What Is a Christian 01 Who Is a Christian ? — James K. Boswell

It's a real joy being with you this morning, and together we're looking forward to a time of definite blessing and encouragement. We look back with real joy to being here two years ago. I'm going to lay a foundation this morning, we hope to build on during the next two weeks.

What It Means to Be a Christian

We want to try and talk on what is a Christian, or who is a Christian. How do you become a child of God? And then, the privileges of being a child of God, and also responsibilities in the days in which we are now living.

How is the Christian life relevant to the present day and generation? I was speaking at a women's rally some time ago. I had never seen so many women all my life at the same time. A lady came up afterwards and said, introducing herself, was a personal friend of Lady Churchill.

She said, Mr. Boswell, I've always prided myself on being able to tell people from their accent where they came from. But with you, I'm completely baffled. She said, sometimes I thought I heard the Scottish burr.

Sometimes I thought I heard the Irish brogue. Sometimes I thought I heard the sweet music of the English dales. Sometimes I thought I heard the roar of the Welsh valleys. But she said, when you refer to the Dutch version, I'm quite sure you come from Holland.

I was born in Stafford, England. At the age of 18 months, my mother took me back to Scotland, and from then I was brought up in Scotland. My parents are both Scottish. I believe that both of the laws of England are glaring.

But from the age of 22, I've been very seldom back in Scotland. I've been moving around different parts of the world. I taught as I taught school years ago. I can't quite always understand God's maximum grace.

With the twang I have, how many people hear the gospel and trust Jesus Christ for salvation. I can't quite understand how so many believers in the Lord Jesus enter into the life of victory and recognize that Jesus Christ is Lord with such a twang.

I'm so glad he's not depending upon my twang or my dialect. He's depending upon the word of God. And that's what I want you to do during this particular day. Forget all about it. And just ask the Lord to reveal to you exactly what he's got for you during these days we're together.

Acts 11 and the Christian Identity

Now with all that, Acts chapter 11. Acts chapter 11. And we're going to read together, please, from verse number 22. Acts 11, verse number 22. As real sweet music we do like here in the rustling among the leaves.

And as we get going during these days, I want to hear a great group singing to you who believe he is precious in the only way part of the Palm congregation can sing it. I've taught it all over the place.

I never heard anyone sing it like the people down here. And we're not going to sing it this morning. We'll sing it probably later on in the day. Number 22, Acts chapter 11. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem, and the saints forebarn of this, that he should go as far as Antioch, who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, encouraged them all, that with purpose of heart they would plead unto the Lord.

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord. Then he departed, bound of us to Tarsus, for to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch.

And it came to pass, the whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people, and the disciples were called Christians. First in Antioch. Now go on to chapter 26. The same book, 26th chapter, reading verses 27 and 28.

Acts 26, verse 27. Paul standing before King Agrippa, and he says, King Agrippa, believeth thou the prophets? I know that thou believeth. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, O dost thou have persuaded me to be a Christian?

Suffering as a Christian

1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter and the 4th chapter, please. Reading verse number 12. Verse 12 of the 4th chapter of 1 Peter. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fatherly trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering, that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth you.

Drop the upon, by the way. Resteth you. On their part is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Yet if any man suffereth as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. The Lord add his blessing to the reading from his word to our hearts this morning. A Bible class teacher back in Bristol, England, asked the class one day, What is a Christian?

One bright girl put her hand up and said, Please, sir, a Christian is one who goes to church every Sunday and takes the parson home for tea. Now, let us hear a definition of a Christian. One little fellow thought, and had been told, and he realized, all Christians were people with long faces.

You know, like a coffee pot. He had never been to the park of a pot. But, you know, he thought, all Christians have long faces. And you know something? Going down the lane one day, he noticed a donkey over in the field.

And you know what he did? He went and put his arm on the donkey and said, Poor old Nelly, are you a Christian too? Nelly's got a long face. But another girl in that very same class answered the question like this, Please, sir, a Christian is one who has Christ in.

Now, don't you think that's the right answer? A Christian is one who has Christ in. There was a great theologian one day named John Nelson Darby. He said, Christianity is not something put on from without.

Christianity is the outliving of the inliving Christ. Now, isn't that clear? May I repeat it? Christianity is the outliving of the inliving Christ. So a Christian is one who has Christ in. For a few scriptures we read together this morning, we find a Christian is one who belongs to Christ.

He belongs to Christ. Then the next chapter, a Christian is one who witnesses for Christ. He witnesses for Christ. And then in 1 Peter chapter 4, a Christian is one who suffers with Christ. He belongs to Christ.

