Can They Tell?

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (NKJV)

The religious leaders were surprised at the boldness of Peter and John. They had not been formally trained, but they had been with Jesus, and it showed. Whether it was the boldness with which they spoke, the wisdom and understanding in their words, or something else in how they carried themselves, the relationship Peter and John had with Jesus was evident to others. It made them different.

Being in relationship with Jesus during His earthly ministry had left its mark, and now they were in Christ and communed with Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Their relationship with Jesus was ongoing, and it changed them from ordinary unlearned fishermen to something that the highly educated members of the Sanhedrin took note of.

Real relationship with Jesus cannot be hidden. It transforms us. At salvation, we are made new creations in Christ. Then, as we walk with Him in close fellowship, the new life that was placed inside us begins to work its way outward and we act differently. The new man inside of us begins to show himself outwardly. We are noticeably different. Others should be able to tell that we are Christians and that we’ve been with Jesus.

Many people have received Jesus as their Savior by saying a prayer. Then, they go on about their lives and are unchanged. Once we’ve said the “sinner’s prayer,” do we understand that we’ve given our lives to Him? Do we get into His Word and spend time with Him in prayer to understand what it actually means to follow Christ? Salvation is one thing, discipleship is another. Transformation comes through being a disciple of Jesus Christ, not by saying a prayer.

Don’t get me wrong- the salvation prayer, if said in faith and sincerity, will save you from an eternity in hell. It will change your eternal destination. However, it can do something else as well- it can start you on an intimate relationship with the Lord Himself. And when we pursue that relationship with consistency, we are changed and people will be able to tell.

So, I ask you today, “Can people tell that you’ve been with Jesus?” As a born-again Christian, if your honest answer is “No” or “I’m not sure,” then you need to make a quality decision to pursue a close personal relationship with Jesus. Set aside time everyday to learn from Him through His Word, to fellowship with Him in prayer and worship, and to let His Holy Spirit minister to you. You don’t have to change yourself; just being with Jesus will do that for you.

You can be more than saved. You can be changed. You can go from being a child of God to being a friend of God who enjoys closeness with Him. It will soon show, and people will be able to notice that you’ve been with Jesus.