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How do you recognise a real Christian when you see one?
In today's world we all assume we are capable of picking out the real from the fakes. Yet when you ask 'How can you tell?' you get a variety of criteria. 'She always wears a cross'- 'They dress modestly' (whatever that means). 'They are pillars of their local church' or 'They are good-living folk who go around doing good'. Then there are thousands of people who make the judgement about Christians - true or false, by what they don't do. You know: doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't swear and never goes off the rails, which is more descriptive of an electric train than a Christian.
How do you recognise Christians? Is it by them being very religious? Heavens No! for people are all quite quick to shout 'hypocrite' about those of us who strongly affirm their religious beliefs, but who never quite seem to be human enough. Is there any acid test? Does God alone know who real Christians are? Well, Yes I suppose, in the end only God knows- but Jesus did give us a recognition guideline. This is what He said: John 13:35
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
But surely that cannot be the only test? Hang on- it all depends what you mean by LOVE.
Jesus didn't mean 'feel romantic or sentimental about',-He defined it as a kind of love so different from all we understand by the word, that He re-defined it totally.In fact it is so different from all our kinds of love. He called it a new commandment. The 11th Commandment, as some refer to it.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13: 34,35
A Prayer:
Tomorrow we will return to try and see a little of what that involves, but for today:
Lord, if I am charged with being a Christian, will there be enough evidence to convict me?
Read John Chapter 13, looking for a practical definition of real love.
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