He witnesses for Christ. And he suffers with Christ. Now, with all that before you, do you sometimes say to someone, are you a Christian? Oh yes, I'm a Christian, all right. Because I've been christened.

I've been confirmed. Probably vaccinated too. Or I've been baptized by immersion. I'm a communicant. I'm a church member. Well, these are answers we get when we ask, are you a Christian? To somebody else, are you a Christian?

Oh yes, I'm a Christian. I read my Bible. I pray. I'm benevolent. I go to every good charitable cause. Then surely I am a Christian. Or, I've been born in a Christian country. I've been born a Christian parent.

I've got a good character. I've got a good name. Surely I am a Christian. These and many others are the answers you get when you ask, are you a Christian? I'm going to break this beautiful name, Christian, up into the classic form.

A Christian Is a Child of God

We want to take the first letter, the letter C. We're going to work on it all during the two weeks we are together. The first word this morning then, a Christian is a child of God. A Christian is a child of God.

And who is a child of God? One with Christ living on the inside. One who receives the Lord Jesus by faith into his or her heart. I'm thinking of this wonderful expression now, a child of God. Isn't that wonderful?

Aren't you glad you're a child of God? Amen? The joy of being a child of God. Remember it says in Galatians chapter 3 verse number 26, Now are ye the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Oh, but says someone, aren't we all God's children?

Isn't God the Father of all mankind? No, beloved, he is not. God is the creator of all mankind. He is the Father of all who believe on his Son. Another verse to clear it up, John 1 .12. What does it say?

But to as many as received him, to them gave he the power, the right, the legal authority to become, a time when we were not, to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on his name. Now, beloved, all by nature, the children of Adam, we are the creation of God.

But only those who come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and receive him as their Lord and Savior, can truthfully come and say, Abba, my own dear Father. How do I know? Galatians chapter four, verse number six said, Because ye are sons, God hath sent for the spirit of his Son into your heart, crying, Abba, Father.

Notice now, is the spirit of Christ in you and in me, that looks up and says, Abba, my own dear Father. Romans eight, verse number nine said, If we have not the spirit of Christ, we are none of his. Now, is that crystal clear?

If I have never received the spirit of Christ, then I am not a child of God. I looked round this very fine, intelligent congregation this morning, and I want to ask your heart, tenderly and with all sincerity, Are you a Christian?

Are you a child of God? If not, there's no better opportunity than right now, of you opening your heart to the Son of God's love, and receiving him as your Lord and as your Savior. A young fellow came up to me some years ago in Alberta, a young university boy, and he says, Mr. Barber, what don't you believe with my mind, and believe with my heart?

Looking at him, I said, Do you believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus? He said, I've never doubted it. Do you believe in the virtuous life of Christ? He did not sin, and he could not sin. He said, had he been able to sin, he couldn't have been my Savior.

Then I went further. He said, do you believe in the vicarious death of the Lord Jesus Christ? That when he died upon that cross, he died for you personally? He said, yes, I do. He said, good friend, he tells me Christ died.

Looking at him, I said, Do you believe in the victorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus? And he smiles, of course I do. So I can't put the date on the paper, the calendar, or put the date on top of my notepaper, without believing these historical facts.

That Christ was born of the virgin. He died upon the cross. He rose from the dead. I believe that. So I said, now, do you believe Christ as a living man, as ascended back into heaven, and being a good angel can he stand?

Of course I do. Ascension suddenly tells me Christ went back to heaven. Looking straight at that young man, I said, Gordon, you believe all that with your mind. You give your mental assent to these historical facts concerning Jesus Christ, and you leave Christ standing at your heart's door.

Now you may give a mental assent, a mere acquiescence to these historical facts, and yet not be a Christian. What does the Bible say? To as many as receive him, not merely facts concerning Jesus Christ, not theories or philosophies concerning Jesus Christ, but to as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

I said, Gordon, you must with your mind believe these facts. For believing these facts, the Lord will never bring about the miracle of a new birth. The Bible says, He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Now life begins when I receive Christ into my heart. Because remember, this life, this spiritual life, is in the Son, the Son of God. And that young man looked at me, and I told him, Revelation 3, 20, Do you hear?

Can I stand at the door and knock? If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in. He said, I'll do it now. And clasping my hand, and he has a hand about twice the size of mine, he said, I receive thee, Lord Jesus, as my Lord and Savior.

