INTERESTING FACTS : John Witherspoon, born Feb. 15, 1723, [Feb. 5, 1722, old style], Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland; died Nov. 15, 1794, Tusculum, N.J., U.S.  Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University); he was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence.[1]

 

"[H]e is the best friend to American liberty who is the most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy to his country."[2]

 

Daily Reading : JOHN 13 - 15

 

TEXT : John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.  15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.  15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

 

THEME : Identifying a Christian

 

John 13 

 

Our Saviour having finished his public discourses, in which he "endured the contradiction of sinners," now applies himself to a private conversation with his friends, in which he designed the consolation of saints. Henceforward we have an account of what passed between him and his disciples, who were to be entrusted with the affairs of his household, when he was gone into a far country; the necessary instructions and comforts he furnished them with. His hour being at hand, he applies himself to set his house in order. In this chapter  I. He washes his disciples' feet (v. 1-17).  II. He foretels who should betray him (Joh_13:18-30).  III. He instructs them in the great doctrine of his own death, and the great duty of brotherly love (Joh_13:31-35).  IV. He foretels Peter's denying him (Joh_13:36-38).  (Matthew Henry)[3]

 

John 14 

 

This chapter is a continuation of Christ's discourse with his disciples after supper. When he had convicted and discarded Judas, he set himself to comfort the rest, who were full of sorrow upon what he had said of leaving them, and a great many good words and comfortable words he here speaks to them. The discourse in interlocutory; as Peter in the foregoing chapter, so Thomas, and Philip, and Jude, in this interposed their thoughts upon what he said, according to the liberty he was pleased to allow them. Free conferences are as instructive as solemn speeches, and more so. The general scope of this chapter is in the first verse; it is designed to keep trouble from their hearts; now in order to this they must believe: and let them consider,  I. Heaven as their everlasting rest (Joh_14:2, Joh_14:3).  II. Christ himself as their way (Joh_14:4-11).  III. The great power they shall be clothed with by the prevalency of their prayers (Joh_14:12-14).  IV. The coming of another comforter (Joh_14:15-17).  V. The fellowship and communion that should be between him and them after his departure (Joh_14:18-24).  VI. The instructions which the Holy Ghost should give them (Joh_14:25, Joh_14:26).  VII. The peace Christ bequeathed to them (Joh_14:27).  VII. Christ's own cheerfulness in his departure (Joh_14:28-31). And this which he said to them is designed for the comfort of all his faithful followers.  (Matthew Henry)[4]

 

John 15 

 

It is generally agreed that Christ's discourse in this and the next chapter was at the close of the supper, the night in which he was betrayed, and it is a continued discourse, not interrupted as that in the foregoing chapter was; and what he chooses to discourse of is very pertinent to the present sad occasion of a farewell sermon. Now that he was about to leave them,  I. They would be tempted to leave him, and return to Moses again; and therefore he tells them how necessary it was that they should by faith adhere to him and abide in him.  II. They would be tempted to grow strange one to another; and therefore he presses it upon them to love one another, and to keep up that communion when he was gone which had hitherto been their comfort.  III. They would be tempted to shrink from their apostleship when they met with hardships; and therefore he prepared them to bear the shock of the world's ill will. There are four words to which his discourse in this chapter may be reduced;  1. Fruit (Joh_15:1-8).  2. Love (Joh_15:9-17).  3. Hatred (Joh_15:18-25). The Comforter (Joh_15:26, Joh_15:27).  (Matthew Henry)[4]

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : "A TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A FRIEND OF JESUS."

 

In a little known book entitled - "What it Means to be a Christian," the author, Robert W. Youngs, a pastor, begins in the introduction sharing a true story of a court case that took place in Iowa many years ago.    According to Youngs -

 

"William B.  Small, a Methodist layman of Iowa, died leaving a will which provided that the income from $75,000 of his estate should be used to benefit Christians.  10 of his nieces and nephews sued to break the will of the ground that there is no way to determine what is a Christian.  Prominent pastors, priests, and professors testified at the trial.  After pondering over the testimony for six weeks, Judge  Shannon B.  Charlton ruled in favor of the relatives.  It was his opinion that a question can that be defined."[6]  

 

Apparently, the judge in Iowa ruled in favor of the plaintiff due to conflicting and contradictory testimonies from various Christian leaders.  In this case, Christianity was served a critical blow no matter how incidental the trial may seem.  If a man wants his money to benefit Christians, it is only a reasonable and lawful to ascertain what a Christian looks like,  how a Christian behaves, or how you can positively  define a (born again)  Christian.  Everyone would agree with that statement.  However, as in the case in Iowa, defining a Christian is, according to many if not most professing Christians, as well as antagonists of Christianity - impossible.

