The following “Question“ was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and “Answered“ by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Nelly Kaye of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, from the tape, GC 1301-E, titled “Bible Questions and Answers Part 7.“  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1976. All Rights Reserved.

Question

I have a friend who worships Christ and loves Christ and accepts Him as the Son of God. But the minister of the church he attends has never taught him about the deity of Christ, and he does not believe Christ is God. Is my friend a Christian?

Answer

Well, what’s the answer? No. What Christ does he worship? What Christ does he love? What Christ is he calling the Son of God? If it is not God in human flesh then it is some other Christ, right? And then you are right in Galatians, chapter one, and what happens there? “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” What you’ve got is another gospel. You’ve got another Christ.

Listen you could say to a Mormon, "Do you worship Christ?" "Yes." "Do you love Christ?" "Yes." "Do you believe Christ is the Son of God?" "Yes." You could say to a Jehovah’s Witness: "Do you worship Christ?" "Yes." "Do you love Christ?" "Yes." "Do you believe Christ is the Son of God?" "Yes." And you could say to both of them, "But you’re not saved because you don’t see Christ as the living God in human flesh."

It isn’t just to believe in Christ. It is to believe in the Christ that is God in human flesh. That’s the basic bottom line reality of the Christian faith. That’s why you just can’t go around saying, "Would you like to receive Christ? Do you believe in Christ?" Because you’re going to get all kind of "yes'es" from people who don’t know who Christ is. Remember that in your evangelism, would you. Remember that in your evangelism you MUST tell people who He is. The proclamation of Christ, Acts 20, when Paul spoke about Christ he said, "And I testified," and he uses the word diamarturomai, "I gave a thorough testimony about who Christ is."

You don’t want somebody coming and accepting a Christ that is undefined, do you? No. Be sure that the person worships the Christ who is The Christ.

Listen there have been many Christs , there are many Christs, and there are going to be many Christs. Read Matthew chapter twenty-four where Jesus says in the latter times many Christs, false Christs, false prophets, false Messiahs are going to come along, you’d better be sure that the one you worship is the true Christ of God: God in human flesh. It’s sad to think about, but this is the category of people who in Matthew seven say, "Lord, Lord have we not done all of this in your name?" And He says “Depart from Me”…what…“I never knew you.” Some other Christ you’ve been serving not Me.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's “MacArthur’s Questions and Answers“ by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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