Are We Who We Say We Are?
Brian R. Kenyon

In an article entitled, "Lakeland Man Wasn't Who He Said He Was," The [Lakeland] Ledger newspaper reported on September 5 that a Lakeland man, named Bill Henry, was not who he claimed to be. For years, he claimed to be the former Major League Baseball pitcher of the same name, who played in the 1950s and 60s. Even his third wife, to whom he had been married for almost twenty years, and stepchildren thought he was actually the baseball player. When news went out about the baseball player's death, someone who followed baseball closely checked into the obituary and noticed some inconsistencies, which lead to the truth about the hypocrisy. The article ends with the Lakeland Bill Henry's wife saying, "I was married to somebody that maybe I didn't know." While this story is somewhat amusing to those not involved, it does bring up a very important question, "Are we, as Christians, really who we say we are?"

Who Is A Christian?

The word "Christian" occurs three times in the New Testament, and a look at each of its occurrences gives us great insight into who a Christian is. First, a Christian is a disciple. Acts 11:26 says that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." A disciple is a follower, or learner, of someone else. Sometimes the word "disciple," especially in the Gospels, can merely refer to a "fair weather" follower of Christ. After Jesus fed the five thousand (Jn. 6:1-14), He gave the multitudes some very serious instruction (Jn. 6:53-59). Their response was, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" (Jn. 6:60). Then, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him" (Jn. 6:66). These, obviously, were not committed disciples. However, in the Book of Acts and the Epistles, disciple refers more to faithful followers of Christ. To be a Christian, we must be a faithful follower, or learner, of Christ.

Second, a disciple is one who is fully persuaded by the Gospel. After teaching him, Paul appealed, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" (Acts 26:28). Agrippa was "almost persuaded," despite the fact that he believed. What did he believe about the prophets? He believed "That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles" (Acts 26:23). In this context, there is a difference between believing and being persuaded. When one is persuaded, he believes enough to do what the Lord requires (cf. Rom. 4:16-22). A Christian, therefore, is not "almost persuaded," but is doing what the Lord desires!

Third, a Christian is one who brings glory to God. Peter wrote, "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf" (1 Pet. 4:16). The context shows that suffering persecution is the means through which Christ is glorified. However, Paul said elsewhere, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). The Christian is to constantly glorify the Lord, which is accomplished only by constantly living His word (cf. Col. 3:17). If we are willing to suffer harm for the cause of Christ, then we are definitely converted to Him. The crowning beatitude is "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 5:10). One will never reach the point of being willing to suffer persecution unless he or she is first poor in spirit, mournful because of sin, meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, and a peacemaker (Mt. 5:3-9). A true Christian will bring glory to God, even to the point of suffering persecution!

Who Is A Hypocrite?

The word "hypocrite" is simply a transliteration of the Greek word hupokrites, which was the word the Greeks used for an actor. In others words, a hypocrite is an actor, someone who pretends to be someone else. Just as an actor on stage portrays someone he is not, a hypocrite on the stage of life portrays someone he or she is not. Jesus often called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites (Mt. 23:13-15, 23, 25, 27, 29). Perhaps the best illustration of hypocrites is found in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them....2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men....5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men....16Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast" (Mt. 6:1-2, 5, 16). Did you notice something common in each of these verses dealing with hypocrites? That's right, what they did was for the purpose of being seen by men! Religious hypocrites then and religious hypocrites now act as though they are following the Lord when, in reality, they are not.

Who Are We?

A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26); one who is so fully persuaded that he or she does the will of God (cf. Acts 26:28); and one who truly glorifies God (1 Pet. 4:16). A hypocrite is one who pretends to be a follower of Christ; one who pretends that he is fully persuaded, even faking to do the will of God; and one who appears unto men to glorify God, but in reality does not. Now, into which one of these two categories do we who claim to be Christians fit? Can we be considered true disciples if we do not even attend Bible study regularly? Can we be fully persuaded when we do not live as though God's word is really true? Can we glorify God when we follow our own will instead of His will? Are we pretenders-actors-when it comes to Christianity? Others are watching us, and most can tell whether or not we really are who we claim to be. We may be able to fool some people, like Lakeland Bill Henry did, but sooner or later, hypocrisy will be exposed, if not in this life, certainly on Judgment Day, for "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Heb. 4:13). Let us not be actors, but let us really be Christians!