Chris·tian [ˈkrisCHən]

How would you define what a Christian is? I mean, at the core we are all the same sinful people in need of mercy and new life - so what is it that makes Christians differ from the rest? Is it that we are somehow more intelligent than the rest of humanity and so we responded to the gospel? Or that we are living at a higher standard of life as evolved beings while everyone else plays in the mud? Why did we come to Jesus, and... why doesn't everyone?

 If I was going to define what a Christian is and what sets him/her apart from the rest of the world, I would break it into 2 parts, I would have to say, simply put, a Christian is 1) someone who has been greatly loved by God; and 2) someone who greatly loves Jesus. There is no such thing as a Christian who has not been greatly loved by God, and as a result there is no such thing as a Christian who does not love Jesus greatly.

How has God loved us?

Ephesians 1 tells us, “He[God] chose us in Him[Christ] before the foundation of the world… In love, He[God] predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will” (Eph. 1:4-5 ESV, italics mine) this means that before the world existed God determined, according to His good pleasure (vv. 5, 9, 10, & 11), to set His love on a people - His "sheep" Ezekiel 34:11-13, John 10:3-4, & 14 -  who He would pursue, rescue, & redeem from all parts of this world and bring (col.1:13) them into His Kingdom as His adopted children making them coheirs with Christ, and lavishing upon them all the riches of His grace (vv.7-9,11). In love, He did this for you.

This means that if you are a lover of Jesus (who, “Though you have not seen him, you love him.” 1 Pet. 1:8) then it pleased God the Father in eternity past to look at you, and in the greatest act of unconditional love, set His love and affections on you. That means that He passed over others in order to make known to you the riches of His love. It’s as if He had all the peoples who would ever live on the earth before Him, all equally underserving of His love and all equally deserving of His wrath(Romans 3:10-18, & 23, Eph. 2:3, Col. 1:21), and He passes over others before He comes to you but when He comes to you, He choses you! Out of all the people who ever lived He wants you (Romans 8:29, 9:14-18, Rev. 13:8)! It pleased the Father, the King of Glory to save you - because He is rich in mercy and great in [unconditional] love!

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God is for you!

This also mean that if you are a lover of Jesus, God is for you! Jeremiah 32:41 says, "God rejoices in doing you good" what incredible love this is that God would bring us, unworthy people, into His Kingdom, removing our filthy dirty rags off us and dresses us in His Son’s perfect righteousness (“the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.” Luke 15:22) and He says He will “rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zeph. 3:17) that’s what God does! When He saves someone, when He sets His love on someone He sets it fully, & perfectly, he doesn’t just give us the leftovers He lavishes it on us like it’s going out of style, Jeremiah says, (the LORD of Hosts speaking) “I will rejoice in doing them good…with all my heart, and all my soul.” He puts His whole heart into loving you and doing you good! Rejoice in that!

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His Own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32) in all circumstances God is for you, in salvation He is for you (Titus 3:4-5), in sanctification He is for you (John 17:19), in suffering He is for you (2 Cor. 1:3-5), in His discipline He is for you (Prov. 3:11-12) this is why the Psalmist exclaims in 34

"Oh taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Oh fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing." - Psalms 34:8-10

The Psalmist had it right when he understood how greatly he was loved and how greatly he was cared for, and it led him to worship, and our response should be the same.

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
 

You are greatly loved!

"Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom" - Luke 12:32