The Marks of Genuine Faith
Baptisms are great occasions but some may be a little puzzled about what is going on. Put simply, baptism is the formal initiation of individuals into God’s church, into his kingdom. There are many different ways of conducting a baptism. A man in China was puzzled over the differences between church practices. Some churches baptised by immersion in a river, pool or tank; others sprinkle and some, such as the Salvation Army, do without this formal ritual altogether. This Chinese man was puzzled and said,
“Big wash I understand, little wash I understand, but what is this ‘dry-clean’?”
Let us all be clear - it's not going through a religious ritual that itself puts anyone right with God - it is only faith in Christ that can do that. Christian faith is that ever present, heartfelt commitment to live with and for the Lord Jesus. It is this living relationship with Jesus that's the only key to God's salvation. The ritual doesn't wash your sins away - it is the pledge to live for Christ. The apostle Peter stressed this,
“This water symbolises baptism that now saves you, - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge only pure conscience toward God.” 1 Peter 3:21
This is so important, - a personal, genuine promise to God to be one of his people is the entrance key into the Christian faith.
John Chapman became a Christian preacher of international renown. When he was a lad he and a friend had the habit of cheating their way through school exams. They sat in the back corner of their school room and would share their answers. However in one exam he secretly passed his work across to his friend as normal. But it came back uncorrected. This seemed lunacy to John as there had been a degree of risk. He tried again - and again it came back uncorrected. Outside they had words!
“Whatever is eating you?” John asked.
“I should have spoken to you before about this, but I became a Christian last weekend and I'm not going to cheat any more.”
“Whatever are you talking about? I've been a Christian for years and years and I been cheating all my life. Whatever has cheating got to do with being a Christian?”
His friend replied,
“You wouldn't know Christian if you tripped over one in the park!”
It was only later that John Chapman grasped that he had never understood the basics; he was then a total stranger to real Christianity.
The purpose of this article, that was based on a talk given at a baptism garden party, is to help people understand what Jesus says are the distinguishing marks of genuine Christianity. The hope is that everybody reading this will be clear whether they are real Christians or not and hopefully to want to become one, or at least know the course of action they ought to take. The following passage is part of Jesus’ is teaching.
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:1-11
The Lord Jesus likens the relationship of himself to his people, to that of a shepherd to his sheep. Sheep farming in Bible times was very different to that in the Britain. Here we have sheepdogs that do all the work. They keep the sheep together and hurd them in the desired direction by instilling fear in the sheep.
In the first century Palestine sheep farming was intimate. Twenty sheep would be an enormous flock. They were pets, grown for wool and not meat. The sheep were all named - they were called by name. At night they would stay in a round high-walled enclosure with one doorway. Often several flocks of sheep would spend nights together in a large sheep pen. But in the morning the Shepherd would come, call out his own sheep, and he would lead them to green pastures.
In Britain sheep are driven from behind; in contrast Eastern shepherds lead from the front. The sheep follow their shepherd - they know and trust him.
This is a lovely picture of true Christianity. Jesus describes three marks that distinguish the true Christian from the false.
True Christians have entered into a personal relationship with God
“The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” John 10:3
To true Christians, God is not aloof and distant; they ‘listen to his voice’. He calls them by name. This is a lovely picture of intimacy. God deals with his people personally, one to one. He knows all about each one of us and he wants a real relationship us. He knows all about us yet still wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. He says, ‘Follow me’. Each follower is known by name. Can you describe your relationship with God in these terms? Do we personally know him and are we personally known by him.
For many God is rather like the Queen, held in high regard, and we wave at her from the back of the crowd. The Bible knows nothing of Christianity like that. To many people Christianity is essentially rule keeping, moral living. We may even feel somewhat proud that we are not like other people. No, the heart of Christianity is a friendship with our Lord and Saviour.
May I suggest we apply three diagnostic tests.
1. Firstly, try and imagine that you swap places with God for one minute. Would you be happy with the relationship? Does your friendship give God great pleasure? The Bible teaches that many religious people are seen by God as total strangers to him. They may think of themselves as being religious, but God still says ‘I never knew you’ (Matthew 7:21-23).
2. Secondly, a good test is how we pray. Many people's prayers are emergency 999 prayers. They are only get in contact when they are in distress.
Some years ago I picked up a hitchhiker who had been a soldier in the Falklands War. He described the battle of Tumbledown Hill that he had been involved in. He and his company had to dig in urgently as machine gun bullets strafed their position. His best friend next in him was shot in the head and instantly killed.
