a) One who goes to church or chapel whenever!
b) Or one who just talks about religion!
c) Or one who invites the minister to tea!
It has been said, “Christian names are everywhere but Christian men are very rare. I have myself noticed as many have that in quite a good number of churches there are more women than men!?
It is all about Messiah or Christ in us (Jew and Gentile) the hope of glory (Heaven). See Colossians 1:26-29.
Let us now examine and see 8 facts. 8 is seen as the number of new beginnings.
Fact 1 – A Messianic Jew/Christian is saved by the grace of God.
Ephesians 2:8. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Fact 2 – A Messianic Jew/Christian is therefore a born-again person.
Yochanan/John 3:3. Yeshua answered him and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Fact 3 – Sanctified in the Person of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:2. “… to those who are sanctified in Messiah Jesus, (Yeshua HaMashiach) called to be saints, with all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” (This of course is Jews and Gentiles called to be one in Messiah).
Fact 4 – Sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh).
Ephesians 4:30. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Fact 5 – Shining for Adonai Yeshua, the Lord Jesus.
Mattiyahu/Matthew 5:14. Yeshua said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
(The city on a hill is of course Yerushalayim/Jerusalem set upon Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, Judea).
Fact 6 – Serving with the Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:9. “For we are God’s fellow workers: you are God’s field you are God’s building.”
Fact 7 – Slaves of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
“For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Fact 8 – Surrendering to the Lord.
Romans 6:16-18. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves to obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine (teaching) to which you were delivered.”
“And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
Let us sum up with another 8 quotes –
Conclusion: Someone has said, in defining what a Messianic Christian is can be summed up in the following 8 statements: –
1) “In faith – a believer in Messiah/Christ.
2) In relationship – a child of God.
3) In character – a saint.
4) In influence – a light.
5) In communion – a friend.
6) In conflict – a soldier.
7) In experience – a pilgrim.
8) In expectation – an heir.”
Life in Yeshua/Jesus our Messiah.
Key verses: Colossians 3:1-4.
1) A Resurrected Life – verse 1a.
2) An Everlasting Life – verses 1b to 2.
3) A New Life – verse 3a.
4) A Protected Life – verse 3b.
5) The Christ Life – verse 4a.
6) A Hopeful Life – verse 4b.
7) A Future Life – verse 4c.
Amen – so be it.