A Distinguishing Mark of a Christian
Perhaps one of the loudest echoes in the Bible comes from the sobering words of Jesus at the conclusion of his “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 7:
Matthew 7:20-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
After swallowing hard upon hearing such penetrating words again I can’t help but notice the absence of a key distinctive of Christian faith on the part of these false converts who are damned by the judge. They do not mention their love for Jesus.
This is true of all who will hear similar words by the Savior, for none who love Christ will be damned and none who are damned love Christ. We read in James 1 that the crown of life is promised by God to those who love him (James 1.12). One of the first activities of the Holy Spirit in regenerating a believer is to put in the adopted son a love for Jesus. You may rightly argue that this is a chief characteristic of the one who has been born again (2 Cor. 4.4-6).
My point in writing this little post is to speak truth to you as I do myself in terms of identifying marks of assurance and encouragement. When I begin to examine and question myself too often I find myself responding like those who have been condemned by Jesus rather than those who receive the crown of life. I don’t know about you but I often think of what I have done and as long as I am doing then I am good. However, the problem is that doing is damning when not accompanied by genuine delight. Indeed it will never be said by those whom Christ condemns, “But Lord, I love you!” For none who truly love him will be condemned. Loving Jesus is the one thing that hypocrites cannot fake. They can fake pray, fake kindness, fake giving, fake service, fake religion, fake sing, fake whatever, but they cannot fake loving Jesus.
So as you sit and evaluate your own heart and affections, ask yourself, “Do I love Jesus?” “Is he truly my chief delight?” “What would I keep in favor of him?”
Evaluate your heart, and whether you are a Christian or not, flee to Christ that you might either meet him or be reassured by him. Yes, flee to him that you might not be hearing this echo for all eternity.
Possibly Related posts:
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- Thomas Watson quote on the enjoyment of God
- Jesus Christ, Jack Bauer, and Mark Driscoll
- How to live a miserable Christian life (conclusion)
- How to live a miserable Christian life (part i)
12 Responses to “A Distinguishing Mark of a Christian”
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Thanks Eric, that is a helpful devotional thought. I’m going to link this post over at my blog.
Thanks for the observation. While doing evangelism, I have a lot of people tell me “I like Jesus” (as a way to get me to leave), but the world never does claim “I love Jesus.” Their affections lie elsewhere.
Hello,
I don’t want to be or sound negative, but this may need to be said. The “the absence of a key distinctive of Christian faith on the part of these false converts” is named by Jesus in the verse, namely their obedience to the will of the Father. He says “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (will enter). That is the point of the contrast.
Love is a good (and true) thought, but it is not in this text. So here the “identifying marks of assurance and encouragement” should be if God has so worked in your heart that you are yielding in submission and obedience to His will.
A brother in Christ,
MST
Hey Eric,
Can you please be a little more specific about what it means to love Christ? I have found it necessary for me to really examine my faith lately to see whether it be real. I have never had a deep “feeling” of love for Christ. Is this a love of action and devotion as the Bible says I am to love my wife?
Mark-
You are correct with respect to the contrast. We also see obedience fleshed out in Scriptue as an expression of love for Christ(John 14.1, 15.8-10).
Thank you for pointing this out I could have been more clear and said more with respect to contrast.
JC- much along the same lines as above…love for Christ is expressed in terms of obedience. So in order to evaluate ‘feelings’ we need to evalate our obedience.
Erik,
You are a blessing to this fellow blogger and brother in Christ. I really appreciate the reminding words of Christ. We can go, and do all the lifetime long but if we don’t have the love for the Son it’s meaningless. Eccl. 1:2. But when we do love the Son, and we are in line with God’s will the joy received is immeasurable and the assurance is complete.
Thanks Erik,
That was a refreshing thought to start my day with. I am thankful for the guys who brought up the issue; ‘what does loving God look like?’ It is defiantly shown in the new life that conforms to God’s desires and is now able to obey God for the first time.
I have heard Piper on this subject and he says that there is more to ‘love for for God’ than just obedience, but it is a reflex reaction to the amazing love of God. I will try and find a link to the audio message.
Dan.
I found the sermon I was thinking of. Its the first in a series. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2002/95_All_Things_for_Good_Part_1/
Here are some quick notes :::
The love of God, 3 things it does not mean:
1.It does not mean meeting God’s needs. (Acts 17v35) Love for God is very different than love for others.
The ESSENCE of love for God is RECEIVING from God
2. It is not love for His gifts – eg. forgiveness of sin, escape from hell, resurrection from a pain free life.
3. It is not the things that love prompts you to do. The essence of love for God is not in the fruit.
If you LOVE ME you will do this.
Love for God is the heart’s esteem for/delight in God before it produces anything else. It is life that produces love for God. Deeds of love IS NOT love, these deeds can be imitated. Its not DO DO DO DO and God will approve. Instead start with loving.
[...] Love for God The love of God and our love for God has been a recurring theme that has occupied my thoughts from time to time this year. Erik @ Irish Calvinist recently posted an article that urged me to think some more about it. I wrote a short comment which I want to repeat on EA because it fits in with some thinking that is taking place here. [...]
Eric
Been awhile , really liked this blog, I think the essence of this topic is to turn away from the world and become a disciple for the Christ. If we die to self daily then we are living for him. But first we need to put all the stuff of the world in perspective,
I print out your tracks for our 4 day Prison ministry and I have to save 2 of them for the last day, I don’t want to scare them
Thanks and may God Bless
Rick Weiss
Michigan
Rick what is so scary about the tracts? Glad they are useful.
Hello, Erik
I just found your blog. I was quite amazed. I really am more interested in dialogue with you, than blogging to the masses, but i have seen some good insight in the thoughtful responses. My name is Loren Ozanne, and like you, i am Irish descent, i am a husband, father, and in the ministry as a missionary in Central Europe. As Norm Geisler says, I am a Calminian. The things we have in common are much greater than those things in which we differ. I attended Arminian Bible schools and Calvinist churches, for part of my life and then at one point went to a Calvinist Bible school while attending an Arminian church. My father followed construction, so while growing up, i was a member of everything from Bible Methodist, Church of Christ in Christian Union, Nondenominational, Independent Baptist, Wesleyan, Nazarene, to PCA and Evangelical Free, and Russian Evangelical Baptist. I have seen hostility on both sides and i have brothers on both sides, and i have come to the conclusion that while certainly one distinguishing mark of the Christian is Love for Christ, the mark of maturity is extending grace to brothers and extending the hand of fellowship to those on the other side of the fence or aisle. [of course I' m not talking about tenets of the faith, such as the trinity, or virgin Birth, or resurrection, but those areas that are not salvation issues.] I must say that i would much rather be with a Calvinist brother who extends love and grace and respect than an Arminian brother who is hostile or thinks he holds the monopoly on truth. Maybe you or some brothers can help me… Can you share several verses that explicitly state that Christ’s death was only for some, or that he only died for certain ones? I am trying to search God’s word. Our pastor, who was a prof at Trinity for 15+ years is a 4 point Calvinist and said many Calvinists dispute whether Calvin himself even believed in Limited Atonement. Also, i heard that historically the defining point of Arminianism was not Election/Predestination, but rather Apostasy, and that over the centuries the defining point has shifted. This has resulted in much confusion among Calvinists and little c calvinists [Baptist theology which accepts the first and last points.] They don’t want to be labeled “Arminian Heretics”, but they also don’t accept the Predestination package. Do you consider the Baptist brother/ [1st and last points T & P] Arminian or Calvinist? And is this correct, about the historical meaning and the shift?