“What did you do?”
“We all prayed, every one prayed.’
“And do you pray now.”
“Oh no, I don't need to.”
In contrast, a true Christian shares all his life with his Lord and God, in good times and in bad. Everything is shared.
3. Thirdly, imagine tonight is judgement day. There is a long queue waiting to stand before God. Now it's your turn - you're standing face-to-face with your maker. What will he say?
“It is lovely to see you, my old friend,” or something like that. Or will it be,
“I never knew you.”
That would be a devastating judgement, particularly for those who regard themselves as being religious, whatever form that takes.
Look at verse three again,
“The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name. He calls them out."
So the Shepherd is the Lord Jesus who has a personal relationship with each of his people.
2. True Christians follow Jesus as their master
Verse 4 reads,
"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."
Picture the sheep pen at night in first century Palestine. It is a stone enclosure with one entrance and high walls. The Shepherd, or perhaps his assistant, would sleep across the gateway. In the morning the Shepherdwould call his own sheep by name and they would all wander off together, following the Shepherd. He guides them throughout their lives and they obey him.
There are other religious leaders who don't lay down their lives for their sheep. They are in it for themselves to get a following or even worse, to get rich.
"The hired hand is not the Shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep." John 10:12-13
Who knows better how we ought to live than the one who made us. When we live out our lives our own way, with ourselves in control, we tend to go on wrong paths. We say and do stupid things, we mess up. It would be a great surprise if many reading this article have not messed up because they have made silly, selfish actions or decisions.
So the first picture Jesus draws is one of great intimacy. The second picture is, ‘Who is in charge’, is it Jesus or me?
True Christians have come to terms with this question. We have recognised that we are not God, and neither are we good. I need to follow Jesus as my King because he is already the one true king of the universe. I don't make him king, I recognise that, as my creator, he is King and I have come to terms with him. God is God, and that's a fact. Ignore that if we want to, but the warning is that the day of judgement is coming. One day we will all die and then face the one true God. Either I recognise him now or on that day, when it will be too late.
This is what gives Christianity great urgency. God calls us out to live a new life, a better life, not one of misery. Jesus says,
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
I committed my life to Christ when I was a student. I had been playing with God but a day came when I had to decide. Would I continue to reign over myself or would I come to terms with the fact that God had revealed himself as Jesus Christ. I needed to humble myself and say to God,
"I am not God - you are."
There is only one way that that relationship with God can be established. We need to pray,
"Can you please forgive me for being a rebel and help me live a new life with and for you.”
There is no other way. Jesus said,
"I am the gate, who ever enters through me will be saved." John 10:9
So a true Christian has both entered into a relationship with God, and seeks to follow Jesus as his or her Master.
3. True Christians recognise the importance of Christ's death
Jesus said,
"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11
"The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life." John 10:17
At the heart of Christianity is the idea that Jesus took the punishment that I deserve, so that I could be forgiven. God is not some sort of benevolent Father Christmas pats people on the head and says,
"Don't worry, everything will be alright."
No! He says,
"All is not right - but there is one way to be forgiven for what I have done wrong in the past and for what I am.”
God says,
"You can be forgiven because my only son, whom I love dearly, has died on your behalf so you can be forgiven."
Sin matters that much to God. He hates our rebellion against him and its consequences seen in the way we live. So he sent his one and only son to pay the price for you and me. Please don't overlook this. Keep saying to yourself,
"Jesus died for me."
You can't be insignificant, a nothing, if Christ did that for you. This is the good news of the Bible that it keeps repeating. So Peter wrote,
"For Christ suffered once that sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18
The bad news is that if anyone turns their back on Jesus, they reject the possibility of being forgiven by God. That is what the Bible teaches.
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:18
So, in summary, there are three marks that distinguish a Christian from a non-Christian.
1. They have entered into a relationship with God. Can you answer ‘yes’ to that?
2. They seek to live their life under the authority of Jesus. Can you answer ‘yes’ to that?
3. They have put their trust in the death of Jesus for their sins. Can you answer ‘yes’ to that?
There is no greater decision than this. Will you pray for yourself that God will accept you, forgive you, and unable you to live with him in control? Such a prayer of repentance is the only way to begin the Christian life. But it is also the prayer that those who are already Christians need to keep praying as what God wants of us is a close relationship with him and his Son. Christians now live as his representatives, his ambassadors.
