What is a true Christian?
Answered from the commentary of Greg Quail, F. B. Hole, H. Forbes Witherby and 17 others
A true Christian is one who has been born again, and this, not profession or upbringing, is what marks true Christianity off from every man-made religion. The new birth is not new behaviour or new principles but an entirely new origin. It is not the old nature improved, whitewashed or renovated, but a new life and nature, "new creation". It is God's sovereign act on the righteous ground of Christ's death. It is wrought by the Spirit through the word of God, so that the soul who believes is born of God and has Christ as its life. The need is universal, for even Nicodemus, of the best Abrahamic stock and religious culture, needed it, which shows that "all flesh … is condemned before God".
So a man "in Christ" is "a new creation altogether," the old nature not pardoned but set aside. The Christian is also one in whom the Holy Ghost dwells, so that he is "not in the flesh, but in the Spirit". Hence "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His": one is either a Christian with the Spirit or a natural man without Him. Among those who profess Christ, the absence of that seal shows the profession to be false. The authors differ somewhat here. Darby holds that one may be truly quickened and on the way, like the prodigal, yet not in the Christian state until sealed. Grant denies that any class of believers lacks the Spirit. Several also note that Old Testament saints were born again without being Christians in this full sense.
The link with Christ is faith, and it is believing *on* a Person, not merely believing facts *about* Him, that saves. Faith's whole value lies in the Christ to whom it cleaves, so the feeblest faith in Him saves, while the strongest faith in priests, church or sacraments does not. For the same reason, assurance comes from God's testimony and not from searching one's own heart. 2 Corinthians 13:5 is no call to examine whether one is a Christian.
Yet this life always shows itself, and the authors name two grand tests: obedience and love to the brethren. Obedience is "the leading trait of the imparted life," so one who claims to know God and does not keep His commandments "is no Christian at all, but he is a liar". This holds even though in the true convert obedience is found "in greater or less degree". Love to the brethren is likewise "an evidence of divine life," both to the believer himself and to the world, which knows Christ's disciples by it. Such a man denies himself, takes up his cross and follows Christ, for the cross shows the Christian's true path. He is one in whom Christ is read as an epistle.
By contrast, the mere professor may be baptized, take the Lord's supper, hold an orthodox creed, preach and even work wonders, and still have "not one spark of divine life". Baptism "accomplishes nothing vital". Profession is not possession, and only those quickened and sealed with the Holy Ghost belong to the church of God. Such forms of godliness without the power mark the professing Christendom of the last days, and the faithful are to turn away from them.
Verses: John 3:3, John 3:4, John 3:5, John 3:6, John 3:7, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Acts 11:26, John 13:35, 1 John 2:3, 1 John 2:4, 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:6, Romans 8:9, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:16, Ephesians 2:8, Ephesians 2:9, Ephesians 2:10, John 1:12, John 1:13, Galatians 2:20, Luke 9:23, John 14:15, John 14:21, Matthew 7:21, Matthew 7:22, Matthew 7:23, Matthew 7:16, Matthew 7:17, Matthew 7:18, Matthew 7:19, Matthew 7:20, John 15:5, John 15:6, John 15:7, John 15:8, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:14, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:8, 1 John 5:1, 1 John 5:11, 1 John 5:12, 1 John 5:13, James 2:17, James 2:18, James 2:26, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Galatians 5:24, Titus 2:11, Titus 2:12, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:14, John 8:31, John 8:32, John 10:27, Acts 2:38, Acts 2:42, 1 Peter 4:16, Acts 26:28, Romans 6:3, Romans 6:4, Romans 6:11, Colossians 3:1, Colossians 3:2, Colossians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Philippians 3:7, Philippians 3:8, Philippians 3:9, Galatians 3:26, Galatians 3:27, Romans 12:1, Romans 12:2, John 17:3, Matthew 16:24, 1 John 1:6, 1 John 1:7
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
The Christian is one in whom the Holy Ghost dwells between the accomplishment of redemption and His coming again. The thought and purpose of God about us is that we should "be conformed to the image of his Son." The Holy Ghost is given to dwell in us meanwhile, to dwell in us individually — collectively too, but I speak now individually. That is what the Christian is: Christ is his life, his righteousness: it is a ministration of righteousness and of the Spirit. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9); it does not say, "If he is not converted," though that would be true, of course. You see so many saints everywhere who are not settled in their relationship with God; the present power for this is the Holy Ghost come down.
The converse is true. People are “converted” to religions by indoctrination, coercion or attraction. They are radicalised by the efforts of others or they make up their own minds in self-will. Of course, some become “Christians” in this way. But a distinctive feature of true Christianity is that a believer is born again. There is such a thing as a “professing” Christian as contrasted with a true Christian. But there is no such thing as a professing Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, etc, as contrasted to a “real” one. What is fundamentally characteristic of Christianity—distinct from all forms of man-made religion—is that the true Christian has received a new birth.
Verse 1 puts us in Christ, this verse Christ in us, which is the Christian state, according to the promise in John 14. It is not the state of soul which is a question here, but the fact of Christ being in us, as the next verse proves, connecting it withal with chapter 6. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. This cannot be till we have that Spirit. We are not till then in the Christian state as belonging to Christ in fact, even if on the way, like the prodigal. The Christian is always looked at as born again, forgiven, and sealed. That is the Christian state — till then he is not in it. The indwelling of the Spirit is part of the Christian state, as Galatians, Romans, 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 1, and a multitude of other passages, shew.
