"Do You Love Me?" Not a Matter of Form

A true Christian is not a mere baptized man or woman.  He is something more.  He is not a person who only goes, as a matter of form, to a church or chapel on Sundays and lives all the rest of the week as if there was no God.  Formality is not Christianity.  Ignorant lip-worship is not true faith.  The Scripture speaks expressly: ...For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. (Romans 9:6)  The practical lesson of those words is clear and plain.  All are not true Christians who are members of the visible Church of Christ.

The true Christian is one whose faith is in his heart and life.  It is felt by himself in his heart.  It is seen by others in his conduct and life.  He feels his sinfulness, guilt, and badness, and repents.  He sees Jesus Christ to be that Divine Savior whom his soul needs, and commits himself to Him.  He puts off the old man with his corrupt and carnal habits and puts on the new man.  He lives a new and holy life, fighting habitually against the world, the flesh, and the devil.  Christ Himself is the cornerstone of his Christianity.  

- Ask him in what he trusts for the forgiveness of his many sins, and he will tell you in the death of Christ.  

- Ask him in what righteousness he hopes to stand innocent at the judgment day, and he will tell you it is the righteousness of Christ.  

- Ask him by what pattern he tries to frame his life, and he will tell you that it is the example of Christ.

But, beside all this, there is one thing in a true Christian which is obviously peculiar to him.  That thing is love to Christ.  Knowledge, faith, hope, reverence, obedience, are all marked features in a true Christian's character.  But his impression would be very imperfect if you omitted his "love" to his Divine Master.  He not only knows, trusts, and obeys.  He goes further than this - he loves.

To be continued...

Adaptation from the writings of J.C. Ryle