How Do I Know Who Really is a Real Christian? - YouTube

This article exposes false criteria for identifying a 'real Christian' by contrasting modern denominational teachings with the original Hebraic-Messianic faith, focusing on Yeshua's teachings and apostolic practice.

Quick Answer

How Do I Know Who Really is a Real Christian? Quick Answer Quick Answer: To know who really is a real Christian, one must look beyond denominational labels to genuine faith in Yeshua as Messiah, evidenced by adherence to His Torah-observant teachings, the fruit of the Spirit, and a commitment to being a doer of…

How Do I Know Who Really is a Real Christian?

Quick Answer

Quick Answer: To know who really is a real Christian, one must look beyond denominational labels to genuine faith in Yeshua as Messiah, evidenced by adherence to His Torah-observant teachings, the fruit of the Spirit, and a commitment to being a doer of the Word, not merely a hearer. True believers follow Yeshua's example of living out the commandments of Elohim.

The Scholarly Case

The question of identifying a "real Christian" has been distorted by centuries of tradition, denominationalism, and a departure from the original Hebraic understanding of Messiah and His followers. The authentic criteria for identifying a genuine follower of Yeshua haMashiach are found not in post-apostolic creedal formulations or sectarian distinctives, but in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the Brit Chadashah (New Testament), viewed through a Hebraic lens. First, a "real Christian"—more accurately, a true disciple of Yeshua—is one who believes in the unique identity of Yeshua as the promised Messiah of Israel and the Son of Elohim. This is not a mere intellectual assent, but a foundational trust. As James 2:19 states, "You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." Belief must be accompanied by action, a living faith that transforms. Yeshua Himself provided clear markers for His disciples. In Matthew 7:15-20, He declares, "Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them." He elaborates, "every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit." The evidence of true faith is the visible fruit produced in one's life. This aligns with Galatians 5:22-23, which lists the "fruit of the Spirit" as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." These are not optional extras but integral expressions of a heart transformed by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). Furthermore, a genuine follower of Yeshua demonstrates their love and commitment through obedience to the commandments of Elohim. Yeshua unequivocally stated in John 14:15, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." This is not a call to legalism, but an affirmation of the enduring validity of the Torah, rightly understood. Yeshua Himself explicitly rejected the notion that He came to abolish the Law: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). He further warned against those who would diminish the commandments, stating, "whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:19). This directly contradicts later traditions that teach the Law has been abrogated for believers. The early Messianic community, as depicted in the book of Acts, continued in this Torah-observant faith, demonstrating that Yeshua's fulfillment of the Law did not mean its annulment, but its proper interpretation and application through the Spirit. The core of their message was repentance and baptism in Yeshua's name for the forgiveness of sins, leading to the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). This was a call to return to Elohim's ways, not to abandon them. Therefore, a "real Christian" is identified by: 1. **Faith in Yeshua as Messiah:** A deep, abiding trust in His person and atoning work. This faith is not merely intellectual but transformative. 2. **Obedience to Torah:** A life characterized by striving to walk in Elohim's commandments, as taught and exemplified by Yeshua. This includes honoring the Sabbath, observing the biblical feasts, and living according to the moral and ethical precepts of the Torah, not as a means to earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), but as an expression of love and gratitude for it. 3. **Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit:** A life marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, which are the natural outflow of the Spirit's indwelling (Galatians 5:22-23). 4. **Being a Doer of the Word:** As James 1:22 commands, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves." This means actively living out one's faith, not just passively hearing or intellectually assenting to doctrines. These are the consistent markers found in the primary texts of our faith, distinguishing true followers from those who merely claim the title.

