What Is A True Christian?

by Leonard V Johnson

It excites me to tell you that this subject that I want to speak about in this article is one I’ve been wanting to speak about for some time. We do have A Morning Bible Study──God's Definition of a TRUE CHRISTIAN which will certainly complement this article.

WHAT IS A TRUE CHRISTIAN? 

What is true Christianity?

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ explains to us what a true Christian is like. Sadly, throughout this world and its professing Christianity, it’s extremely difficult to find the qualities that our Lord Jesus describes should be present in a Christian.

As an example──and this is something I recently witnessed on Fox News immediately after the resident Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 men on federal death row. Tim Timmerman, whose daughter was killed by one of the men whose sentence was commuted on Monday, said in an interview with Fox40, “You couldn't imagine someone that deserved it more than Mr. Gabrion. He killed at least five people. Where's the justice in just giving him a prison bed to die comfortably in?” I also heard one woman say, ‘They didn’t show any mercy to their victims. They deserve no mercy!’ Surely, there is nothing more central to Christianity than mercy. One of our Lord Jesus’ teachings in the “Sermon on the Mount” which is recorded for us in Luke chapter 6, “’ But I say to you WHO HEAR: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28) bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.’” – Luke 6:27-28, NKJV throughout, unless otherwise noted. 

We, as true Christians, are to have MERCY.

We are told by the apostle Paul that “in the last days perilous times will come.” Including a severe lack of forgiving others – 2 Timothy 3:1-5. And, I am not saying that I do not believe in capital punishment. But a person who blatantly says that a person does not deserve mercy──that person is not a true Christian. I speak concerning capital punishment and does God ever use capital punishment? In a Personal From… 2022.

This command to those WHO HEAR certainly is not being followed by a great many professing Christians around the world. Are you able to witness this command from our Lord being implemented in your neighborhood? What about at your Sunday church gathering? What about the multiple thousands you walk by on the streets of America──a great many of who claim to be Christian?

Surely, to truly love your enemy, you must know WHY HE IS HERE ON THIS PLANET. The same as WHY IS MAN? Because truly the grandest of Golden Rules is, “’ Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.’” – vs. 31. Our Lord Jesus did not just suggest this for us──we are to live by this.

And I do understand, because it did happen to our beloved Lord Jesus ── how it could be very difficult to forgive and have mercy on a person who murdered a member of your family. Yet, Our Lord Jesus is the Law Giver. And He commanded His followers to abide by this Law. To apply it to their daily lives.

Why Have Mercy?

Our Lord Jesus continued here, “’ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37) … Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.’” – vs. 36-37.

Having mercy on others is not for their benefit──it’s for yours.

Sadly, gossip, condemnation, and backbiting are at the forefront of even many so-called Christian sermons. And even in private conversations. It’s in our movies, television shows, books──even in the majority of children’s television programs──it dwells on the idea of condemning and seeking revenge.

Truly, when you witness genuine mercy from one human being toward another it is remarkable and marks within your mind an indelible memory.

Our Lord Jesus’ command surely encompasses the lack of consideration for others regarding: blaring car radios, annoyingly loud motorcycles, loud barking dogs, littering, damaging public property, and spraying permanent graffiti without authorization. Acts of inconsideration to others that make life unpleasant.

So, it is so commonplace──the infringements of the command that our Lord Jesus Christ gives us──it certainly should make us wonder: and I have spoken of this several times ── Remember Abraham’s plea!? “Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place.” And the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” And then Abraham said, “Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous?” And then, forty, and thirty, and then twenty, and finally ten. And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten righteous people.” And we know the result. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, couldn’t even convince his own family to leave. It was only his wife and his two daughters who were still living at home who left Sodom. Those five cities on the plain of Jordan were allowed to be destroyed because there weren’t even ten righteous people in that city. And, brethren, let us not sell ourselves short – but we should ponder – is it that Almighty God is holding back the utter destruction of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth of Nations, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and Judah (the little nation known today as Israel) respectively – because there are maybe ten in one-million righteous people still within these nations!? It should make us wonder: WHERE ARE THE TRUE CHRISTIANS? As I’ve spoken to my sister about, along with Minister Guy LaMar, “Within a fifty-mile radius from me, where are my true brethren?” They are difficult to find.

