CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – How can I tell if you’re a Christian?
I could give you a quiz. Tell me the names of the four gospels? Can you name the 12 apostles. (Did you get Bartholomew. Aside from him being listed as one of the 12, we know nothing about him.) Is Titus in the Old or the New testament? (New, by the way.)
A recitation of knowledge doesn’t make you a follower of the Christian faith. Neither does Church attendance. There are many people in the pews who do not believe.
I would suggest three things that are signs of truth belief:
First, we are told that “God is spirit. His worshippers must worship in Spirit and in truth.” You are not a Christian based on how many biblical lines are stuffed into you. Bible experts have read the good book cover to cover and their understanding is imperfect. God is not facts and text.
Second, the prophet Jeremiah spoke of the Almighty and said “I will write my law on their hearts. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” Being an observant Jew in ancient times was difficult. You were supposed to travel to Jerusalem three times a year, and you couldn’t book a flight on El Al. The dietary and animal and farming laws were complicated. Jeremiah spoke of a time when Messiah would come, and He would be known to believers from their souls, not from how they ate or where they prayed.
Lastly, look for a person who lives a generous life. But be mindful, generousity cannot buy you into heaven. But a Christian knows they are saved; redeemed by Christ’s blood. When you know that your place in paradise is assured, you are freed to life your life differently. You can be more generous with others. Possessions and worldly wealth mean less. Things done for others aren’t burdens, they’re blessings because you have inner peace… what one hymn calls ‘blessed assurance”.
I hope those are the traits that are within you.
Chris Conley
You’ve heard me talk before about the Gospel TLC – the only-of-its-kind live-in facility for the addicted and homeless. They need people who are willing to make monthly donations; I have a link here.
The men living at the Gospel TLC are preparing their own meals. They need: breakfast foods, like sausage, bacon, ham, and hash browns; dairy products like milk, shredded cheese, sour cream, butter, and eggs; ground beef, powdered drink mixes, and ice cube trays. Those items can be dropped off at the Gospel TLC building in Weston on Cross Point Boulevard.
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