"I've been a Christian all my life..."
I had a conversation with a man the other day, and as we were speaking, I got the impression that he knew a thing or two about the Bible. During the discussion, I asked him, "So, do you consider yourself to be a Christian?". He said that he did. I then asked him, "How long have you been a Christian?". He answered by saying, "I've been a Christian all my life...".This person is not the first person who has told me that they have been a Christian "all their life". Of course, a person cannot be a Christian "all their life". If that were true, it would mean that they have been saved "all their life"... If someone has been saved "all their life", it means that they were never lost.
Jesus said that He came "to seek and save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). If we were never lost, then we are not someone that Jesus came to seek and save. If we are not saved from our sins through Jesus, then we are forever lost... "Jesus saith... 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
posted by James Rondon @ 6:05 PM
20 comments
20 Comments:
James,
Maybe he meant that he can't remember a time that he didn't trust in Christ. There are small children that turn to Christ, no?
Later in our conversation, the man told me that he was a Roman Catholic, that he was born into a Christian home, and that he was baptized right after he was born. That is why he said that he had been a Christian "all his life".
Unfortunately, if this is what made him a Christian, then his becoming a Christian never involved a recognition of his lost condition, and was not preceded by repentance toward God, and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 20:20-21).
You are right about children, however. There are some who do receive Christ as their Savior early in their lives. But, like those who come to believe as adults, receiving Christ as Savior means that one acknowledges one's need to be saved. If one does acknowledge one's need to be saved, it is only because they have come to realize their lost condition (cf. Acts 16:25ff, esp. 30, 31)...
James said: "If one does acknowledge one's need to be saved, it is only because they have come to realize their lost condition".
Robert:
That's true. It is also true that he perhaps does currently realize that without Christ he is lost.
Hello Robert. The point of the article was that someone cannot be a Christian "all their life". If someone is a Christian, then there must have been a time when they were saved from their sins, through faith in Jesus Christ. This, implicitly, demands that they have at one time recognized their lost condition, which also means that they were indeed lost for part of their life.
As far as the man who made the statement is concerned, I spoke with him for about half an hour. According to him, he was saved by his own goodness, his own works, his church, his infant baptism, and several other things. Christ was not even mentioned by him as a part of his salvation. I had to bring Him up (cf. Luke 6:43-45).
At the conclusion of our conversation, I tried to point him to faith in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone for his salvation. I told him that he can only be saved by trusting in Christ, and what He did on the cross, and referenced John 19:30. In response, he said that he wasn't sure about that, and would have to think about it further...
I hope and pray that the man has been saved. From listening to him, it doesn't sound as if he has been. Regardless of that, I pray that his faith would be in Christ, and what He did on that cross. I pray the same for you, and for me...
James,
Do you think that you can say for sure who is saved and who isn't? Or do we "judge nothing until the appointed time"?
I think that the concluding paragraph in my previous post more than answers that question.
James,
A problem that I have always had is this: if I don't know who is saved and who is not, how can I apply some of Paul's admonitions about separating from Christians in serious sin? Doesn't that imply that I can know?
Robert
Hello again, Robert. Regarding your question, please consider the following Scriptures:
"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." (1 Cor. 5:11).
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2 Tim. 2:19).
So, are you saying that the criteria is simple confession of the Lord? Sounds like you may have it solved.
James,
How do you see the verses that you have mentioned?
Robert
Hello, James-
Long time no write! Hey, it just occurred to me that the matter of "Christian my whole life" might be related to one's theology of whether infants are born in Christ and go to heaven if they die or if they are ubder God's wrath at birth. Is there a third option?
Blessings, Robert
Hello Robert. I hope that all is well with you. As far as the options are concerned, there are others. For example, there is the school of thought which says that those children who die before knowing good from evil are covered by the blood of Jesus. It is not that they are "born in Christ", but that they die in Christ.
Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7:21-23, KJV).
Notice what Jesus said of these people, "I never knew you". He did not say "I once knew you", or "I knew you as a child"... He said "never". This must be factored into the options.
James,
You point is sharp and provocative. It carries some force. A question begs to be asked:
When Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven"
Are you saying that some will get into the kingdom without doing the will of God, (in the case of infants and young children)? To do the will of God seems to require being "in Christ" prior to the doing. The case of young children seems to not fit neatly into either scenario.....
James,
A problem that I have with your option is that it seems to postulate a third state of being
1: The Kingdom of our Lord
2: The kingdom of the devil
3: The option that you mentioned.
Does scripture speak of thus?
Blessings,
Robert
Hello anonymous. How would you deal with the scenario you have written, taking Matthew 7:21-23 into consideration?
Hello Robert. How would what you have written not also affect the options that you have given?... Please explain.
James,
Perhaps the Matthew passage is not dealing with the question of infant/child salvation......
Robert
Hey James- EXCELLENT blog! Definitely adding to my bookmarks. Thanks for the free promo stuff on your homepage. God bless and stick to the stuff!
Dan Allen
www.spurgeon.us
Robert wrote: "James,
Perhaps the Matthew passage is not dealing with the question of infant/child salvation......"
Hello Robert. I don't think that the passage in Matthew is directly dealing with the question, however, I think that it does apply to it.
Dan Allen wrote: "Hey James- EXCELLENT blog! Definitely adding to my bookmarks. Thanks for the free promo stuff on your homepage. God bless and stick to the stuff!"
Thanks for writing, Dan... And thanks for your words of encouragement.
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