If you’ve ever seen a group of marching soldiers and heard their commander yell out “About-Face”, you’ve seen them all turn completely around and face the opposite direction. That is a good example of what it means to be a Christian. We were headed one way in our life without Jesus Christ, but if we TRULY get to know Him, it WILL change our lives and we will be headed the OPPOSITE direction.
One of the greatest examples of this is the Apostle Paul. In the book of Acts, chapter 7 we read about the stoning of Stephen, who was preaching the Gospel. And then, read what we find in the next chapter: “And Saul [Paul’s name before it was changed to Paul] approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:1-3)
Then, read what we find in Philippians 3: 7-11; “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
Talk about an About-Face! Paul’s life was radically changed by his faith in Jesus Christ. And that’s the SAME thing that should happen to us. Remember what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And, Paul wasn’t just writing this to make a point…he knew from PERSONAL experience what a change Jesus Christ will make in a life TRULY given to Him.
If your faith in Jesus Christ hasn’t changed your life. If you can still go about doing the things you did before knowing Him. If sin doesn’t bother you, and you have no desire to become more and more like Jesus – then my friend, You are likely NOT a true Christian!