We Need Real Christians!

Maurice Roberts

Do you know if you really are a Christian? Maurice Roberts explains his method of discernment:

“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16)

“I will make darkness light before them.” In other words, God is telling us he is going to open blind eyes and shine in blind hearts and give them understanding of the truth. Now we get beautiful stories of this all throughout the Bible. Let’s take two. Take the man born blind in John chapter 9 – born blind, really blind, physically blind in his case, and it wasn’t his fault. Jesus said it’s not something he’s to be blamed for or his parents; it’s for God’s sake, for the glory of God that this man was born blind. And Jesus said to the blind man, “Go to the pool of Siloam [which was in Jerusalem] and wash.” And the man did as he was told. And when you do what God says you will always get a blessing – always. You try it if you’re not sure. When you know it’s your duty to do something and God gives you advice in his Word, always do what God says and you will certainly get a blessing – always. So this blind man set off, went to the pool of Siloam, and here it was. I don’t know how he did it – with a bucket or with his hands – got water, poured it on his face. “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.” Immediately his eyes were opened and he saw everything. And he came back and he said, “Come and see a man; this man must be the Son of God.” Well that’s what happened, you see. When you have your eyes opened then you know that Jesus is the Son of God – that’s what you know immediately. You don’t need to have a PhD in Biblical Studies to know that Jesus is God. As soon as your eyes are open you know him – he’s mine! He’s my Lord! He’s washed my heart; he’s given me new understanding. And people dance for joy – I’ve found Christ!

Or take another example. Take Zacchaeus whom we meet in one of the Gospels. He was a little man, short in stature, couldn’t see over the heads of the crowd, and Jesus was passing by down the street and Zacchaeus couldn’t see him because he was too small. So this man – he was very rich actually – climbed up a tree. Can you believe that – a rich man climbing up a tree to have a look at Jesus Christ? That’s what he did. And up inside the boughs of the tree he saw Jesus was there and, to his amazement, Christ stopped and he looked up. “Zacchaeus,” he says, “come down; I must come to your house today.” He came down quickly, and as he came down he had a new heart given him. He came to know Christ as his Savior. Jesus put forth that wonderful power to save him. And Christ went into his house and this man made a meal for him, no doubt, and this was what Zacchaeus said: “Lord, if ever I’ve taken money from anybody under false pretences, I’ll give it them back fourfold” (four times over). And Jesus said, “salvation has come to this house; he also is a child of Abraham.” You see how Jesus knew that? It was because the man was repenting. He was now being honest. He was a rich man before and I dare say he had used his power as a tax collector to exploit his position and gain money without justification from people. But now, you see, he’s repenting; he’s giving it back. His changed life shows he’s got a new heart.

Now that’s how you know if you’re a Christian. A real Christian is one who wants to do what is right, to do what is honest. That’s the proof of being a Christian, to be sincere and upright. That’s the proof that Christ has changed your life. (Sermon: “God’s Grace to Blind Sinners”)