In the Christian's life we should be able to read Christ, as well as the Jewish law could be read on the tables of stone; for on the heart of the Christian the Holy Ghost has engraved Christ, just as the finger of God engraved the Ten Commandments. "Ye are the epistle of Christ, written," Paul says, "not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." From God's point of view, as shown to us in His word, the Christian is he in whom we see Christ represented to the world. As a general thing the character and the tendency of a man's life show themselves; so that we know, speaking from an earthly point of view, a man's character from his life. The world judges pretty fairly whether or not Christ is the aim and object of a man's life, whether we are living Christ or not. Of course we may fail; but if Christ is produced to the view, not only in the profession but in the main of a man's life, that is a Christian; and the world generally is not very far wrong in this respect. If I am going eastward, it is clear to all around that I am not going westward. I may be travelling far more slowly than I ought, or may trip in the way; but still it is clear in which direction I am going.
Here man's natural condition is set in contrast with the full Christian condition. No intermediate condition is taken into account. It is not a contrast between the natural man and a man born again, but rather the contrast between the natural man and what is true of a Christian — one who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament saints were born again by the Spirit as truly as the New Testament saints, but such are not contemplated in this passage.
The part of the verse that states that "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His", is parenthetical. You are either a Christian with the Spirit and of Christ, or a natural man without the Spirit and not of Christ.
This is peculiarly solemn. It bears down with tremendous weight upon that vast mass of baptized profession which surrounds us, at the present moment, in which there is so much of outward semblance, but so little of inward reality. All profess to be Christians. The lamp of profession may be seen in every hand; but ah! how few have the oil in their vessels, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the Holy Ghost dwelling in their hearts. Without this, all is utterly worthless and vain. There may be the very highest profession; there may be a most orthodox creed; one may be baptized; he may receive the Lord's supper; be a regularly enrolled and duly recognized member of a Christian community; be a Sunday-school teacher; an ordained minister of religion; one may be all this, and not have one spark of divine life, not one ray of heavenly light, not one link with the Christ of God.
One who professes to know God and does not manifest obedience is no Christian at all, but he is a liar, and the truth in the knowledge of the Lord is lacking in such a one. He is a mere professing Christian, one who has the outward form of godliness but does not know the power of it, because he has not the life in him, which is His life and in which he delights to obey. The first great test of the reality of the divine life in the believer is obedience.
But here lies the whole secret. There is all the difference between believing about a Person and believing on a Person. Christians believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. They believe on Him “to the saving of the soul.” They know Him as a personal Saviour. They are cleansed by His blood. They confess Him as Lord. They are sealed by His Spirit. They are happy in His love.
Before closing this paper, and our Meditations on the apostle's first prayer, may I ask my dear reader, if he is one of this happy company? Art thou a believer in Christ Jesus? Is He precious to thy heart? Couldst thou not live without Him even in this world? Is He necessary to thy daily peace and happiness? Is everything worthless to thee that has not His stamp upon it? And is everything empty to thee which He does not fill? A Christian is united to Christ now, and one with Him. His sins are all forgiven, he has eternal life, and is accepted in the Beloved. The Holy Spirit dwells within him as the spirit of adoption, and communicates to his soul a fuller knowledge of Christ and His finished work. Thus he is enabled to live above the world, though diligently attending to His duties in it. The Lord looks for separation from the world in all who are associated by faith with Him in heaven. This is true Christianity, and fills the soul with heavenly peace and joy. Is it thine, O my dear reader? Think not that the picture is drawn too high; it is within the plain statements of scripture; and we have no other standard. Nothing less will suit God, and nothing less will serve thy soul. True, Christ may be possessed and not enjoyed, pardon may be possessed and not enjoyed; and so may other blessings of Christianity; but the heart of a true believer, even amidst all its darkness and unbelief, will turn instinctively to Christ Himself, under a sense of need, and cleave to Him alone. This is the surest evidence of the work of God's Spirit in the soul. Doubts and fears are lamentable, and dishonouring to Christ; but the grace of God will outlive them all. Is this, then, my friend, more like the picture of thy state? Or! — What? — no Christ at all? God forbid! This would be awful indeed! It is bad enough to see Christ only through the errors and darkness of man's theology, but to have no interest in Christ at all, is to be forlorn and desolate beyond all conception. No language could picture this state — no figures could sum up its misery. It is to be Christless and Godless; a hapless wreck on the shores of the lake of fire.
Regeneration is not a change of the old nature, but the introduction of a new; it is the implantation of the nature or life of the Second Adam, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, founded upon the accomplished redemption of Christ, and in full keeping with the sovereign will or counsel of God. The moment a sinner believes in his heart, and confesses with his mouth, the Lord Jesus, he becomes the possessor of a new life, and that life is Christ. He is born of God, is a child of God, is a son of the free-woman. (See Rom. 10:9; Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:1-2; Gal. 3:26; Gal. 4:31)
Verses
- John 3:3–73Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born anew he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus says to him, How can a man be born being old? can he enter a second time into the womb of his mother and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not wonder that I said to thee, It is needful that ye should be born anew.
- Romans 10:9–109that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from among [the] dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with [the] heart is believed to righteousness; and with [the] mouth confession made to salvation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17So if any one [be] in Christ, [there is] a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new