The Vision (5/3/12): Am I really a Christian? (Continued)

Am I really a Christian?  Answering Eight Doubts (Continued)

Simplified and Abridged from Thomas Boston

Note:  In his spiritual classic “Human Nature In Its Fourfold State,” the Scottish minister Thomas Boston (1676-1732) lists eight “cases” where a true Christian might have spiritual doubts about the authenticity of his faith.  Here is the sixth of the eight doubts:

Sixth Doubt:  My life falls so far short of the standards of the great saints of the Bible and of the excellent Christians that I personally know.  When I look at them, I can hardly stand to look at myself in comparison.  How can I claim even to be in the same family with such saints?

Answer:  We can indeed see a measure of grace and holiness in this life that we should have but cannot ever reach.  This should humble us.  It should also make us press all the more vigorously toward the mark.  The devil wants weak Christians to be tortured by comparing themselves to strong Christians.  To give in to this temptation would be like a child doubting his relationship to his father, because he is not the same height as his older brother.  It is irrational!  There are saints of various sizes in Christ’s family.  Some are fathers; some are young men; and some are little children (1 John 2:13-14).   

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle