What is a Christian? Romans 1 Seminar 1.
Andre Bitov, Russian novelist, grew up under the atheistic communist regime. God got his attention one day. He recalled,
“In my 27th year, whilst travelling on the metro in Leningrad, I was overcome with a despair so great that life seemed to stop at once – there was no meaning. Suddenly, all by itself a phrase appeared,
“Without God, life makes no sense.”
Repeating it in astonishment, I rode the phrase up like a moving staircase, got out of the metro and walked into God’s light.”
Discuss what makes a person a Christian, is baptism enough, is confirmation, is responding to an evangelistic appeal, is it an experience such as Bitov’s above or is it a lifelong commitment to Jesus Christ as my personal Lord?
The word Christian means ‘Christ’s man’- a follower of the historical Jesus. We cannot make up our own definitions – eternal salvation depends on getting this right. How does the Bible understand the gospel Romans 1:16?
Romans 1 v. 1-7 What does this teach us about the gospel?
1. The origin of the gospel is God v.1
Religion is man trying to get through to God – an impossible task (Romans 3:23).
In the early Byzantine period, all what is now known as the ‘Middle East’ was ‘Christian’ or supposedly so. They suffered however from a severe lack of apostolic teaching, that is Bible teaching. Many were concerned about being right with God, but some of their solutions were far from those that Jesus and his apostles gave. For example, Thalelaeus was a monk who had constructed a small cage that was hung in the air. When his Bishop, Theodoret visited him, he had been suspended for 10 years. He was a big man so he had to sit doubled up with his forehead tightly pressed against his knees. Theodoret questioned him about the reason for this ‘novel mode of life’. The monk answered, “Life was to be lived as uncomfortably as possible as an insurance policy against worse discomforts in the life to come. Burdened with many sins, and believing in the penalties that are threatened, I have devised this form of life, contriving moderate punishments for the body in order to reduce the mass of those awaited. For the latter are more grievous not only in quantity but also in quality, so if by these slight afflictions I lesson those awaited, great is the profit I shall derive therefrom.” If only someone had taught him the Bible. If only he had learnt what Jesus had achieved on his behalf, that forgiveness was a free gift of God for those willing to accept Christ’s condition that they return to live under his authority. “It is for freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5 v. 1). How they needed to know more about Jesus, that “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2 v. 2).
2. The Gospel had been promised in Scripture v.2
It was not invented by Jesus and his apostles.
Daniel 7:13 - the Son of Man coming from heaven
Isaiah 53:12 - the Suffering servant
Luke 24:25-27 - “he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
3. The Gospel is Jesus v.3-4
Key is to understand all Scripture as referring to Jesus Christ.
The gospel is Jesus Christ. To move away from Christ is to move away from the gospel.
There were two phases of his life, humble humanity followed by his ministry which included the resurrection with the power of God. See 2 Samuel 7:12-13
4. The Gospel’s Scope – all nations v.6
NB Rome was mainly Gentile, yet they were called by God (cf 1:16 –to all who believe)
There was no place for nationalistic pride, see 12:1
Explain the ‘potted gospel’,the simple presentation of ‘2 Ways to Live’
5. The Gospel’s Purpose – obedience of faith v.5
Paul was a slave v. 1, but to whom?
Book ends with same message 15:18, 16:26
What is ‘faith’? Two meanings
the body of belief
my commitment
Romans 6:17, 10:16 include both
v.6 called to belong to Jesus Christ
v.7 called to be saints
6. The Gospel’s Goal – the honour of Jesus Christ – v.7
“Whom I serve” v.9
We know that Christians have been chosen and called by God but some are not clear what they are called for. John 15:16, 1 Peter 2:9, Jeremiah 1:9, Ephesians 1:3-14, Isaiah 43:10, Ezekiel 2:1,3,7 and Acts 25:12-18 all make it clear that people are chosen to to ‘proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness’. At root, all evangelism depends on personal interactions of individual Christians with other individuals, the organisation of events is only a secondary and are there to help the interactions to be more effective for Christ.
Catherine Booth, wife of the founder of the Salvation Army was giving a talk to members of an established church when she said,
“Is this all you do for God, you go to church?”
Note the radical effects this understanding has on Christians
1. Security v.7 – grace and peace. Similar to Aarons blessing - Numbers 6:25
NB is for all Christians v. 7,8
2. Support of others v. 9b,10,11,13
3. Sharing the Gospel with others v.8,9,13,14-17
v.14 literally “I am a debtor” ie he has a gift from God for others
v.15 eager
v.16 not ashamed (must have been tempted to be so)
Mark 8:38, 2 Timothy 1;8:12
Why the urgency?
1. “It is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes” v.16
2. Reveals God’s righteousness v.17
Use the Hand illustration of sin being transferred to Jesus on that cross and the righteousness of God’s Holy Spirit being transferred to us.
Role of the Holy Spirit
John 16:7-11 He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement
Summary
The Bible teaches that to be a secure Christian we must be,
1. Convinced about who Jesus is
2. Convicted of my sin before God and my need for forgiveness
3. Committed to openly obey Jesus as my Lord
BVP
July 2006