Christianity In Decline

Our America in this 21st Century faces ever-greater threats than even during the American Revolutionary War. Illegal immigrants crossing our borders soar to record highs – “The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States grew to 11.0 million in 2022. … In addition, through December 2023, about 500,000 new immigrants were paroled into the country through two federal programs – the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) program and the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U). Groups like these have traditionally been considered part of the unauthorized immigrant population. … While these new arrivals probably increased the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population, it remains to be seen how much.” 1 How many potential terrorists are illegally coming to America!? Our beautiful and blessed land is becoming polluted with filth! Even the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe are highly polluted! A crime surge is occurring in America! The homicide rate in some large US cities rose by 30% in 2020! And it is showing no sign of slowing. Derek Thompson of The Atlantic wrote, “Americans are experiencing a crime wave, unlike anything we’ve seen this century. … Americans can no longer say, as we could 10 years ago, that we are living in the safest time in our nation’s history.” 2 In the article he had spoken with Patrick Sharkey, a sociologist at Princeton University, who had argued that intensive and often “aggressive” policing and incarceration policies “probably” helped reduce crime in the past few decades, to the great benefit of low-income neighborhoods. Immorality and sexual licentiousness are completely filling our land. Divorce and broken homes are rampant.

Truly, America needs President Donald Trump! God’s living immutable word shows us what a society becomes like when the LORD God’s true religion ── and God’s word defines religion this way, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” – James 1:27. Again, much of what this world considers to be the religion of Christianity──church on Sunday, reciting prayers, lighting of candles, etc. ── are nothing more than human traditions that give the appearance of devotion, but ultimately have very little to do with any salvation of the participant.

Christianity is in decline in North America. According to AJ Willingham of CNN, “By 2040, Islam could be the second-largest religion in the US.” 3 And, according to a Pew Research Center poll, “Over the past three decades, the total number – or stock – of people living as international migrants has increased by 83%, outpacing global population growth of 47%.” 4

So, as our Lord Jesus was speaking──and even as He has asked, “’ Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’” (Luke 18:8), and certainly not only the faith of Christianity, but faith in even a Creator──He knew that at the close of this present evil age that there would be multiple billions who would be calling Him their ‘Lord,’ and who would be professing that they belong to Him, but who would not be obeying Him.

He says to them, “’ But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?’” – Luke 6:46. Indeed, a ‘lord’ is a master──one who is to be obeyed. In other words, our Lord Jesus is saying, “If you DO NOT obey Me, DO NOT call Me Lord!”

So often we hear a plethora of people──especially this time of year──talk about “the Lord,” or “the little Lord Jesus asleep in the manger,” when they don’t have the foggiest understanding of who the REAL JESUS actually is! Our Lord Jesus announces to us, “’ Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom [from] heaven, …’” – Matthew 7:21.

Here are some simple and easy-to-understand teachings from our Master on what makes a person a true Christian –

“’ My mother and My brothers are these who HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND DO IT.’” – Luke 8:21.

“’ You are My friends IF YOU DO WHATEVER I COMMAND YOU.’” – John 15:14.

“’ If you love Me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.’” – John 14:15.

It’s clear that only a person who does what our Lord Jesus Christ commands has the right to call Him ‘Lord.’ That is the LORD God’s definition of a true Christian.

True Christianity Is A Way of Life

Christianity is not just merely believing. It’s not just joining a church. It’s not something to be paraded about one day a week or at differing times. It is a Way of life. In fact, true Christians call it, “the Way of the Lord” – Acts 18:25. Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “’ I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’” – John 14:6. No one can follow what our Lord Jesus taught without truly experiencing a change in life and in one’s lifestyle.

