There are a lot of people claiming to be Christians.
But how many are actually following Jesus?
I think of the women (and men) who thought they were marrying a devout Christian - only to realize after the wedding that their spouse was faking it.
I think of the business deals done trusting that the other person - as a Christian - would act ethically. Only to realize that was a front used to exploit people’s trust.
Every day, investigative reporting - and police work - exposes pastors as predators.
Of course, not all spouses, business partners, or pastors are crooks. But we need some way of telling the difference.
In today’s liturgical readings we come across Acts 9:19b-25. As I read the wider context, there were a few things that stood out to me about the sincerity of Paul’s conversion.
First, God supernaturally intervened in Paul’s life. His conversion was not a matter of his choice or decision - it was a response of faith to the decisive activity of God (Acts 9:1-19).
Second, his conversion was confirmed by other believers. In Paul’s case, Ananias and Barnabas recognized the sincerity of his devotion to God.
Third, he got baptized. He obeyed Jesus and proclaimed his faith to the church (Acts 9:18).
Fourth, Paul immediately spent significant time with other disciples of Jesus. Acts 9:19 - “Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time” (CSB). The details of his life were known to other Christians.
Fifth, he acted boldly to proclaim Jesus to others (Acts 9:20). There was a compulsion to tell others who Jesus is: He is the Son of God.
Sixth, the nature of his transformed life was obvious to others. People can see the difference in who you are and how you live. “All who heard him were astounded…” (Acts 9:21).
Seventh, his life was set in such dedication to God that it provoked spiritual warfare. His spiritual enemies conspired to kill him (Acts 9:23-25).
Eighth, others benefit from their life and ministry. People who are around Saul live “in the fear of the Lord” and are “encouraged by the Holy Spirit.” The churches increase in numbers (Acts 9:31).
Can we expect all of this in the life of every believer?
I don’t want to set such high expectations that I myself am disqualified! I think God understands our humanity - our limitations - our weaknesses - our temptations.
But here are some core principles:
First, it’s always the work of God, both in saving us and growing us. We are looking for evidence of God’s love transforming someone.
Second, it’s always a response of faith and faithfulness. It’s not just trusting God in some abstract sense, but trusting God to the point of putting our trust into action: baptism, fellowship, transformation, mission.
Is someone embedded in Christian friendships? Is their life changing to look like Jesus? Are they looking for opportunities to share Jesus with others?
These are good hints that someone is a follower of Jesus.
Will we still get fooled? Unfortunately, yes. There’s no foolproof way to discern what’s in someone else’s heart. But I think these indicators of the reality of Paul’s conversion can help us be more discerning about others - and perhaps encourage us to take our faith as seriously as he did. Because Jesus is the Son of God!
How do you evaluate who is a Christian - and who is not? Or do you shy away from this, because it is ultimately beyond our knowledge?