Will The Real Christians, Please Stand Up?

Will The Real Christians, Please Stand Up?

Acts 11:26 "And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians....."

Will The Real Christians, Please Stand Up? How many of you remember the T.V. quiz show "To Tell The Truth?" It consisted of three contestants, each claiming to be the same person. Out of those three contestants, only one was the actual person with the chosen name. The panelists had to ask the kinds of questions which would help them tell who the real person was. At the end of the round, they would vote and the M.C. would say: "Will The Real so and so Please Stand Up?"

I am tired of counterfeit Christians, aren’t you? Just like counterfeit money they look identical, but are of no use to the owner. They dress like Christians, they look like Christians, they appear to be the "real McCoy," but they are so fake as a children’s plastic cell phone. Just like a fake phone they make noise but cannot be used for a constructive purpose to reach people in an effective way. As you know, I like motorcycles, they don’t like me, but I like them, and I have the nicest looking motorcycles on my entertainment center but they are of no use to me (accept for show) because they are not real. So it is with counterfeit Christians, they are only imitations of the real thing. Just like those plastic motorcycles on my entertainment center, they are only for show. I see these phonies and you do too, who would rather appear holy, than be holy. Some attend congregations, some claim to worship at home, some have a membership at the local Pub, some help with the church property, some buy groceries for the needy, some live outside of marriage, some take innocent lives (abortion), some buy gifts for the Pastor, some could out curse a sailor, and some have their own church gossip line.

Will the real Christians, please stand up? Jesus Christ did not build a counterfeit church. The church that Jesus built was built upon a solid foundation. According to the apostle Paul in Ep. 2:20, it was "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Paul also said in I Co. 3:11 referring to the church that Jesus built, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." She is governed by Christ. Ep. 1:22-23; Is. 9:6 " 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all;" "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." She is increased by the Divine admission of members. Acts 2:47; I Co. 12:13-18 "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved;" " 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him." She consists of real genuine saved members. Jn. 15:2-6 " 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." She is awaiting her final rewards. Re. 20:12-15; 21:3-4; 22:14 " 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.