of Christ? The disciples of Jesus were called Christians for the first time in the city of Antioch because firstly, they exhibited the Life and the Character of Christ; secondly because it was there that the peculiar characteristics of the Christian and the Christian Church were first clearly manifested (see Acts chapter 11 verse 26). Do you resemble Jesus Christ in character? Will He be proud of the way you live your life today?
PRAYER:
I am a Christian. I desire and pray that my entire life will replicate the Life of Christ and that Heaven is not ashamed to call me a Christian. Peradventure I fail you Lord, forgive me, in Jesus name.