Believe in your dying for me, shed your blood for me, and rose from the dead for me. Lord, I believe with my mind all these years, I now ask upon and receive thee, come into my heart. That moment, that young man became a Christian.

Receiving Christ Rather Than Merely Knowing Facts

During a remark, with a big marquee, in Renfrew Yorkshire in England some years ago, one night two young university grads from Cambridge came in and said, Mr. Boswell, do you believe in the creation story of Genesis chapter 1?

I said, now being a Scotsman, I'm going to answer your question by asking another. A Scotsman always does that. It gives them time to think about the question, you see. What is the question? It is this.

Have you received the Lord Jesus for eternal life? He said, oh no. He said, well, we'll deal with this one first. And after about two hours, those two young people got up from the knees, having received the Lord Jesus as the Lord and Saviour, I turned to the young man who again, his name was Gordon.

Now I said, Gordon, what about Genesis chapter 1? Oh, he said, that's all clear to us now. We know the author. Did you get that? It's all clear to us now. We know the author. And today that young man is in Northern Rhodesia as a medical officer and doing a terrific work for God.

Beloved, did you get the picture? 1 Corinthians chapter 2 says, The natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned. I repeat, the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned.

My friend, tonight I find these words, Thank you, my brother. Our dear brother thinks it's going to be rather a dry sermon. May I go back again to that verse? The natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned.

When we were born into this world so many years ago, not quite so many for some of you, I thought, you know, we had a life given to us corresponding with the sphere into which we were coming. We were coming into a natural sphere, so God gave us a natural life that corresponded with this sphere.

Had we to live in a watery element, then today we've been swimming about with our little fins going, our tail behind us. We were not to live in such a watery element but in a natural sphere. And God gave us a life that corresponded with the sphere.

That's why I don't believe for one moment a man will ever live on the moon. I think that's a lot of moonshine. But, beloved, he's got there, no doubt, but he said we'll never live there. Why? Because God never gave man a life that corresponded with that sphere.

A nasty life for a nasty sphere. Now listen. Heaven is a heavenly sphere. It's a spiritual sphere. And the Bible says, flesh and blood, my earthly life, will never inherit the kingdom of God. So, beloved, if I'm going to be in that heavenly, that spiritual sphere, I must have a life that corresponds with this sphere.

The New Birth and Eternal Life

The Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, that which is born of flesh is flesh, the earthly. That which is born of spirit is spirit, the spiritual. And he turned to Nicodemus and said, Nicodemus, you must be born again.

You've got a nasty life, Nicodemus, and an exemplary life, Nicodemus. You're religious, you're respectable, you're refined, you're cultured, you're very wealthy, and you will be mastered in Israel. But, Nicodemus, that life will never inherit the kingdom of God.

You must have a new life given to you altogether. And he could have added, I am calm that you might have this life, Nicodemus. In fact, he did that in verse 4 of Jesus, in 3rd chapter. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Now, this eternal life is the capacity to know God. This eternal life, beloved, is receiving this heavenly, this spiritual life. And when do I receive this spiritual life? The moment I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and by faith receive Him into my heart.

That moment I become a Christian. That moment I'm a Christ one. That moment I receive this heavenly, this spiritual life. Now, let me ask you very tenderly, have you? Have you? See, the Word of God says in John chapter 1, He came unto His own, verse 11, His own received Him not.

Do you know that's the most tragic verse in the Bible? That's the most tragic verse in the Bible. He came unto His own, His own received Him not. Now, you may have position, you may have property, you may have possessions, you may have intellectual ability, you may have scholastic achievement, but if you've never received Christ, your life's a tragedy.

You've never started to live. Life, as Dr. Theodore X said last night, life begins when you receive Christ into your heart. And there's no spiritual life apart from receiving Christ. So, what does verse number 13 say?

Verse 12 says rather, But, and I like this, I know it's very poor English to use too many conjunctions, but here's one I never tired of using. But, as many as received Him, not it, not a code, not a creed, not a catechism, not a church membership, but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the Son of God, even to them that believe on His name.

So the tragedy of verse number 11 becomes a glorious triumph in verse number 12, by what? By receiving the Lord Jesus by faith into my heart. Verse 13 says, We were born, we don't evolve into becoming a Christian, we don't grow up into becoming a Christian, remember Toxie and Uncle Tom's cabin?

Somebody said to one day, Toxie, where did you come from? Oh, I specks, I growed. Well, you don't grow into becoming a Christian, you're born into a family of God. And just as there is a union in the Basic Kingdom, a canton of seed, a German-Asian, a spring will fall into line, just as there is a union in the Animal Kingdom, and among the human beings, a union, a canton of seed, a German-Asian, a spring will fall into line, so it is in the spiritual, beloved.

