What Is a Christian?
What
does it mean to be a Christian? The Barna Group conducted an analysis on
the state of the church in 2016. Most people in this country identify as “Christian.”
Almost three-quarters of Americans (73%) say they are a Christian, while only
one-fifth (20%) claim no faith at all (that includes atheists and agnostics).
Then, on what basis do Americans claim they are Christians? How do they experience
and express their faith? The most common activity related to faith practice is
prayer. Three-quarters of Americans (75%) claim to have prayed to God in the
last week. Following prayer, the next most common activity is attending a
church service (35%). About the same proportion (34%) claim to have read the
Bible on their own. About one in six American adults have either volunteered at
a nonprofit (19%) or at church (18%) in the last week. Slightly fewer attended
Sunday school (17%) or a small group (16%). And here is an interesting
question: “Do you believe good works result in going to heaven?” More than half
of the Americans (55%) say “Yes.” They agree that if a person is generally
good, or does good enough things for others during their life, they will earn a
place in heaven.[1]
So what is a Christian? What makes you a
Christian? In today’s passage Paul gives a very good, solid definition of
what it means to be a Christian in three ways.
Does the Spirit of Christ Dwell
in You?
First, if you are a Christian, the Spirit dwells in you. In verse 9 Paul
says, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
This is the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. Here, the word “dwell”
is important. The Greek word “dwell” (oikeo)
comes from the word “house” (oikos).
It’s more than “be near” or “be there.” The Spirit of God is more than a good neighbor
or a special guest who stops over occasionally. He has taken up residence right
here in you. This is his home. Suppose someone makes your house their home,
what would happen? Probably, they will become very familiar with you and you
with them. And they will naturally have an influence
on you and the way you live. And now, suppose Jesus and a notorious criminal
stay in the same cell together for three months. Who would be transformed?
Jesus, or the criminal? (Of course, the criminal!) Now suppose you and Jesus
live in the same house together for three months. Who would be transformed? Jesus,
or you? If you haven’t been transformed yet, it might be either you are
stronger than the criminal, or you have not been influenced by Jesus. In today’s
scripture, basically, Paul makes the same point in three ways: Christians, know
about yourselves (1) the Spirit of God
dwells in you” (v. 9b), “you have the
Spirit of Christ” (v. 9c), (3) “Christ
lives in you” (v. 10a). Christians are “inhabited”
people.
When
we are inhabited by Christ, transformation begins. Here, the order is
essential. When we put our faith and trust in the person Jesus Christ and what
he has done for us, we are set right with God. That is, by faith we are justified (justification). And because we have been
justified, our lives are changing (sanctification), but not vice versa. We are not
set right with God, because our lives have changed. We are not justified, because we have done good enough things, or because
we have lived for God and for others. Implication is this: going to church, being
a member of a church, giving to the work of the church, serving those less
fortunate than us, or being a good person does not make us a Christian. What makes us a Christian is to believe the truth
that Christ personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess
of our lives, and took away our sins in order make us right before God once and
for all (v.3). When we humbly
believe this glorious truth, we become a Christian. And the Spirit of God
dwells in us. We are inhabited by Christ. And we become more and more familiar
with him, communing with him, and being influenced by him. And by this, our
lives change, and we become more like Christ.
Are You in
the Spirit?
Secondly, if you are a Christian, you are in the
Spirit. In verse 9 Paul says, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit” (ESV). What does it mean
that “you are in the Spirit”? The NLT translates it in this way, “But you are
not controlled by your sinful nature. You
are controlled by the Spirit…” It means that you are now under the power and
dominion of the Spirit. To be in the Spirit is to come from the power of
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). The Bible
says that we used to live in sin, under the captivity of our sinful nature, following
the ruler of the power of the air (Eph 2:2), so that we couldn’t submit to God
and couldn’t please God. But now the power of the Spirit of life has set us
free in Christ Jesus from the power of sin and death! (v.2) The Spirit has
broken the dominion of the enemy and now holds the reins of our life. We are safe
and protected in his hands. We are not in the hands of the enemy. 1 John 5:18 powerfully
proclaims this truth in this way: “We know that God's children do not make a
practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them” (NLT).
In John Bunyan’s
Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian arrives
at Palace Beautiful. As he enters a narrow passage, he sees two lions lying in
front of the gate. Christian is frightened. But the gateman, whose name is
Watchful, cries out, “Why are you so cowardly? Don’t be afraid of the lions!
Take a closer look. They are already chained! And they are placed there to test
your faith! Stay in the middle of the path and no harm will come to you.” Christian is trembling for fear of the lions,
but he follows the gateman’s directions, and he safely passes through the
passage. We have the enemy, the tempter, the accuser, who condemns us before
our God day and night (Rev 12:10). When you suffer physical pain and seems to
get worse, when you struggle with your marriage, when your children break your
heart, the accuser will surely come and say, “It’s punishment. You are under
God’s condemnation. That’s why you are suffering so much. That’s why you are
struggling so much.” How are you going to answer? How are you going to keep
going? The answer is Romans 8:1: “There is no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus.” There is no condemnation
in physical pain, no condemnation in marriage difficulties, no condemnation in
the failures of parenting, no condemnation in anything, if we are in Christ Jesus,
if we are in the Spirit. The enemy cannot condemn, or harm, or even touch us. So
are you in the Spirit? Are you controlled,
directed, empowered by the Spirit?
Do You Belong to Christ?
Thirdly, if you are a Christian, you belong to Christ. In the second half of
verse 9 Paul says, “Anyone who does not the Spirit of Christ does not belong to
him.” That is, if we have the Spirit of Christ (Christian), we do belong to
him. We are Christ’s possession. We own nothing, Jesus owns everything. In 1
Corinthians 6:18-20 Paul says, “You know that your body is a sanctuary of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God, don't you? You do
not belong to yourselves, because you were bought for a price. Therefore,
glorify God with your bodies” (ISV). What does our life look like when we live as
Christ’s possession? Paul answers this question in Galatians 5:24, saying “Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified
the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” They don’t set their
minds on things connected with getting their own way, but they set their minds
on things that please the Spirit (v. 5), who gives life and peace (v. 6).
Last weekend Joyce and I attended a
Marriage Conference. That was a perfect timing because around that time we
found ourselves more easily getting into argument. We had intense fellowship.
We felt tired and weary within and without. I thought my wife was a problem. I thought
I was doing my part. But during the seminar, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my
“50/50 mindset.” My love and commitment did not reflect Christ’s. It was so
conditional. I thought if Joyce did
her part (50%), then I would do my
part (50%). If Joyce did laundry, I would do wash dishes, something like that. If
she didn’t, I was frustrated and blamed her. But the Spirit said to me, “No,
you do 100%. You lay down your life for her. You love her first. Be a servant
leader of your family.” After the conference, by God’s grace and by the power
of the Holy Spirit, I began to put it into practice. Then, wonderful things
happened. Our intense fellowship turned into intimate fellowship. We began to experience
life and peace of the Spirit once again. Christians are those who belong to Christ.
When we belong to Christ, we crucify our
own way and follow His Way. We crucify our unforgiving mind and forgive those
who hurt us badly. We crucify our self-centeredness and pray for our enemies,
for those who hate us.
Victorious Living
So who is a Christian? A Christian is a person who is inhabited by
Christ, under the sway of Christ, and owned by Christ. Are you a Christian?
Every time I think of what it means to be a Christian, one poem written by a
Korean missionary comes to my mind. The title is “Victorious Living,” and its
rough translation is like this:
Do you know what it means to live a victorious life?
It means to crucify an easy, wide, safe, smooth path,
and to follow the narrow path of the crucified Christ alone.
Do you know what it means to live a victorious life?
It means to keep calm and silent when you really want to say something,
and to let Christ alone speak through your mouth in his time.
Do you know what it means to
live a victorious life?
It means to have a fierce
battle with your sinful nature,
and to let Christ alone dwell
in you.
Whatever the result, if Christ
is exalted,
and if there is the peace of
Christ in you,
that is the victorious living!
Are you a Christian? Then, live as “victor”
in Christ, not as “victim.” Remember who you are and whose you are. Dwell in Christ,
and let Him dwell in you! And if you are listening to this message without
Christ, come to him, and receive him today. Trust him, and believe in his name.
He will set you free and make you his own. Amen.
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