What do you think of when you hear the word "Christian"? You probably think of someone who believes in God and has Christian values. You may think of church and the Bible. But do you really know how the Bible defines it?
I was reading an article online a few days ago about the percentage of people who say they are Christians in the United States. Over the course of 15 years that percentage dropped 10%. The big question was; why?
There were several theories as to why this had happened but one stood out. The article suggested that the decline was due to the fact that many people did not understand the meaning behind Christianity. The author concluded that over time, less people acknowledged that they were Christians because they didn't really know the true meaning behind it from the start.
When I googled the word "Christian" the following definitions came up;
•a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings.
•relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings
•having or showing qualities associated with Christians, especially those of decency, kindness, and fairness.
This is what society considers to be a sufficient definition for a believer in Christ. But according to the Bible, it is so much more!
Today is just an introduction, but I do want to look at a few particular verses in the book of Acts.
Acts 11:20-26King James Version (KJV)
20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
This scripture is just a little sneak peak into what we're going to be studying. Look back at verse twenty; "spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus." These men are going around spreading the gospel. With common knowledge, we can imagine that they had to withstand a few storms, metaphorically speaking. Like today, they faced persecution and trails. But what defines them as true Christians is the fact that they overcame these obstacles, with Gods help, to fulfill their purpose.
Another example of what defines a true believer can be found in verse twenty four. "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith..." They give us an example of a man who is full of the gospel and faith. What this essentially means is that he had great trust in God and he devoted his life to the Lord. If you go back and look at the whole scripture, you will notice how these men turn many other people to God during their travels. We will actually devote a whole day to look at scriptures pertaining to this.
This just scratches the surface of what it means to be a believer. I want to emphasize that it's more than just attending church or following God because that's how you were raised. It's a personal relationship with God that requires a great amount of devotion.
We will spend the next 12 days learning all about characteristics of a true believer and learning how to take action in our own lives. I hope to see, by the end, that you all have taken something away from this and that I haven't been a waste of you're time.
Keep in mind that I use the King James Bible. You are more than welcome to read out of your own Bible if you prefer or look up online your preferred version. Also, many different types of Christians participate in these studies. We may not agree on everything and that okay. But please don't be rude to others.
That's all I have for today. I can't wait to get started with you all tomorrow!!
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