WHO IS A TRUE CHRISTIAN?

By Rev. Fr. John Damian Adizie of the Holy Spirit

Reflection: Acts 11:25-26   and   Psalm 15

• Followers of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch 
• They were addressed as Christians because they were living like their Master, Jesus Christ 
• Early Christians or followers of Christ were not just living like Christ they were also performing miracles like Jesus Christ, some of them even died like Christ while preaching the gospel.
• Who is a true Christian?  What are the qualities of a true Christian? 
• Psalm 15 declares:

1. A true Christian must obey God in everything: Our Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples, "If you love me keep my commandment." (John 14:15)
2. A true Christian must always do what is right: St. James wrote, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17).   In his letter to the Galatians 6:9 St. Paul also declares, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap."
3. A true Christian must be truthful and sincere: Joshua told his fellow Israelite, "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth." (Joshua 24:14)
4. A true Christian must not slander others: Our Lord Jesus Christ told his follower, "I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an account for it in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36)
5. A true Christian does not do wrong to his or her friends: In his letter to Roman 13:10 St. Paul declares, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor."
6. A true Christian does not spread rumours about his or her neighbour: The book of Exodus 23:1 declares, "You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with the wicked to act as a malicious witness."
7. A true Christian despises those whom God rejects: In his first letter  to the Corinthians 15:33 "Bad company ruins good morals."
8. A true Christian honours those who obey the LORD: In Genesis 12:3 the Lord God assured Abraham "I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse."
9. A true Christian keeps his or her promises no matter how much it cost: Our Lord Jesus Christ told his followers, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Matthew 5:37)
10. A true Christian makes loans without charging interest: In the book of  Deuteronomy 23:19 the Lord declares, “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother"
11. A true Christian cannot be bribed to testify against the innocent: The Lord declares, You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous" (Deuteronomy 16:19)

With these you can imagine how many true Christians we have in our world today. But if I may ask, dear reader, are you a true Christian? If you are a true Christian you have nothing to regret. Instead, it shall be well with you, in Jesus name - Amen!