I DARESAY you call yourself a Christian: I whether you are right or wrong, God knows. May you be led to compare with the truth of God’s Word, why you call yourself so. If you have no good ground, it may be a great blessing that you should be taught before it is too late; and if indeed a Christian, the diligent inquiry, in the name of the Lord, will bring more blessing to your own soul.
And now, What is a Christian? — A sinner once an enemy, but now reconciled to God through the death of His Son (Rom. 5:10); delivered by the Lord Jesus from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10); called by the grace of God to have Jesus revealed in him (Gal. 1:15, 16); saved by grace through faith, and that not of himself, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8); redeemed through the blood of Jesus (Eph. 1:7); washed from his sins in the blood of Jesus (Rev. 1:5); justified by the blood of Jesus (Rom. 5:9); quickened together with Christ from death in sins; raised up together, and made sit together in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 2:6); a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:25); an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17); a king to sit with Jesus on His throne (Rev. 1:6, 3:21).
Such is a Christian; and is it not a great thing to be a Christian? Yes, it is a great thing in heaven to be a Christian; and surely it is a poor thing on earth to be anything else. Well then, Are you a Christian? Some people call it presumption in any one to say that he is; but it is not presumption — it is faith to be able to say, I know I am a child of God, because I know I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; for God tells me that if I believe I am His child.
God says in His holy Word, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” If you believe on the. Son of God, it is, no presumption to say that you have the witness in yourself. Again, the apostle, by the Spirit of God, says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” If, then, you believe on the Son of God, is it presumption to know that you have eternal life? Could it be put plainer in the Bible than it is? Man’s corrupt heart is ready perhaps to believe about judgment and wrath, but altogether unwilling to believe such wondrous love as that God gave His Son to do all for us, leaving us only to confess that all is already done, because He has assured us of it. “He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son” (1 John 5:10).
If you think that you are not a great sinner, and that your sins will be pardoned because they are few, you are not a Christian; but if you know that you are a very great sinner, but that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake (1 John 2). If you suppose, that your sins are blotted out by any work of holiness that the Spirit of God has produced in your soul, or if you suppose that the merit of your faith has put away your sins, you are not a Christian; for faith looks at Jesus, not at itself; but if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you are a Christian, and this is faith.
The instant you turn to God believing what Jesus has done for sinners, you enter into peace, because all that ever could be done to purge your sins has been entirely finished in the one offering of Jesus Christ. There is no more offering for sin. (See Heb. 9:25, 26, 10:10-14.)
Your former life may have been evil till you believe in Jesus; peace becomes your happy privilege, because the blood has already blotted out your sins. So the jailor at Philippi asked, “What shall I do to be saved?” The only reply was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house;” and he that very night rejoiced in God, though he trembled with fear when he asked the question (Acts 16:23-34) Philip met the Ethiopian ignorant of Jesus, but when the truth was brought home to his soul, he went his way rejoicing. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Peace to a troubled conscience is made by the blood of the cross, and not from walk, experience, or feelings — though surely our walk should be consistent with the claims of Christ. A believing view of the cross gives peace — a dim view little peace; but it is from resting on Christ’s work that peace comes, and from nothing else. This is the way the Holy Spirit first gives peace to the conscience, and to this alone must the most experienced believer ever look back; for “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.”
And oh! the graciousness of this salvation is beyond all measure! — unsought and unconditional love; the cheerful and free gift of Him who loveth a cheerful giver — the full proof of a love which nothing but unbelief can check or resist; for our sins could not The simple fact that “God commended His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” is the proof that nothing but unbelief can hinder any sinner’s participation in all the rich blessings God hath to bestow. Let not Satan persuade you that you are too great a sinner to find forgiveness, for God says that “the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The apostle Paul said, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Take care that, in magnifying your sins, you do not lessen the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ Rather magnify that love that forgave so much, and this will be your blessing; for to whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much.
And how much service are God’s dear children called on to render, when thus saved? A life of service in everything they do and say. This is their happy liberty. When of the world, they considered it freedom to live for the world, but bondage to live for Christ; so now, when in Christ, it is liberty to live for Christ, but bondage to live for the world. When the apostle beeches the brethren to live thus, it is not by the terrors of God’s wrath (for from these they were already delivered), but “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.” To live as a Christian, is to have the love of Christ constraining us to live, not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again (2 Cor. 5:15). “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). And inasmuch as we are not our own, but bought with a price, let us glorify God in our body (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).