AM I A CHRISTIAN?

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” —Matthew28:18-20

I was recently talking with a young man. Not long ago I had heard him respond to a question and I wanted to follow up on that response. An elderly man had asked this young man if he was a Christian and the young man responded with a “yes.” So yesterday I was talking with this young man and asked him if he was a Christian and he said “yes.” Then I asked him what a Christian was and he told me his parents had attended a church down south and they had also attended a church since they moved north, but they were not presently attending. He had attended with them, but he also was not presently attending anywhere.

Is that it? Is that all a Christian is? Is a person is a Christian simply just by “going to church?” Is that all there is to be a Christian? Not according to the passage mention above.

Jesus is speaking to the disciples as a group. He tells them a few things in this passage. Let’s list them. 1st – Jesus said that all authority was given to him in heaven and on earth. 2nd – He tells his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. 3rd – He tells his disciples to baptize these new disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 4th – He tells his disciples to teach these new disciples to obey all the commands that Jesus had given them. 5th – He tells his disciple that he will be with them until the end of the age.

Am I a Christian? Am I a faithful Christian? Questions to ask myself: 1- Am I truly living in/under the AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST? 2- Am I truly INVOLVED IN MAKING DISCIPLES (Have I been/am I being discipled myself?) 3- Am I sharing the gospel where someone has come to Jesus and HAS FOLLOWED JESUS COMMAND TO BE BAPTIZED? 4- Am I involved in TEACHING DISCIPLES TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE COMMANDS JESUS HAS GIVEN US? 5- Do I understand that JESUS IS RIGHT WITH ME IN THE WORK HE GAVE ME TO DO?

So, am I a Christian? If I am involved in a church, is the church I am involved with faithful in these areas and am I faithful in these areas along with that local church? This is what Jesus has called his church to be and do. May the local church and we be faithful to Jesus.

Dear Father, please help me to be the servant in Jesus and by the Spirit that You desire.