There is a union between His Spirit and my spirit, there's a canton of seed, the incorruptible seed, which is the Word of God, and the moment I receive God at His Word, and accept His Son by faith into my heart, life begins.

Life begins. What kind of life? This heavenly life. This spiritual life. In a word, I become a Christian, cried by His Spirit, and I'll come to live in my heart. May I pause here? I quoted a verse just now, which was born not of blood.

It is not hereditary. Because our parents are Christians, that does not mean I'm automatically going to become a Christian. Oh, no. I remember the night when I trusted Christ for salvation. The boys, 13 years of age, we had grandchildren in Scotland.

The other members in the family were all saved. I was the only one out. I was very concerned about the Lord's coming, the others going, and I was left behind. But this Friday night, I called the other boys to school, I knew the way of salvation.

I'd been taught it from my mother's knees. And I could tell others the way of salvation. And some of my friends at school, I didn't enter into that way, but I had no joy. No joy. I was rather condemned.

But that Friday night, my brother was going upstairs to his bed, and I called him and said, I want to trust Jesus Christ for salvation. And he came out with John 3, 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

I place my name unto that whosoever, I repeated the verse over and over again during my boyhood, that now for the first time I place my name unto that whosoever, and I believe with all my heart that Jesus is the Son of God, and I receive him by faith into my heart, and at that moment I became the possessor of eternal life.

My brother went through to the kitchen, and there down by the old kitchen table was my little mother. What was she doing? At 11 .30 at night, she was praying for my salvation. It's good to have a praying mother.

I thank God for the memory of that little lady. I believe I'm here today just because she prayed. Are you a praying mother? Probably some mother prayed for you, and you thank God for that praying mother today.

My brother touched her and said, Jimmy's been saved. Getting up from her knees, she came through to my bedroom, put her little arms around my neck, and I could almost feel that hug now. Oh, not only my laddie, but now a son of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Did you get the expression? Not only my laddie, but now a son of God through faith in Christ Jesus. That's how you become a son of God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. There are two factors in faith.

There is a divine factor. There is a human factor. The divine factor is the word of God. The human factor is the hearing of the ear. You hear the annunciation of the gospel, that Christ died for your sins according to the scripture, that he was buried, on the third day he rose again from the dead.

You believe the record God gave concerning his son, such as John 5, 24. Very, very I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that saith me, hath present possession, hath everlasting life, shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

How do you receive this life? 1 John 5 gives you the answer. This is the record that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Then says the scripture, these things have I written unto you, that believeth on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know, not ye may feel, or ye may think you have, or you maybe have, but you know.

You don't hope so, you know so. And you know you have eternal life. How do I know? Because God says in his word. We are two Jewish children living with us for seven years back in Britain. They came just from Berlin just one week before the last war started.

They could only speak five words of English, yes, no, thank you, please. They could speak German fluently and Hebrew fluently, but they could only speak five words of English. They were doctors' children.

The father was a doctor of medicine, the mother a doctor of philosophy. But they came to live with us there back in Britain. As time went on, they just came along with us to the services. One day, after some years, William and Anne just come to our assembly.

He spoke to his son in school and he did something I never do with boys and girls. I often do it with grown-ups, but never with boys and girls. He asked all those who wanted to trust Jesus Christ for salvation to raise their right hand.

And some 14 adults indicated they wanted to trust Jesus Christ for salvation. On the way home, Robert said to my wife, Andy, isn't it wonderful to know all these girls and boys that have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation?

I said, yes, Robert, but what about you? Oh, he said, Andy, I am saved. I said, when were you saved, Robert? He said, three weeks ago. We rejoiced with the boy. At least he did. And then, when Vance and I got home, he stayed with us.

And it was crystal to me that Robert had trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. I never said a word that day. The next morning, after a family worship, and just before we rushed off to school, I said, Robert, but tell me you're a Christian.

Now, is this true? He said, yes, uncle, it's true. Tell me, how did it happen? The other night, I was upstairs in my bed, and I was reading my German New Testament. And as soon as I came to Revelation 3 .20, I read, Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in. What did you do, Robert? I got out of my bed. And I got down by my bedside. Now, you think of a little Jewish boy praying like this, who stopped to spit at the name of Jesus.

But he prayed, Lord Jesus, I thank Thee for dying for me, for bearing the penalty against my sin. I thank Thee for rising from the dead for me. And Lord, You said, if I open my heart, You'll come in. Lord, I do it now.

