Are We A True "Christian?"

Back in the early 1990’s, a singer-songwriter by the name of Marc Cohn scored a hit song entitled, “Walking in Memphis.” The narrator of that song is a young musician who travels to seek his fame and fortune “in the land of the Delta blues,” Memphis, Tennessee.

As the aspiring blues musician wanders the streets of the city, he stops into a nightclub where he is invited to sing onstage with the house band. Impressed with the novice’s performance of a gospel number, the band’s regular female vocalist asks the young man, “Tell me, are you a Christian, child?” The singer replies, “Ma’am, I am tonight.”

Many religious folks are like this young man. If you asked them, “Are you a Christian?” They would reply, “I am” — not because they have truly given themselves to the teachings of Christ or are actively obeying His commandments, but because it’s the expected answer.

Many of these folks haven’t a clue as to what it means to be a true Christian, or even of how to become one. But they want to be well-thought-of, so if asked whether they are Christians, they’ll usually respond in the affirmative.

In Acts 11:26, Luke writes:

See here.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets