Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins

"If it Looks Like a Duck . . ." There is an old saying, not very sophisticated for this era, but it makes a lot of sense. It goes like this: “Just sittin’ in a hen house don’t make you a hen.” Hard to argue with that, and the second stanza says: “Just sittin’ in a church house don’t make you a Christian.” Some may not like where that’s going, but it’s hard to argue with sound reasoning. A recent national survey revealed that a large majority of America’s citizens claim to be “a good Christian,” and expect to “go to heaven.” I don’t know the hearts of those people, but it reminds me of an old song with these lyrics: “Everybody talking about heaven ain’t going there.” I fear that old song is closer to the truth than that survey. Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven,” Matthew 7:21 NKJV. It takes more than talk and empty claims to be a Christian, and that’s not me talking, but the Lord, Jesus Christ Himself. How can you tell whether or not a certain winged creature is a duck? Another piece of wisdom says, “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then it must be a duck.” All right, enough for down home sayings, but we might just use that quote as a starting place. What if a certain creature looks like a cow, walks like a cow and sounds like a cow, would you call it a duck? Of course, one must first know what a duck looks, walks and sounds like, or they will not know the difference. The same goes for defining a Christian. What about someone who wants to call himself a Christian? Are there some qualities by which we might determine if he/she really is a Christian? The Bible is the only standard for making such a determination! Nothing else even comes close to having the credentials to do so. The Bible says a Christian will be and Do: “The salt of the earth...the light of the world,” Matthew 5:13. Can a person be a Christian without this quality? A “new creature.” His old life of sin has been abandoned, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:17-18. What if a man continues to live the same old sinful lifestyle – would Christian still be an appropriate and accurate term by which to describe him? Living in the world, but will not be a worldly person, 1 Corinthians 5:1-10. What if a person’s daily activities include immoral, ungodly behavior, the kind that is common to those who are not Christians – would the name Christian still be an appropriate term for him? One who follows in the steps of Jesus, 1 Peter 2:21-22. No, there are no “perfect” Christians, but their devotion to Christ will be seen in their words, their apparel, their actions and example. What a wonderful opportunity Jesus Christ has given us! A Christian will “shine as lights in the world,” Philippians 2:15, and show others by their daily example the Lord’s way to heaven. A Christian loves God; will honor and “keep” Jesus’ commandments, John 14:15, 1 John 5:3. A Christian will take the gospel to the lost, help the poor and “abstain from every form of evil,” Mark 16:16, Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. A Christian loves his/her neighbor, prays for their enemies and fights “the good fight of faith,” Matthew 5:43-44, 1 Timothy 6:12. A cow can walk, digest food, see the sunrise and do other things that a duck can do. While a person may be and do some of these things that are peculiar to Christians, I submit that no one can be a Christian and not be and do these and other things the Bible calls a Christian to do. When God said, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ,” and “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith,” Galatians 6:2, 10, Christians, because they love God and their fellowman, will do what Jesus says, Luke 6;46. Wouldn’t it be wise for all of us periodically to “examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith,” 2 Corinthians 13:5? Some of us could be sittin’ in a church house hoping God will mistake us for Christians. It won’t work. Never has. We would do well to check out what the Bible says about being a Christian, then get busy being one, even if it means making some big changes. Carl B Garner

THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN A PERSON MUST: Hear and believe the gospel, Romans 10:17, Mark 16:16. Confess their faith in Christ, Acts 8:36, Matthew 10:32. Repent of their sins, godly sorrow resulting in a changed life, Luke 13:3, 5, Acts 17:30, 2 Corinthians 7:10. Be baptized “for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38, 22:16.