Adversary Teardown: Ellen White writings

The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) tradition, particularly through the writings of Ellen G. White, presents a distinct and often misleading framework for identifying "true Christians," heavily influenced by its unique eschatological interpretations and the post-1844 "Investigative Judgment" doctrine. This tradition deviates significantly from the 1st-century Hebraic faith by introducing extra-biblical criteria and prioritizing specific denominational distinctives over the foundational principles of Yeshua's teachings. The SDA movement traces its lineage directly from William Miller's failed prediction of Yeshua's return in 1844. This "Great Disappointment" led to a rationalization by individuals like Hiram Edson, who claimed a vision on October 23, 1844, reinterpreting the event as Yeshua entering the Most Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary to begin an "investigative judgment" (Walter Rea, *The White Lie*, 1982). This novel interpretation, based on a misreading of Daniel 8:14, became a cornerstone of SDA theology and was heavily promoted and solidified by Ellen G. White. Ellen White, along with her husband James White and Joseph Bates, formally established the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1863. White's prolific writings, particularly *The Great Controversy* (1858/1888/1911), are considered by SDAs to be divinely inspired "Spirit of Prophecy," elevating them to a quasi-canonical status that often overshadows direct biblical authority. In *The Great Controversy*, White details her visions and interpretations, including the Investigative Judgment, which states that Yeshua began examining the lives of professed believers in 1844 to determine who is worthy of salvation. This doctrine introduces a works-based anxiety, shifting the focus from Yeshua's finished work on the tree to an ongoing celestial judgment contingent on human performance. This stands in stark contrast to the Brit Chadashah's emphasis on salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and the immediate efficacy of Yeshua's atoning sacrifice. The 1st-century Hebraic understanding of Messiah's role focused on His redemptive work, not an investigative judgment initiated centuries after His ascension. Furthermore, White's prophetic claims have been thoroughly debunked as extensive plagiarism, notably by Walter Rea in *The White Lie*, who documented how she copied large sections from other authors like D'Aubigne, Andrews, and Wylie without proper attribution. This undermines her asserted divine inspiration and, by extension, the doctrines she championed. While SDAs correctly uphold the Sabbath, their rationale for its observance often rests on Ellen White's authority and its role as an eschatological "seal" in the "final crisis," rather than solely on its enduring place within the Torah, as Yeshua and the apostles observed it. The council in Acts 15 explicitly addressed Gentile observance, not requiring full Torah adherence for salvation, yet encouraging practices that reflect a life set apart to Elohim. The SDA tradition, however, often places an undue emphasis on observance of the Sabbath as a distinguishing mark of a "true Christian" in a way that can become a works-based requirement for salvation, rather than an expression of a renewed covenant relationship. Thus, the SDA tradition, through Ellen White's writings, introduces a complex system of beliefs that diverts from the simpler, grace-centered, and Torah-affirming faith of Yeshua and His early disciples. Their criteria for identifying a "real Christian" become entangled with post-1844 doctrines and a reliance on a prophet whose claims are historically and biblically questionable.

Counter-Arguments Anticipated

Objection 1: "The Law was abolished; Christians are not under the Law."

This objection, prevalent in many post-apostolic traditions, directly contradicts Yeshua's own words in Matthew 5:17-19, where He explicitly states, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them." His fulfillment means to perfectly embody and explain its true intent, not to nullify it. The apostles consistently upheld the moral and ethical principles of the Torah, and the "Law" referred to as being "not under" by Paul (Romans 6:14) is often misunderstood as the entire Torah, rather than the condemnation of the Law for sin or the rabbinic traditions that had become burdensome. True faith leads to obedience, not lawlessness (Romans 3:31).

Objection 2: "Salvation is by grace through faith alone, not by works of the Law."

This is a foundational truth, as Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." However, this does not negate the importance of obedience as a *result* and *evidence* of genuine faith. James 1:22 admonishes, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves." True faith, as James 2:17 explains, if it "has no works, it is dead by itself." Obedience to Elohim's commandments, including the Torah, flows from a heart transformed by grace, not as a means to earn salvation, but as a demonstration of love for the One who saved us.

Objection 3: "Judging by fruit is subjective; how can we truly know another's heart?"

While only Elohim truly knows the heart, Yeshua Himself provided the objective standard for discernment: "By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16). This refers to observable patterns of behavior, character, and adherence to biblical truth. It is not about perfect performance, but about the direction of one's life, the presence of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and the consistency of one's teachings with the Brit Chadashah and Tanakh. When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). This principle applies to all who claim spiritual authority.

Position Lock

Position Lock: A real Christian is one whose life demonstrates genuine faith in Yeshua haMashiach, expressed through loving obedience to Elohim's Torah as taught and exemplified by Yeshua, and evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, unequivocally aligning with 1st-century Hebraic Messianic practice.