April Dixon

2017-10-19 12:13:07 -0400

I sure hit a raw nerve. That’s okay. Dialogue is a valuable component of life. I will attempt to distill my thoughts in line with the questions.

The main question that continues to arise is: What is a Christian? Or: What makes someone a Christian?

Frank: There are no “good” Christians. We are all wretched sinners, even Christians. I refuse to accept the adjective “good” (even when I do some saintly service:), because the only good that is in me or comes from me is “Christ who lives in me”.(Gal.2:20) The good is not attributable to me, but to Christ in me. I am no better in God’s eyes for what I do or think than the Christian who is lying in a coma waiting to go to glory. If I can do something good I boast in the Lord, who does the “good” through me by His grace.

Andy: Yes – God knows the heart better than I, or even the person whose heart it is. But that does not take away from my argument, or even deal with the question. When, or if, you go to a worship service, and the pastor/priest gives a sermon, do you only want to hear what a nice person you are, or only listen to a message that is warm and fuzzy for your heart. When Nicodemus, a person whom we learn later was very drawn to Jesus, came to him in John 3, wondering what he was all about, Jesus went right to what he knew was in Nicodemus’ heart and said that to “see” and “enter” the kingdom of God one must be born again. There it is! Are you born again? It has nothing to do with me! I have been challenged multiple times (a lot at seminary) throughout my 33 years as Christian, from the pulpit, privately, and from Scripture, and all of it has helped to refine my understanding of my faith. I am not being arrogant, but doing what a Christian is called to do – present the truth of Scripture, just as Jesus did. Jesus loved Nicodemus and he spoke the truth. I believe that your disagreement is with Jesus, not me!

Tammie: All Christians have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. But again – that does not take away from my point. I challenge everyone who claims to be a Christian whether they are born again of the Spirit of God or not. Because if they are not, they are not Christians. And they need to know this!! Many people have no clue about that issue and walk through life thinking they are Christians when they are not. I have a family member who has been in leadership in a major denominational church for decades. When confronted with this spiritual indwelling in a book that her new pastor was using she came to me because she had no idea what this was all about. I could see from her life that, though a very nice, caring person, there was something missing in her spiritual demeanour. She simply is not a Christian, but has been told from day one that she is because that particular church was negligent in its teaching. So now – am I more loving to just ignore her and allow her to go on “thinking” that she is a Christian, when she likely is not (maybe she is – that is God’s knowledge, not mine) for fear of offending her, in which case she goes to hell at death, or do I tell her about the truth of indwelling, see her misunderstanding, have her embrace Jesus, and be assured of going to glory? Rhetorical question?!



Good questions folks. I await your feedback. But please think through what I have said, check out the scripture that I have referenced, and go to Jesus. May the Lord bless you all:)

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