Credentials or Essentials?

Often when people are asked if they are a Christian, they may respond in several different ways such as, "Yes, I was raised by Christian parents, I was baptized in the church, I teach Sunday School or I serve as a superintendent of the Christian Education Department". These people have given answers that are full of credentials and not essentials.

John the Baptist warned the multitude about relying on their credentials of being children of Abraham as a means to right standing with God. He told them in Luke 3:8 "do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones." They were using their relationship to Abraham as being their credentials instead of repenting of their sin and putting their faith in Jesus Christ as essential for remission of sins.

There is a difference between Christianity and "Churchianity". (my made up word here)
I have often spoken with people who seem to link being a Christian to their credentials or "work". They will go on and on about their involvement in their church yet say nothing about their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It breaks my heart. I understand that we cannot judge others and that the Lord is the judge of the heart yet I believe that what is in the heart will come out of the mouth. Romans 10:10 "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

We must individually put our faith and trust in Christ alone for forgiveness of sin and eternal life. No one can do it for us. The apostle John said "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." God does not have any grandchildren, only children. Let us not be guilty of relying on what we do or what we have done to feel we are in right standing with God. As Jerry Bridges says in his book "The Gospel for Real Life" we must preach the gospel to ourselves every day.