 

How can this be?  Is the Bible and Jesus Christ as vague as many people think?  Are Christians  like the earth - "without form and void," as Moses states in the first chapter of Genesis?  (Genesis 1:2)  Defining or describing  a Christian is a fair question.  Of course, it is a critical question in a court of law.  One cannot blame the family of the Methodist  Christian for contesting the will.  After all, if the leaders of Christianity disagree about what makes a Christian a Christian, then the verdict rendered by the judge is unbiased and in keeping with the law.  If the evidence is not conclusive, then the judge must rule in favor of the plaintiff as he did in Iowa.  This is reasonable and lawful. 

 

Thankfully, Jesus Christ did not promote such ambiguity.  He made it plain, with no uncertainties about it.  Jesus defines the question clearly.  Therefore, a person's denomination, fellowship, or Church affiliation is of little concern in describing who is a true Christian.  Thus, in the text above, Jesus maps out the question of what it means to be a Christian.  Better, Jesus  defines a true Christian, born of and by the Holy Spirit of God.  After all, only Jesus definition of what it means to be a Christian counts.  Again, everyone would agree with that.   Only the founder of an organization is capable, competent, and certainly qualified to  define and describe who his followers are.  In this case, the founder and head of the " called out ones," (the Greek word for "Church" - ekklesia, means "called out, " as in being "in" the world, but not "of" the world) is the one who describes his own Church.

 

In simplistic fashion, Jesus states those who have his commandments and keep ( do) them are his followers.  In John 14:23  it says -

 

"Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

 

Then, Jesus goes further.  He states John 11:24-

 

"he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

 

In all honesty, it does not get much simpler than that.  God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is inside the person who keeps the commandments of Jesus Christ.  The person who does not love Jesus does not have the Triune God inside him.  In addition, as Jesus states in verse 24, the individual who does keep Jesus' sayings (commandments, principles, orders,  etc. and so forth) does not love  him.

 

Jesus hands out the sum of all his commandments in these words in John 15:12 -"this is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." Then, he goes on to say "ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." (John 15: 14) In all, the old adage that "actions speak louder than words," is apropos to be finding what it means to be a Christian.  If a judge in Iowa did not know  what it means to be a Christian due to conflicting testimonies of professing Christian leaders, certainly the judge of the living and dead does know.  As the Scripture states -"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." (2Ti_2:19) Nothing could be clearer.

 

There is an engaging and challenging verse of the Holy Bible found in 1 John 3:14.  It says this -

 

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." 

 

Here, the Apostle John offers as evidence of salvation (that is, being born again, or simply a -"Christian") the love of the brethren.  Notice the words "we know." This phrase is used in the New Testament as a positive affirmation of what the Apostles and the early Church actually "knew." Once again, there was no ambiguity or confusion about the person of Jesus Christ and what he required in order to be one of his disciples (read -  "Christian") and  to be a citizen of his kingdom (saved).

 

Further, in describing how others that is, all others, would know if you are a Christian Jesus said - 

 

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (Joh_13:35)

 

At this stage, it matters little (or not at all) what anyone -including  Christian "leaders" (which is sometimes  harder to define than the average Christian) says about what it means to be a Christian.  Jesus and his Apostles, particularity John, defines it for you.  It is found in one word - "love." Men may say what they will, theologians may argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, pastors, priests, bishops and so forth made vie for power and position; but it does not change the words of Jesus Christ.  Nothing invalidates the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus words will not pass away.

 

A Christian is one who loves.  However, be clear about this -he or she, does not love merely with their tongue or words.  Words are important.  However, they are not to be a substitute for how we behave, for the things we do.  Again, the Scriptures states -

 

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him."  (1Jn 3:18 - 19)

 

And again,  Jesus quoting the Prophet Isaiah   firmly pronounced these words -

 

"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."  (Mat 15:7 - 8)

 

Abraham, when he believed God, was called the friend of God.  You also are called the friend of Jesus when you do what he commands you.  "ye my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." Jesus friends will be with him in heaven.  However, his enemies will not.  Who are his enemies?  Those who refuse to obey his commandments.  Namely, what the Holy Scriptures calls "the world."

 

"These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

 

Today, remember what Jesus said.  You are his friend and follower as you love the brethren.  Perhaps courts of law cannot  define a Christian, and rightfully so since confusion reigns about the very description of a Christian.  However, there's no confusion coming from Jesus.  A Christian is one who keeps his commandments.