THE REAL DEAL – Am I really a Christian? Part 2

We continue in our quest to find answers to the very important question: How can I know for sure that I’m a Christian? In our previous article we ask ourselves this question: do I desire and enjoy having fellowship with God? Now let’s continue with the following question:

2. Am I indifferent to sin? Or in other words, do I practice sin? Do I feel remorseful when I sin? The Bible says that when you become a Christian, God’s nature (His character) is born in you. Part of His nature is holiness, purity or sinless, so if you are really born of Him, you will not want to continue to sin with your life. 1st John 3:8 says “the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” This doesn’t mean that as a Christian you will not sin, in the same epistle in 1^st John 1:8 we read that “if we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” But it does mean that a true Christian is sensitive to sin, and with God’s nature living in us, we will not want to continue any sin pattern in our lives.

An evidence of continual sin in one’s life may be the evidence of a non-repented and unregenerate heart. The Bible is clear about this matter as stated in 1^st Corinthians 6:9 “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

We may claim to be Christians, but if there are no signs of Christian character in our lives, this may be an indication that we are not the real deal. We have the idea that because we went forward during an altar call or we repeated a prayer some time ago, we are saved. Salvation is not about going forward or repeating some words; salvation is about having a deep sorrow for the sins we’ve committed, asking and receiving God’s forgiveness given through the death of Jesus Christ, and being reborn to a new life in Christ. John the Baptist’s message was plain and clear: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand” Matthew 3:2. The Lord Jesus’ message was plain and clear: Repent, and believe the Good News” Mark 1:15. The disciple’s message was plain and clear: “They went out and preached that people should repent” Mark 6:12. Have you truly repented from your sins? Are you the real deal?

Still more to come…