What Is a Christian?

According to the word of God, a Christian is one who, as a sinner in the presence of God, has learned and bowed to the truth of his lost condition by nature and by practice (Ephesians 2:3-12; Luke 5:8, but who has learned also through grace, and believed, that his sins are forever blotted out through the blood of Christ, (Hebrews 9:14; Romans 3:24, never more to be remembered. (Hebrews 10:17, 18) That he is reconciled to God (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18, justified from all things (Acts 13:39,), cleared from every charge, (Romans 8:33, 34), and now made meet for glory, (Colossians 1:12), having met God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19 j, he is at peace with God, and happy in His presence, (Romans 5:9, 11), no longer looked upon as being in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17), he is sealed with the Holy Ghost (Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:5), a member of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:13), a child of God (Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1), an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ (Galatians 4:7; Romans 8:16, 17), and having died with Christ, he is brought into present association with Him, risen in glory (Ephesians 2:6), now in possession of a life (eternal life) secure (John 10:28, 29), and beyond the reach of every hostile power (Colossians 3:3); he is a priest separated unto God to serve now as a worshipper in the heavenly sanctuary, which the Lord hath pitched and not man (Revelation 1:6; Hebrews 10:19; 8:2); delivered from the world (Galatians 1:4), to be separated practically from it (John 17:16, 17; Romans 12:2), he is a citizen of, and belonging to heaven (Philippians 3:20); he has a bright future—eternal glory with God’s Son (John 17:24); the present object of his heart—Christ in glory (Philippians 3:14); the purpose of his present life—Christ (chap. 1:21); his present hope—waiting for Him (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 1:7), soon to see Him (1 John 3:2), and to be like Him. (Philippians 3:21.)
Is it not then a wonderful thing to be a Christian? and is it not a poor thing to be anything else, even in this world? But, “What manner of person ought such to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” 1 John 2:6; 4:17. W.