I DARESAY you call yourself a Christian: I whether you are right or wrong, God knows. May you be led to compare with the truth of God’s Word, why you call yourself so. If you have no good ground, it may be a great blessing that you should be taught before it is too late; and if indeed a Christian, the diligent inquiry, in the name of the Lord, will bring more blessing to your own soul.
And now, What is a Christian? — A sinner once an enemy, but now reconciled to God through the death of His Son (Rom. 5:1010For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)); delivered by the Lord Jesus from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:1010And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)); called by the grace of God to have Jesus revealed in him (Gal. 1:15, 1615But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (Galatians 1:15‑16)); saved by grace through faith, and that not of himself, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)); redeemed through the blood of Jesus (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)); washed from his sins in the blood of Jesus (Rev. 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5)); justified by the blood of Jesus (Rom. 5:99Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)); quickened together with Christ from death in sins; raised up together, and made sit together in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 2:66And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)); a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:2525But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:25)); an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:1717And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)); a king to sit with Jesus on His throne (Rev. 1:6, 3:21).
Such is a Christian; and is it not a great thing to be a Christian? Yes, it is a great thing in heaven to be a Christian; and surely it is a poor thing on earth to be anything else. Well then, Are you a Christian? Some people call it presumption in any one to say that he is; but it is not presumption — it is faith to be able to say, I know I am a child of God, because I know I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; for God tells me that if I believe I am His child.
God says in His holy Word, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” If you believe on the. Son of God, it is, no presumption to say that you have the witness in yourself. Again, the apostle, by the Spirit of God, says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” If, then, you believe on the Son of God, is it presumption to know that you have eternal life? Could it be put plainer in the Bible than it is? Man’s corrupt heart is ready perhaps to believe about judgment and wrath, but altogether unwilling to believe such wondrous love as that God gave His Son to do all for us, leaving us only to confess that all is already done, because He has assured us of it. “He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son” (1 John 5:1010He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (1 John 5:10)).
If you think that you are not a great sinner, and that your sins will be pardoned because they are few, you are not a Christian; but if you know that you are a very great sinner, but that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake (1 John 2). If you suppose, that your sins are blotted out by any work of holiness that the Spirit of God has produced in your soul, or if you suppose that the merit of your faith has put away your sins, you are not a Christian; for faith looks at Jesus, not at itself; but if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you are a Christian, and this is faith.
The instant you turn to God believing what Jesus has done for sinners, you enter into peace, because all that ever could be done to purge your sins has been entirely finished in the one offering of Jesus Christ. There is no more offering for sin. (See Heb. 9:25, 26, 10:10-14.)
Your former life may have been evil till you believe in Jesus; peace becomes your happy privilege, because the blood has already blotted out your sins. So the jailor at Philippi asked, “What shall I do to be saved?” The only reply was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house;” and he that very night rejoiced in God, though he trembled with fear when he asked the question (Acts 16:23-3423And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. (Acts 16:23‑34)) Philip met the Ethiopian ignorant of Jesus, but when the truth was brought home to his soul, he went his way rejoicing. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God” (1 John 4:1515Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:15)). Peace to a troubled conscience is made by the blood of the cross, and not from walk, experience, or feelings — though surely our walk should be consistent with the claims of Christ. A believing view of the cross gives peace — a dim view little peace; but it is from resting on Christ’s work that peace comes, and from nothing else. This is the way the Holy Spirit first gives peace to the conscience, and to this alone must the most experienced believer ever look back; for “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.”
And oh! the graciousness of this salvation is beyond all measure! — unsought and unconditional love; the cheerful and free gift of Him who loveth a cheerful giver — the full proof of a love which nothing but unbelief can check or resist; for our sins could not The simple fact that “God commended His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” is the proof that nothing but unbelief can hinder any sinner’s participation in all the rich blessings God hath to bestow. Let not Satan persuade you that you are too great a sinner to find forgiveness, for God says that “the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). The apostle Paul said, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Take care that, in magnifying your sins, you do not lessen the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ Rather magnify that love that forgave so much, and this will be your blessing; for to whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much.
And how much service are God’s dear children called on to render, when thus saved? A life of service in everything they do and say. This is their happy liberty. When of the world, they considered it freedom to live for the world, but bondage to live for Christ; so now, when in Christ, it is liberty to live for Christ, but bondage to live for the world. When the apostle beeches the brethren to live thus, it is not by the terrors of God’s wrath (for from these they were already delivered), but “by the mercies of God, that ye, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” To live as a Christian, is to have the love of Christ constraining us to live, not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again (2 Cor. 5:1515And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)). “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:3131Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)). And inasmuch as we are not our own, but bought with a price, let us glorify God in our body (1 Cor. 6:19, 2019What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19‑20)).