WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN? (PART 4)

Bob Myhan

o far we have seen that a Christian is a disciple [a learner and follower], he is persuaded of certain facts and he is unashamed to suffer as a Christian. But what else can we learn about being a Christian from the three verses where the name, “Christian,” is used?

emember the “disciples [who] were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26)? They were people who had “believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21). Notice, believing and turning are separate acts. But, if they did not turn when they believed, when did they turn?

aul told Agrippa that, in persuading to people to become Christians, he "declared...that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance" (Acts 26:19,20). Notice, repenting and turning are separate acts. But, if they did not turn when they repented, when did they turn?

f one does not turn when he believes or when he repents, when does he turn? Comparing Mark 16:16 with Acts 11:21, and Acts 2:38 with Acts 26:20, we see that one turns when he is baptized. A Christian, then, is one who has believed, has repented and has turned to God and to the Lord in baptism.

eter, in writing that we should not be ashamed to suffer as Christians, had already written, “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).

 type is “a figure…of something future” (E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, page 768), while an antitype is “the thing prefigured” (Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English Language and Greek New Testament, page 284).

here are many types and antitypes in the Bible. Leprosy is the type, sin is the antitype; the serpent of brass is the type, Jesus on the cross is the antitype; Jonah’s three days and nights in the belly of the whale is the type, Jesus’ three days and nights in the earth is the antitype.

ikewise, the water that saved Noah and his family is the type (verse 20) and baptism is the antitype “which now saves us…through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (verse 21).

utting together what we have learned from each of the three passages wherein the word “Christian” is used, and the immediate contexts of those passages, we see that a Christian has been fully persuaded [he believes], is a learner and a follower [he has repented and has been baptized in water], and is unashamed to suffer as a Christian.

ear reader, are you a learner and a follower of Christ? Have you been fully persuaded? Are you unashamed to suffer as a Christian? Have you believed, repented and been baptized in water? If you are not already a Christian, won’t you become one? &

THE SIN OF MINIMIZING SIN

Adapted from Studying Sin Seriously

[A Class Book by Wendell Winkler]

vidence of sin being minimized includes infrequent preaching on sin, a woeful lack of church discipline, and indifference in personal evangelism.

here are several ways in which sin is minimized. Refusing to call it sin minimizes it. We are told by liberals that "sin" sounds too harsh, too condemning; thus, respectable names, softer sounding appellations and a less offensive nomenclature are being adopted. Accordingly sin is spoken of as immature development, negative goodness, misdirection, a defect of temper, a mere mistake, etc. Lust is called love, hard core pornography is art, lying is coloring the truth, dishonesty is shrewdness, car theft is joy-riding, cursing and obscenity is emphatic speech, drunkenness is alcoholism, adultery is an affair, and murder is release from a previous traumatic experience. But changing the name of poison to the essence of peppermint makes the poison more dangerous.

aking sin inconsequential minimizes it. Such was the attitude of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). Those who do so are an abomination to God (Prov. 17:15). Yet, we continue to hear, "it will all come out in the wash" (as if soot could somehow be turned into snow) or "all young men must sow their wild oats." However, the Bible teaches that sin has consequences (Gal. 6:7,8).

ationalizing the cause of sin minimizes it. Sin is often explained as something that develops from without rather than within (Prov. 4:23; 23:7; Mark 7:18-23). It is said to be merely anti-social action resulting from improper education. Man is only than the product of his rearing, it is advocated.

e minimize our sins while magnifying the sins others (Matt. 7:1-5; 2 Samuel 12:14). We classify sins of the flesh as major while sins of attitude are minimized. But this is not the case (Matt. 5:21-28; Gal. 5:16-21).

et us stop treating it lightly! Sin is not a surface freckle, but poison in the blood. It is blacker than hell and worse than Satan; for, had there been no sin there would be no Satan and no hell. Had there been no sin, there would have been no cross! Thus, when we treat sin lightly, we are treating the cross lightly! Since hell is the inevitable consequence of sin, we treat hell lightly when we treat sin lightly. But we will not cease to minimize sin until we begin again to see it for what it is, call it what it is, consider what it does and think of where it ends. &

OUR DRESS IN WORSHIP

Guest Writer: Ron Boatwright

[Edited For Space]

ven though worship is not a "dress parade", we often become sloppy and revealing in the way we dress for worship. Clothes contribute to the emphasis we place on worship. This does not mean we have to wear expensive clothes. But the way we dress should be in keeping with the dignity of the occasion. "In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation…which is proper for women professing godliness with good works." Modest clothing is what “women professing godliness" wear (1 Timothy 2:9-10). A woman [or man] whose clothing is immodest is not professing godliness by the way she/he dresses.

omen who expose themselves to men by the clothing they wear are contributing to the sin of lust. "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). If she dresses so as to entice, she becomes guilty of contributing to his sin of adultery. In our actions as well as our clothing, we are to "Abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

ome think they have to follow the style and fashion of the world, regardless of how short and revealing or inappropriate clothing gets. But we are told in Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world." Why? Because this world is going to be lost, and if we conform ourselves to this world we will also be lost with it. We are "to keep ourselves unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

hen we worship we are actually in the presence of the Lord. He deserves our very best. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God" (Romans 12:1). Our dress should show a moderate opinion of self by being pure, proper, chaste, and decent rather than showy, sloppy or lewd. Let’s honor the Lord in the way we dress. &