"Who is Christian"

The members of this group called “Hatsuho-kai” who studied Bible together long, long time met again in 2012. Saying there are many foods at the Japanese’ meeting, it is true that so many delicious foods were served in our meeting. First, we ate very, very delicious lunch made by three or four volunteers.

After lunch, we had Bible study. The day’s Bible lesson taken from Matthew 28:16-20. This is very famous verses called the “Great Commission.”

Our teacher looked the verses in a special way; the view from the heart or minds of Jesus, and also the view from the disciples and followers.

Quote Matthew 28:16- 20
“16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

The teacher led our eyes on verse 17b. There were people who doubted Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus had to leave His Commission to those who had doubt in their mind. What do you think of the heart of Jesus. However, Jesus had the confidence and knew what He was doing.

How the disciples and followers felt when they heard this Great Commissions? They might be scared and they didn’t know what they are supposed to do. But they were blessed because Jesus told them that He would be with them always until the last.

The teacher gave us more and more deeper meaning of these verses, so we studied for hours. After the Bible study, the delicious and lots of desserts were served, and we talked many, many things; how those dishes were cooked, how everyone’s health, especially the teacher who had an operation recently.

One lady, who studied the Bible in her Sr. Group mentioned that her teacher asked each one of her group “Who is Christian?” She wanted to ask the same question to the each one of the attendees of the Hatsuho-kai.

Many answered; Practicing God’s love, Love one another, Caring and loving others, Living in Jesus, etc.

There are two meanings in the questions. One is “How should the Christian be living every day?” and another one is “How to become Christian?”

The answers everyone gave to the first meaning of the question was very good answer. However, how can we answer to the second meaning of the question?

“How to become Christian” is very easy. Because God did everything. The death on the Cross and His resurrection, which is the manifestation of the grace and the mercy of Jesus Christ called Gospel written in the Bible, I Corinthians 15:2-4:
”2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.”

We can become a child of God by the grace and the mercy of Jesus Christ, and believe the Gospel.

So, we can’t say we are uncertain Christian. If we say we are wishy/washy Christian, then the promise of Christ is doubted. We always have to say we are 100% Christian in Christ, which pleases our Lord God.

Our teacher and couple people took several photos but Hiroko didn’t take any. Sorry!