The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
What is a Christian Anyway? Pastor Brian Gold Flin Flon Pentecostal Church According to a recent survey, some 44% of Canadians agree with the statement, "I have committed my life to Christ and consider myself to be a converted Christian." This percentage is a 9% rise since 1996 when a similar question was asked, according to the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. A Christian is one who is Christ-like, asks Christ to be Lord of one's life, and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. One person gave the definition that a Christian was one who was "bananas for Jesus," which leaves little doubt of the definition. The name given to Jesus was "the Christ," which was a title or office conveyed upon Him by God. "Christ" is a Greek term which means "anointed," and is derived from the Hebrew word "Messiah," also meaning "anointed." The Jews had been looking for a Messiah to come for some 700 years. Jesus Christ was the promised One sent from God, becoming Immanuel, God with us. A term that Christians could go by is "anointlings." We are to have Christ's anointing upon us and do some of the same things He did, such as fight injustice, help the less fortunate, pray for the sick, and bring the freedom of God into broken lives. A Christian would agree with the following statements: I have forgiveness of my sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and the Bible is God's inspired word which I can learn and grow from spiritually. Jesus Himself outlined His mandate in Luke's gospel (ch. 4) where He spoke that the Spirit of the Lord was on Him because He has anointed Him to proclaim good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and to release the oppressed while proclaiming the year of the Lord's favour. Isn't this what many are searching for in the year of the Lord 2004? Good news! Freedom! Release from oppression and addiction! Favour of God on our side too! This is why God wants to make us His anointlings, to get the good news out to those who need it and want it. May we never forget the reason why Jesus came, that we might have life and have it to the fullest extent possible!1/30/2004
