Starting with the Definition of the Christian
So, let's return to Roy's question: "How can I become a Christian?" I turned to Roy and said, "Roy, if you want to become a Christian, we better start with the definition of what a Christian is." Roy agreed that this was the most logical way to begin. Then I said, "Let me give you a Biblical definition of what a Christian is, because there are so many misconceptions swirling around about who Christians are and what Christianity is. This is not my own definition, but the definition first expressed by the Apostle Paul in his magnum opus, the Epistle to the Romans. Here is Paul's definition of the Christian, found in Romans 8:9:"
"However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."
"Thus, A CHRISTIAN IS ONE IN WHOM THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES, BY INVITATION. Paul is saying here that humanity basically fits into two categories from God's perspective: those who are "in the flesh," i.e. those who are human beings born of the flesh but not indwelled by God, and those "in the Spirit," i.e. those who are human beings born of the flesh but indwelled by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is thus the key to becoming and being a Christian. Without Him living within, a person cannot be a Christian. The indwelling Spirit is the necessary and sufficient condition of being a Christian.
"This means that the Christian has a rich spiritual life by the union of the Holy Spirit with their human spirit. Christianity becomes a marriage of oneness between the indwelling Holy Spirit and our spirit. This means the Christian is a Christian based on a profound relationship, a relationship of incredible intimacy where God is with us and in us every moment of every day, wherever we find ourselves: in bed, at our desk at work, standing in line at WalMart, eating a meal, even in the bathroom. This also means that being a Christian is a profoundly internal change of the human heart through this new spiritual oneness with the indwelling Holy Spirit, not just some set of religious rules you sign up to follow."
Roy was taken aback by this definition, but I can still remember that blazing fire in his blue eyes as he considered this for the first time. As I have subsequently found with every person with whom I share Christ in this way, he had never heard nor even imagined that this was the definition of a Christian. The elegance of this definition compelled him immediately.
It also started the conversation right where Roy was at the moment he stepped into my office. When a person is honestly considering what is means to become a Christian, he or she will already have a conception of what a Christian is. But because they are asking questions, they are clearly in search of a more complete answer. By starting with the definition of a Christian, we are starting from where the person is at that moment, addressing the immediate need the person has, and doing so with complete philosophical and personal integrity. Any honest and open dialogue starts with the process of defining the key terms.
The genius in sharing our faith this way is that it allows the Christian to make the Biblical definition of a Christian the starting point of the conversation. In one fell swoop, we have obliterated many of the basic objections a person has about becoming a Christian, simply because they have misunderstood what a Christian is. Because this definition is both so compelling and so radical, it allows the conversation to proceed down a Biblical path. It also helps us to clarify for ourselves exactly what a Christian is, so we can begin the conversation being clear in our own minds. This is far preferable to allowing the conversation to be determined by the questions, doubts and rabbit trails in the mind of the person seeking information. Not that those questions or concerns are invalid ... but it is better to frame the conversation with Biblical definitions and concepts.
Let's reflect further on the enormity of this definition, and why it is such a good starting point for communicating the gospel of God. What keeps most people from becoming a Christian in the first place is a general misconception of what a Christian is. Some fall into a trap of categorizing a Christian in sociological terms: a person is considered a Christian because he lives in a place or in a country considered historically "Christian," rather than a country considered historically "Muslim" or "Atheist" or "Animist." For example, this misconception gives birth to the false notion that "Of course I'm Christian ... I'm Texan," as I have heard some people say down in my ancestral home state. This defines someone as Christian purely on the basis of external, statistic analyses of large populations, not based on the state of the individual person's heart.
Another false definition of a Christian falls into the category of "I am Christian because I do Christian things." These "Christian things" might include going to church every Sunday, trying to follow the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments, giving a tithe to a local church, teaching Sunday School, having a half-hour daily "quiet time" of Bible reading and prayer, etc. This gives birth to the false notion that I am defined by the "Christian" things I do. Again, the focus here is on externals, outward activities accomplished, rather than on the state of the person's heart. But Christianity is more about "being" than it is about "doing," at least at the point of the definition of a Christian. And if the definition is right, the "being" will lead to much fruitful "doing" over time.
The tragedy of this errant definition is that being a Christian is synthesized to an ethic only, a rule of behavior. But being a Christian is far more about a relationship than about a rule. It is not an ethic to follow, it is a life to live. It is not a set of rules to try to live up to, but a profound relationship to enter into. It is more like a marriage than a marriage certificate.
So, having considered some of the misconceptions arising from false definitions, let me recap: Paul tells us in Romans 8:9, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." Thus, A CHRISTIAN IS A PERSON IN WHOM THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES BY INVITATION.
Those last two words are crucial: BY INVITATION! The Spirit of God does not live in a person from birth. Every boy and girl baby since the days of Adam and Eve has not been born with the indwelling Spirit, but with indwelling sin. This is an iron rule, with only One notable exception. Sin has been the great problem of humanity since the dawn of time, and this problem has to be addressed with total honesty and integrity as the next step of sharing our faith.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=47047.0