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. It's wonderful, Robert. What happened then? I just thanked Him for coming into my heart. I got back into bed and went to sleep. It's wonderful. But tell me, how do you know Jesus came into your heart?

Well, I feel different. Something happened inside me. I feel different. That may be so, Robert, but you've never yet told me how you know Jesus came into your heart. Looking straight at me, I think I see Him now.

Says, Uncle, do you think Jesus would tell a lie? Got it? I say, certainly not, my boy. If I just said, Lord Jesus, come into my heart, I'd just take Him at His word. Now, Katie, the girl, she's married to one of the elders in Granville Chapel in Vancouver.

Now, this all happened back in Britain years ago. Robert is also in Vancouver. Married to this very fine girl from Chile, South America. I saw them not long ago, Mrs. Boswell and Mrs. Moyestone. I saw them both there quite recently across there in Vancouver.

I said to Robert, do you remember when I asked you the question, Robert, about when did you receive the Lord Jesus, how do you know He came into your heart? Says, Uncle, I'll never forget that. Now, the expression on your face when I said, Uncle, do you think Jesus would tell a lie?

Friends, He never tells a lie. Now, I'm about to close. Do you know something? He's waiting at your heart's door now. And He wants to come into your heart. He wants you to receive Him as your very own Lord and Saviour.

Believing in Christ and Committing to Him

It's nothing not to believe about Him. No, even to believe in Him, you believe on Him. Is there a difference? Can I illustrate it? A young couple going round together. She believes He loves her. She believes He cares.

She believes He's strong, that He will look after and support her. She believes all that about Him, but still they don't belong to one another. Now, one little evening takes place, that lonely, balmy kind of a night.

A nice breeze is blowing through the trees, little birds are all twittering up there, and a little river is just rippling away there, and moonshine, all the strength and beauty. I don't know much about these kind of nights, but they do tell me a lot about them.

And what happens? And that very night, everything's just leaning and leaning, it's down to war with man. And he just presses a diamond across her finger and says, Darling, I love you. She's got enough confidence in him now to say, I will marry you.

She believed about him, she now believes in him, but still they don't belong to one another. Until that day, the stand before the fish-eating pastor is finished. To a man, both are hapless, woman's life, lawful wedded wife.

Says, I will. She turns to the woman, both are hapless, man's life, lawful wedded husband. Says, I will. And the pastor puts his hand upon the class hand, I did just the other day, and we pray, whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

And then their bowels will pray, until death do us part. Now get the picture. They believe about each other, they have confidence in each other, but now they believe on. What does the word on mean? It means a committal.

Can I give you an illustration? John 1, 12. So if many have received him, for them gave he power to become the son of God, even though them that believe on his name, to believe on him is to receive him.

She committed themselves to him, and he to her, and each twin became one, until death do them part. Friends, the same thing happens regarding salvation. You believe all the historical facts concerning Jesus Christ, you have confidence in Jesus Christ, but until you commit your life to him, and you by faith receive him into your heart, there is no salvation.

Life begins when Jesus comes in. You commit yourself to him, and what do you say? Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, and he receives you, and there is an indissoluble union. You are in a death no life can separate.

Isn't that wonderful? I found a friend who was such a friend, he loved me ere I knew him. He drew me with a cause of love, and thus he bound me to him. And round my heart still closely twine those ties which not can sever, for I am his, and he is mine.

And you know something? It's forever. And aren't you glad you're a Christian? Amen? The joy of being a child of God will go on from there this evening, God willing. A Christian is one who is a child of God, one who's got Christ living on the inside.

Invitation to Receive Christ

Now let me ask you tenderly, have you? If not, why not this morning? Shall we pray? We'll run them in silence, and in that moment let's have a quiet word with the Lord for ourselves. I ask you again, are you a child of God?

Now this is something you can know with crystal clarity, that you've been born of the Spirit into the family of God. We thank thee, blessed Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the privilege of being gathered together just like this.

We thank thee for this very fine assembly. We ask thy blessing upon each one, from the youngest to the eldest, and grant that not one may leave this morning without really knowing that they are in the family, they belong to thee, by having received the Lord Jesus by his Spirit into their spirit life.

They may know the joy of this new life in Christ Jesus. And those about to do again know him, may they go forth day by day, and throughout the hours of this day in particular, that our lives may be an outshining of the indwelling Christ, that none of them may lose sight of us altogether, and see only him, in all his glory and beauty.

We ask this in his name, and for thy glory, Lord. Amen.