What Is A Christian?
Perhaps there has been no word more misused and misapplied than the word "Christian." While the name "Christian" is used only three times in the New Testament, yet the book sets forth, throughout, the character of a Christian. The word of the Lord also reveals the necessary steps in becoming a Christian as definitely as it depicts the character of a Christian. It seems many have the strange notion that God, while outlining the standard of character for a Christian, has left it up to the individual as to how he becomes one and at what point he becomes one.
There is a general conception that those who practice good morals, according to a common community standard, are Christians. A man who is a good citizen, generous with his time and money in favor of community projects, pays his debts, deals honestly in business, a good neighbor, and treats his family right, is considered to be a good Christian. Now, he may be all of this, and not be a Christian at all. We should not want to leave the impression that one can be a Christian and not have these good qualities, but one may have them and not be a Christian. If this is so, the reason must be obvious. Christianity embraces more than morality. Good morals are essential to but not the equivalent of Christianity.
Let us notice the teaching of the New Testament along this line. In Acts, chapter 10, we are introduced to a "man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band." Let us analyze his character.
1. He was a "devout man." He no doubt was devoted to the Roman Army since he was a centurion, a position which would favorably compare with that of a captain in our present military machinery. He was devoted to his family as the context clearly reveals, but this is not the devotion under consideration in this passage. This man was devoted unto God. Devotion involves "giving one's self wholly to some object or cause." Cornelius was a sincere, religious man giving himself to a cause which he believed was right. He was doing the best that he knew how.
2. He "feared God with all his house." A man's house is his family. This man not only respected God, but he taught his family and servants to respect God. He was a good family man.
3. He "gave much alms to the people"; a benevolent man who had compassion on those less fortunate than himself. His alms were no mere pittance but were described as "much."
4. He was a "just man." (Verse 22.) He was known for his fairness and honesty. The kind of man that could be trusted in any kind of a business deal.
5. He was of "good report among the Jews." This is no small recommendation. A Roman officer commanding an occupation force, stationed among the Jews who were given to despising the Roman soldier, had conducted himself in such a manner that he had a "good report." A splendid reputation!
6. He "prayed to God always." A man of faith exercising his faith in prayer. A sincere, religious man indeed.
Do you know of anyone who excels this man in moral goodness? Is there one among us who will rise up and declare himself better than Cornelius? With all our vaunted estimates of selves, I doubt that one could be found so void of humanity and truth as to claim to be superior to Cornelius in character. But in spite of all his moral excellence, he was an unsaved man. Yes, he was lost! Surely, he was a religious man, sincere, prayerful, benevolent, just, honest, devoted to job, family, and above all, to God, but he was lost. How do we know? In Acts 11:14 a review of this incident was being given in which it is said that 'Simon Peter was to tell Cornelius "words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved." If Peter was to tell Cornelius words by which he could be saved, then he wasn't already saved. He was a good moral man but unsaved. Good morals alone did not make a Christian out of Cornelius, and good morals alone will not make a Christian out of you. It isn't enough to argue that you are doing the best you know how, so was Cornelius, but he was lost. It isn't enough to say, "I know I am saved, because I am sincere and honest in my religion." So was Cornelius, but he was unsaved, therefore you can be religious, honest, sincere, prayerful doing what at the time seems best, and still be wrong. Here was a man that was all of that, yet he was wrong, and as a result, he was in an unsaved condition. Hence, you too, can possess all the moral qualities which he had and be in an unsaved condition.
What did Cornelius need in order that he might be saved? He needed to hear the words which Peter would speak unto him when Peter came to his house. Before Jesus went back to the Father, he told his apostles, one of whom was Peter, that he would send the Holy Spirit upon them for the purpose of "guiding them into all truth." (John 16:13.) In Acts 2 we learn that the Holy Spirit did come upon the apostles and "they began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance." At the time the angel appeared to Cornelius, the apostles were still speaking as the Spirit guided them. God had a message for man to hear and obey that he might be saved. God wanted Cornelius saved just as He is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9), but Cornelius had to be saved according to the way which God had appointed through the Spirit. That message had been committed to "earthern vessels" (2 Cor. 4:7), and the Spirit used these earthen vessels (apostles to make known to lost humanity the things which God has appointed for man to do in order to be saved. 'Cornelius was a 'good man, but he has not obeyed the gospel of Christ. (2 Thess. 1:8.) He has not been born again of the water and the Spirit. (John 3:5.) He has not been baptized into the death of Christ for the remission of his sins. (Rom. 6:3; Acts 2:38.) Therefore, he had not appropriated the blood of Christ which could cleanse him from all sin. (1 John 1:7.) In spite of his goodness, he was still in the devil's kingdom, not having obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which makes free from sin (Rom. 6:16-18), he had never been translated out of the power of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son. (Col. 1:13.) His relationship was still in the devil's family.
The same is true in regard to all others who have never obeyed the gospel of Christ and changed their relationship from the devil's family to God's family. Moral goodness in itself will not make the change.