This truth can be illustrated by the wealthy man who once came to our Lord Jesus and asked, “’ Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’” Because the man knew that he had to do something to follow Jesus. Sadly, the majority of people TODAY would answer: “You don’t have to do a thing. Just believe in the Lord and you will be saved.” But, our Lord Jesus answers us quite differently! “’ But if you want to enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.’” And He made it crystal clear that He was speaking of His Ten Commandments and not any laws of the Sanhedrin──or even the Code of Hammurabi. And, to this crystal clear answer, the wealthy man responded, “’ All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’”

Whether a person is wealthy or what society considers poor, our Lord Jesus requires His followers to have a true depth of CONVERSION. He knew that that wealthy man was not keeping the true intent of His commandments regarding loving the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. As well as loving your neighbor as yourself ──cf. Mark 12:28-31. So our Lord Jesus boldly told him, “’ You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me.’” So, only after that could he be a true Christian.

Sadly, like the overwhelming majority, he was unwilling to CHANGE in life and in lifestyle.

Maybe you think──and as my oldest brother, and now my wife has said to me──that all you need to do in life to find salvation (whatever that may be to you) is to “be the best person you can be”!? Or, maybe you believe in all your heart that you are keeping the Ten Commandments. If you don’t believe that they were “done away with,” or “nailed to the cross.” Well, let’s go over the Ten Commandments. And I want you to be honest with yourself and see whether you could use some improvement in keeping them in your life.

1) “’ You shall have no other gods before Me.’”

I humbly come before you as a servant of Jesus Christ, empowered by God’s Spirit, to warn you this day of growing idolatry within Jesus Christ’s Church! Many may ostracize me – even many brethren – but Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ are sending a message to you via an often despised man, often a foolish man, a weak man – nothing more than a conduit of the good news for all of you. The greatest sin by far is the sin of idolatry. Idolatry is when we violate the FIRST COMMANDMENT! It is when we put something or someone first in our life, BEFORE the living and true God. And, idolatry is the root cause of all other sins.

2) “’ You shall not make for yourselves a carved image──any likeness of anything …’”

The SECOND COMMANDMENT should be crystal clear to all. NO LIKENESS OF ANY KIND OF THE LORD OUR GOD! This includes the famous and most popular painting of “Jesus” with long hair and feminine features – “The Head of Christ,” also known as “Sallman Head” painted in 1940 by American artist Warner Sallman (1892–1968). Throughout the United States of America ── and the world beyond, a great many “Christians” have this famous painting somewhere in their home!

3) “ ’You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.’”

The THIRD COMMANDMENT applies to so much more than just using our Lord Jesus’ holy name in vulgarity. The word “take” in Strong’s Concordance means “to bear, carry.” 5 “The Qal form of this root is used almost six hundred times with basically three separate meanings: ‘to lift up’; ‘to bear, carry, support’; and ‘to take, take away.’ … The meaning ‘to lift up’ is used both literally and figuratively in many phrases. ‘To lift up the hand’ in taking an oath (Deut. 32:40; Ezek. 20:5, 6. 15, etc.).” 6 So, truly the meaning is that the LORD God does not like it when people make an “oath” to be a Christian, yet are doing things that make the true religion of God look bad.

4) “’ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.’”

Let us never forget that the LORD our God made the SEVENTH DAY holy time. But, what does ‘holy’ time mean!? In several articles on our website, I have shown you in God’s living word that we are not to do any work, our own pleasure, speaking our own words, on God’s holy Sabbath day. We are to keep the Sabbath day holy. So, you shouldn’t be spending a lot of time in worldly visiting or what is often called “just shooting the breeze.” When the LORD our God said that we are to put the Sabbath day to holy use, He meant that we should be happily employed in doing good things prescribed for that day. To keep the Sabbath positive. Use the Sabbath as a day of rest from our labor, to get closer to God in prayer and Bible study. Take time to do good to others, to care for the sick, to visit the afflicted. Assemble – if possible – with other true Christians on the Sabbath. Then you will truly be a light unto the world! Friends, the holy Sabbath separates true Christians from this world’s churches with their pagan holidays and their “day of the sun.”

