Are You Really?

I became a baseball fan at about the age of 10 when my Dad was transferred to Tucson, AZ. The Cleveland Indians had their spring training camp there in Tucson (’45 to ’92) and the games took place at Hi Corbett Field. My brother and I rode our bikes after school to many of the games and were able to see lots of future Hall of Fame players like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial and Ted Williams. Going to these games is where I developed my “love” for the sport of baseball.

Baseball is a sport that elicits many different kinds of responses by those that take the time to watch the game.  If you are not an “aficionado” like me, those emotions can range from excitement to complete boredom.  

The average viewer is excited if it’s a close game with lots of hitting and runs scored.  In other words, action on the field that keeps you interested.  This person is normally a basketball or football fan – action oriented folks out of their element at a baseball game.  This same viewer will be bored out of their skull if it’s a pitcher’s duel – two starting pitchers dominating the hitters with hardly any scoring and a few great defensive plays throw in here or there.

Are you really a baseball fan?  If you are curious, here is a little test of several questions you can ask yourself to see if you really are a fan.    

#1 – Does a well executed “drag bunt” excite you as much as a home run? (Do you even know what a “drag bunt” is?)

#2 – Does a diving catch off the center fielder’s shoelaces thrill you as much as a double off the wall in right field?

#3 – Are you still enthralled with the game in the 8^th inning if there is no score and each pitcher is working on a 2-hit shutout?

#4 – Can you keep watching the game if your team is down 8-0 in the 4^th inning?

And, finally…

#5 – If the World Series involves two of your least favorite teams, do you still watch?

There is another “Are you really” that you may have never thought about?  Are you really a Christian?  Have you ever thought about that?  How do you know?  What are the signs in your life?

A few years ago I read a small paperback book called “Marks of the Messenger” by Mack Stiles.  One of the chapters is about true Biblical conversion.  What marks does a true Christian have?  It is not as simple as you think.  Mack lists five signs of a truly converted person:

#1 – Conversion Is Required:  Many people think it is unnecessary – even derogatory.  But in the New Testament, Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that he must be born again to be a Christian (John 3:3).  People are not Christians because they were baptized in a certain church, or were born into a Christian family.  There is a saying: “God has no grandchildren.”  John MacArthur said going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car. Jesus says we need the spiritual equivalent of a heart transplant.  “It is only the work of God in hearts that brings people to repent and believe the work of Christ on the cross.” (Mack Stiles)

#2 – Conversion Requires Understanding:  True converts understand that they are sinners.  They know they must repent of their sins and their “old life” and put their faith in Christ’s work on the cross.  But, they also need to understand what Christ did for them – they may not know the terms “justification” or “atonement” - but they need to understand that their sins were placed on Christ and He paid the price to bring us back into a right relationship and standing with God. (I Cor. 2:12)

#3 – True Conversion Requires Genuine Faith:  There must be genuine faith and trust in what Jesus did for them on the cross.  This is a deep faith “…that one might have when you step on a 747 and believe that a massive hunk of metal will hurtle you through the air safely.” (Mack Stiles)  It is the strong and personal faith that entrusts our lives to another – Jesus Christ.

#4 – A Radically Changed Life Attests To True Conversion:   “On the deepest level you cannot be truly converted and avoid a radically changed life, for you have moved from death to life.” (Mack Stiles)  A true believer will have a deep desire to obey God and do His will.  This requirement keeps us separate from what is called “easy believism” – a mental assent to the facts about Jesus, but with unmoved hearts.  Mark Dever says “The ultimate mark of conversion is not walking an aisle, but picking up a cross.” This does not mean that a true believer does not sin – they do and sometimes they temporarily get in a rut when they are not living the way they know they should. But a true believer always comes back to what he knows by the conviction of the Holy Spirit living in them. If they don’t then they were never really saved. 1 John 2:19 says “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”

#5 – Conversion Results From God’s Action:  Jesus states in John 15:16 that we didn’t choose Him – He chose us.  2 Thessalonians 2:13b – “…because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” Modern Christianity is hung up on “free will” – but that phrase is not found in the Bible.  People come to faith because God draws them. Knowing this will make sure that we give the glory to the right person – Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Did you take either of the tests?  Are you really a Baseball Fan?  But more importantly, are you really a Christian?