Who is a Christian ? Am I one ??

November 17 1981, 06 hours 05 minutes, Grace Kennet Hospital, Madurai

Above are the details of my birth. Born to christian parents, according to the census of the government of India, i was registered as a part of the 2% christians in India. I was baptised, the way every child is baptised and started going to Sunday School at the age of 4. Everyone, including myself called me a Christian. I was born to Christian parents not a bornagain, means I was not a Christian, but I called myself one.

Let me boast about myself, the folks in the church call me a nice guy, I am a good person according to this world because, I do not smoke, drink or chase girls. I have always been a winner in the inter church quiz events in my district (Madurai). At present, i am reading the BIBLE for the 4th time. I have heard people say to their children, look at this guy, one day you have to emulate his personality.

Then there came the day when I had my first appraisal with God, obviously no man can judge the way God does because He looks into thy heart and his feedback was ..

I usually read the BIBLE sequentially and on that day I was reading Psalms but on that day I was made to read the book of Revelation Chapter 3, He talked to me through the message to the "Church of Laodicaea"

15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

This has been my life all along, I was neither hot nor cold in my love for God. I was warm, yes according to the world I was not bad, but for a Christian the standard is Jesus Christ and not any "Tom, Dick or Harry" of this world.

I was terrified on that day when I read the 16th verse (listed above). Verse 17 was apt for me because I have been claiming that I was rich with His blessings and actually I did not realise where I stood because I did not ask him until that day. I realised that I was never a Christian all my life !! I was deceiving myself, saying I follow his commandments, whereas in reality I have never obeyed any of His commandments,
1.You must not have any other god but me
2.You must not make any idols
Probably, the above two commands are the only commands I have adhered to.
3.You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God
4.Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
5.Honor your father and mother.
6.You must not murder.
7.You must not commit adultery.
8.You must not steal.
9.You must not testify falsely against your neighbor
10.You must not covet.
It is obvious to me that I have never adhered to most of the commandments mentioned above and I have been foolish to be calling myself a Christian when the standard I follow is that of the world and not Christ.

There have been numerous occasions when my mark sheet have been hidden from my father's observation, it is normal according to the world but not for a Christian
It is normal for the world, to look at women with lust but according to Jesus Christ it is commiting adultery. I do testify falsely against people to save my skin evry now and then I claim it is normal for a human being. These might be normal and accepted among our fellow human beings as normal, but I cannot call myself a christian if my reference point is not Jesus Christ. I ignore His sacrifice if I live a life doing these so called normal things in life, I can never be a christian.

The above commandments are not the only rules from God, the old testament details about numerous other commandments, the importance of the above commandments are, the punishment is Death if we do not follow them. Inspite of disobeying most of His commandments I am still alive, what else could be the reason, the sacrifice was made 2000 years back to save me of my sins.

Who is a Christian ? It is no million dollar question, the answer is simple, a Christian is a person who reflects Christ in his life. A person who has followed Jesus Christ as his role model, a person who has accepted Christ as the standard. Christian means "Christ like" and I cannot become a Christian because I am registered as a Christian in my community certificate, because my community certificate is not going to fetch me salvation it is Christ who saved me. Most part of my life I have been deceiving myself saying that "I am Christian" but I have never been one until He saved me of my sins.

Now, everyday is a challenge, because I have confessed my sins and I have promised myself to live a christian life, I am bornagain and I am preparing myself to be a Chrstian with the standard as Jesus Christ. Now I have to fight the devil with my Dad's assistance, every now and then I slip but He comes to my rescue immediately when I call upon to him. He has always been near me calling my name, to heed to his words, it took me years to listen to that voice. Today I call him, He reciprocates immediately.

Dear God,
There are millions of people in this world, who like me think that they are Christians, whereas they do not understand the purpose of Christ's visit to the world. Lot more believe Christ was a good man, a Prophet, a teacher, a person who preached love and non Violence etc. But the most important purpose of his visit to earth, to "Save me from my sins", to be the "Ultimate one time sacrifice" for "my" sins, is least understood by my fellow brothers. Please talk to them my Lord, please make them realise the importance of your sacrifice of your only son for "my" sins. Help me to reach to people and make them realise what is required out of a Christian.
I love you oh Lord, I love you Jesus Christ, thanks a lot for your Love for being the ultimate sacrifice for no sin of yours. Please save my fellow brethren who still do not realise that Christ is th eLord to salvation and not the evangelists, prophets and other human beings. The humans of this world can never lead us to salvation my Lord, its only through your son that we can reach you. Thank you Oh Lord for the "ultimate sacrifice".

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Deliverance - Isaiah 52

1 Wake up, wake up, O Zion!Clothe yourself with strength.Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem,for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer

These were the words the LORD spoke to me during my troubled times, during the time when Iwas entagled between my sins and I saw no way out of those. This is when I read these words when the LORD asked me to wake up and clothe myself with beautiful clothes washed by by the blood of my saviour, indeed a beautiful dress. Here "beautiful dress" meant a life which was so beautiful when I stay with my LORD."godless people" - the devil and his ways, had no key to enter through the gates.

2 Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem.Sit in a place of honor.Remove the chains of slavery from your neck,O captive daughter of Zion.

Jerusalem was the chosen city for God to reside and so is my heart. But my heart was full offilth and so was Jerusalem. Now God gives me a call to rise, to rise with His name. He has promised to deliver me from my slavery to my sins and honor me with all his might.

3 For this is what the Lord says:“When I sold you into exile,I received no payment.Now I can redeem youwithout having to pay for you.”

This is the ultimate message of deliverance, for God has control over everything, the devil took me to the sins with no payment from God and when God wishes to take control of me there is no payback required, only my submission to his wills is enough and I am HIS and He is mine. When he wants to take control there is no stopping.