5) “’ Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.’”

What does it mean to “honor”? The word “honor” in Hebrew is surprising. It is the word kābēd, meaning “be heavy, grievous, hard, rich, honorable, glorious.” It is the word for glory. It means to be weighty. In one respect it is bearing a burden of a weighty issue. In other words, honoring our parents goes far beyond childhood. It also takes us into their old age where we bear the burden when they are unable to carry their burdens. The word kābēd in all its beauty also means that we should always recognize the importance of our parents ── no matter whether we feel they are good or bad parents. They have a connection with us and we should recognize their importance to us. And it involves always showing them respect just as we show the LORD God respect.

This is one command that has a promise as part of it. And there are so many reasons why honoring our parents will result in a long life. For me, their instructions kept me away from many of the dangers of life. My Father’s echoing words, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” Now that I have entered into five-and-a-half decades of my life ── and thinking back to my childhood ── they certainly kept me from a path of criminality. I was there standing by her side when my Mother took her last breath – April 12th, 2013. It took a lot out of my wife and me taking care of her towards the end, but I wouldn’t trade that for the honor we showed her. My parents planted a love for God and a respect for authority in me that has helped lead to a longer life in the land in which the LORD God has blessed me to be born.

6) “’ You shall not murder.’”

The overall majority of humanity has not physically murdered anyone. But nearly everyone has committed murder in their heart at one time or another. Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [gehenna fire].’” – Matthew 5:21-22. He elevated the Law to a spiritual plane. That even if you have murderous thoughts in your heart, then you’ve committed an act of murder. And, murder and killing can mean two different things.

Murder: the crime of unlawfully killing a person with malice and aforethought. Killing can mean not deliberate.

7) “’ You shall not commit adultery.’”

As we’ve pointed out before, the word “adultery,” in part refers to the physical sin of adultery. Sex outside of marriage. Breaking the bonds of loyalty. But, a more spiritual aspect, when you see the words adultery, fornication, whoring ── and you read and study the whole passage ── it is the LORD God’s pronouncement against people who are engaged in false religions.

8) “’ You shall not steal.’”

Again, many reading this will wholeheartedly claim that they do not steal. But I want you to be aware of this: If you teach, preach, or propagate ─ and you don’t have to be a minister to teach false doctrines ─ or, let’s say that you are parents who teach your children that placing a tooth underneath their pillow, they will receive money from a Tooth Fairy – (in the US, the average tooth fairy payment is $4.57 per tooth, adjusting for geographical location, family traditions, child’s age, and inflation), or you teach your children about a Santa Claus that delivers presents to all the good children all around the world on Christmas Eve, or about an Easter bunny that lays chocolate or multi-colored eggs, or teaching them to beg for candy on Halloween ── if you teach them all that folderol, you are STEALING from your children or your grandchildren the truth of the living God! Because if you want to teach the children the living truth of God ── you will properly teach them what the LORD God actually says in the pages of THE WORD OF GOD!

9) “’ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.’”

As in accusing somebody of doing something they did not do. Well, there are a whole lot of people who claim to be Christians who have broken this commandment. Spiritual crimes against true Christians. As an example: a former mentor found out that a fellow servant could no longer afford (nor have the time) to develop and upload his sermons, and instead of having understanding and compassion ── he instead bashes and trashes the poor soul who has become the object of his hate. I know about that!

10) “’ You shall not covet.’”

The apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:5 and in Ephesians 5:5 – ‘that covetousness of physical things [including people] is a form of spiritual idolatry and is a sin, and unrepented of is worthy of death.’ And so yes, the Ten Commandments have a more practical everyday physical meaning, but the Ten Commandments have a mighty powerful secondary spiritual meaning! Covetousness is perhaps the major form of national idolatry in America. And covetousness rears its head in many ways in the United States of America. Take - as an example - TV shows such as American Idol or I Am A Singer (which is popular in South Korea), or even The Voice. Watch one if you get a chance. The contestants sometimes become so mentally incapacitated with lust that it's so very sad. They gibber, or their eyes bulge out, and gasping, they hug and kiss the show’s host; they jump up and down at the prospect of owning a fantastic new sports car just on the other side of the curtain. “Come on down! You're the next contestant on The Price is Right!” The lust, greed, the vanity is certainly palpable. In the United States today, we worship people, automobiles, money, and the status that money brings - material possessions. The prophet Isaiah, under great inspiration from God's Spirit, wrote: “Their land is also full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands, That which their own fingers have made” - Isaiah 2:8. In actuality, this grave manifestation of this modern idolatry is perhaps the greatest and most serious sin in the United States of America.

Notice the Ten Commandments begin with idolatry, and it ends with idolatry?

True Conversion

As I said earlier ── Christianity is not just merely believing. It’s not just joining a church. It’s not something to be paraded about one day a week or at differing times. It is a Way of life.

We need to continue working at: that every activity, every conversation, every goal and plan ── we are representing the family of God! WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST! – cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20. That our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed to us His Law that bears on every facet of our life. With Almighty God helping us to cast down “arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing EVERY THOUGHT into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

Surely, to this world what our Lord Jesus asks of us sounds extreme. Many might think that true Christians are much like monks in Buddhism or Catholicism. No. The apostle Paul was only repeating what the LORD God’s living word tells us time and time again. Remember, we are told, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – 1 Corinthians 6:20. There is a price to pay ── complete and unwavering faith and obedience. “ …’ keep the commandments’” – Matthew 19:17. And, “to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8. And for a great many that price may be too high. The ultimate price is to surrender YOURSELF to Christ Jesus!

“’ Let the wicked FORSAKE HIS WAY, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.’” – Isaiah 55:7.

A true Christian follows and obeys our Lord Jesus Christ, His thoughts, and His will. What the prophet Isaiah is describing is true repentance. When a crowd asked the apostle Peter ‘What shall we do?’ The apostle Peter responded with the same answer! – Acts 2:36-39.

‘God gave them a spirit of stupor’

Our Lord Jesus tells us that many are trying to get salvation through a wide gate ─ a broad way that leads to destruction. – Matthew 7:13. NARROW IS THE GATE! Sadly, the majority of our peoples are looking for an easy street. They begin to see that being a true Christian is difficult. They begin to say to themselves: “I believe in God. I speak with God. There’s no need to go to a church. All you really need to do is to be the best person you can be.” Yet, they don’t have much of a concept of an afterlife. They sing the song by Doris Day ──

Que sera, sera

Whatever will be, will be

The future’s not ours to see

Que sera, sera

What will be, will be

Our Lord Jesus Christ really means what He says ── in keeping the commandments to inherit the LORD God’s free gift of eternal life! He meant exactly what He said. The multiple billions who have throughout the generations professed Christianity (along with all other religions) without ever truly understanding what it really means to be a true Christian (Acts 4:12) ── a follower of Jesus Christ ── will eventually have their opportunity to truly understand in the second resurrection. That period is shown to us in the Book of Revelation 20:11-13. □

Bibliography

1 Passel, J.S., and Krogstad, J.M., What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S., Pew Research Center, 22 July 2024.

2 Thompson, D., Why America’s Great Crime Decline Is Over, The Atlantic, March 24, 2021.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/is-americas-great-crime-decline-over/618381/. Retrieved 26 Dec. 2024.

3 Willingham A.J., By 2040, Islam could be the second-largest religion in the US, CNN, 10 Jan. 2018.

4 Kramer, S., and Tong, Y., The Religious Composition of the World’s Migrants, Pew Research Center, 19 Aug. 2024.

5 Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Strong, James. Zondervan, 2001, #5375, pg. 5394.

6 Harris L. R., Archer, L. Gleason, Jr., and Waltke K. Bruce. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1980, #1421, pg. 600.