What is Christian?

Intro: I’m sometimes asked “Do I know if so and so is a Christian?”

You may be asked that about someone you know, a friend, relative or child.

The answer is somewhat complicated since only the Lord’s knows a persons heart. But its not impossible to answer.

Paul conversion story is repeated 3x in Acts.

Luke was not looking to just fill up blank space on the page; 3 times is repeated to show the power of conversion and calling on his life.

His conversion helps answer the question: What is a Christian?

If you google “What is a Christian” A Christian is defined as a person who has received baptism and is a believer in Christianity

That seems a bit too flat or shallow. Scripture gives us a better picture.

—We are going to look at a few marks today from Paul’s testimony to answer the question: What is a Christian.

The context is another trial appearance. This time Paul stands before King Agrippa II; He is the great grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus); his father is the Herod Agrippa who had James killed (Acts 12)

Here Pauls shares how he became a Christina and how that totally redirected the mission, direction, and value systems of his life

His mission was now life in total abandon to Jesus Christ.

—There are elements in Paul’s testimony and mission that help answer the question: What is a Christian?

**Some message are deeply informative—other just hit and search the heart. This is a heart-searching message.

A Christian’s eyes are opened to see Jesus by faith (12-18a)

The first thing we see in Paul’s testimony is is the overwhelming light he saw on the Damascus road (v13)

(v18) is Paul’s commission; his assignment.

We are going to camp out a bit in v18. It’s a description of what happens when people become Christians.

The first thing we see is that Christians are those who have their spiritual eyes opened to see Jesus.

This is the first aspect of conversion.

To understand this, we need to know that the Bible says that everyone is born is a state of spiritual blindness.

When we lived in Louisville, Em and I served in nursery at our church. Children who had special needs had a sticker on their back. For example some had “no peanuts”

One Sunday there was a new visitor. I saw the sticker on the back of this little dude crawling on the floor. Expected it to say “peanut allergy” …but it said “blind”

I’d never been around a small child (2 year old) who was blind; it seemed very unnatural.

**Yet the reality is, spiritually everyone is born blind. That the natural spiritual state.

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Salvation in the Bible is having eyes opened-seeing light.

E.G. Lk 24—Two travelers were on a 7 mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They meet Jesus, he shares how the whole story of the Scripture points to the Messiah.

Then a miracle happens:

Luke 24:31 ESV

And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

What does it mean to see Jesus by faith? It’s having your eyes open to see Jesus for who he truly is.

In his glory—see him as the Son of God; King; One to be worshiped; one who is awe-inspiring.

In his suffering—his death has meaning beyond being a martry. His blood actually secures forgiveness, makes atonement.

In his resurrection—it’s his victory over the grave that gives us hope and newness of life

Apply: Have you seen Jesus? Are you eyes open to his awe-inspiring glory?

God’s grace in this regard is humbling, and irresistible (14b)

A Christian experiences a power transfer (18b)

The point of the open eyes is so there can be a turning.—from darkness to light, power of Satan to God. This is conversion.

Colossians 1:13 ESV

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

The central truth is this: Either Jesus has power over you, or Satan does. There is no neutrality.

The word “power” could also be translated as authority; it’s used that way in Lk 4:6 when the devil tempts Jesus in the wilderness. Authority= the right to rule or act.

**The power transfer is what enables repentance (20b)

To our eyes it may not look dramatic, but its real power

=The Christian who has gained victory over sexual sin or pornography

=The believer who can live in this materialistic world and yet live by the truth that godliness with contentment is great gain

=The brother who has learned to put off anger, impatience, pride and replace with love, compassion, humility.

=The sister in Christ who pours her main attention to her inner beauty in a world obsessed with external appearance.

—The suffering Christian who continues to suffer but says in faith…Jesus is enough!

Apply: Simply put, being a Christians means no longer being conformed to this world (Rom 12:2); there is real transformation and change because there is real power…God’s power.

Now there are two other benefits connected to this power transfer

Forgiveness of sins

Think about it: when a person is under the power of Satan they are deceived. A non-Christian will either make little of sin; or try to make amends to fix their sin themselves.

They will not know the real forgiveness from having sins forgiven.

And there is such freedom in knowing our sins are completely forgiven in Christ!

2. Family

Speaking about Gentile converts—they have a place among those who are sanctified.

The idea is that they are now part of God’s people; they share in the same spiritual inheritance.

Colossians 1:12 ESV

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Or another way to frame it: Being a Christians means being part of the church.

There is an intimate bond Jesus has with his people (v14)

I’d be curious if a survey were taken with Americans and a question asked: Can you be and never be part of a church? How many would respond yes

One of the ugly sides of being a Christian leader is to see how some professing Christians really mistreat the church. It’s usually a small minority—most at TRB love this church

Some profess to be Christians but have a very low-view, careless view of the church.

Contrast that with someone who loves the church. Last week a pastor on vacation was passing through and visited TRB. I got to meet him and found out he has served his church, the same church, for 40 years.

I asked him what has kept him there so long. His reply was simply that God gave him that people 40 years ago to love and shepherd.

I’d guess that over 40 years he has been deeply wounded by sheep, wrongly compared, criticized.

Yet he has demonstrated one thing: Christians love the church…even the small, obscure, imperfect ones that God has placed us in.

Apply: Do you love the church? Not in the abstract, but the real people and place that God has called you to?

Don’t give up on the church. A long, loving commitment to the church is evidence that we are Christians.

A Christian is a bold witness (v26)

The final thing we will look at is Paul’s bold witness (v26)

Agrippa picks up that Paul is not really just defending himself; his defense is also targeted in a way to convince that the OT points to Jesus as the Messiah.

So Agrippa responds (28) i—are you persuading me to be a Christian?

Remember who Agrippa’s family line—Great grandpa tried to have Jesus killed; father had James killed.

Christins long for, and labor —prayer, plead, persuade—others to believe in Jesus.

Paul’s answers Not just you but all who hear me!

**What a heart of mercy and pity!!

A Christian wants many, many people to be persuaded to be Christians.

It’s striking that before Paul digs deep into the doctrine of election (Rom 9-11); he lays his heart open.

Romans 9:1–2 ESV

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

What was this sorrow and anguish? That many of his fellow Jews did not believe Jesus was the Messiah—they had religion, but no saving relationship.

They were lost

Apply: Christians can hold deep truths about election and also have deep hart for the lost.

It’s not an either/or, but a both and.

Apply: Christians friends, as Christians it should be in our hearts not to keep the precious truths of the faith to ourselves, but to freely share with as many as possible.

A Christian hopes to persuade many, many others that having Jesus is the best thing imageable.

Sum:

A Christian

1) Has eyes to see the awe-inspiring glory of Jesus

2) Has experienced a heart transformation

3) Hopes that many, many other become reconciled to God

Conclusion:

As I said earlier, this message is heart-searching.

It will cause you either to be confirmed in your faith; or have great concern.

Finally, a final but necessary mark—maybe the acid test of a Christian is that they have a heart set on God’s glory

Romans 11:34–36 ESV

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.