Importance of Identifying as Christian in Modern Society

Sources

1. II Corinthians “II Corinthians 10:7 (BSB) — You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.”
2. 2 Corinthians “2 Corinthians 10:7 (NASB) — You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.”
3. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 65: the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Confession does not make a man a Christian. It is the public avowal that he is a Christian; that he is a believer in Christ, in his divinity, in his incarnation, and in his being and doing all that He claimed to be, and that the Scriptures declare He did for us and our salvation. Such confession is a duty, a privilege, and a dictate of gratitude and loyalty, which cannot be repressed. His people will g”
4. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. IX.: But since he is manifestly guilty of falsehood in the statements which follow, let us examine his assertion when he says, "If all men wished to become Christians, the latter would not desire such a result." Now that the above statement is false is clear from this, that Christians do not neglect, as far as in them lies, to take measures to disseminate their doctrine throughout the whole world. Some of them, accordingly, have made it their business to itinerate not only through cities, but even villages and country houses,[”
5. Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 4:5: Walk in wisdom - Act wisely and prudently in reference to them who are without - who yet continue unbelieving Gentiles or persecuting Jews. The Church of Christ was considered an enclosure; a field, or vineyard, well hedged or walled. Those who were not members of it, were considered without; i.e. not under that especial protection and defense which the true followers of Christ had. This has been since called "The pale of the Church," from palus, a stake; or, as Dr. Johnson defines it, "A narrow piece of wood, joined above and below to a rail, to enclose grounds.”
6. 1 Thessalonians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Thessalonians 4:12: honestly--in the Old English sense, "becomingly," as becomes your Christian profession; not bringing discredit on it in the eyes of the outer world, as if Christianity led to sloth and poverty (Rom 13:13; Pe1 2:12). them . . . without--outside the Christian Church (Mar 4:11). have lack of nothing--not have to beg from others for the supply of your wants (compare Eph 4:28). So far from needing to beg from others, we ought to work and get the means of supplying the need of others. Freedom from pecuniary embarrassment is to be desired by the ”
7. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 123: all men may recognize Christ as their king, invested with divine majesty and authority, and that they should all be like Him in character and conduct. This kingdom of Christ over all his people is exercised not only by his power in their protection and direction, but especially by his Word and Spirit, through which and by whom He reigns in and rules over them. This kingdom of Christ is everlasting. That is, the relation which believers sustain to Christ on earth they will sustain to Him forever. Christ’s Visible Kingdom. As religion is e”
8. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 58: to be baptized, as we are commanded to confess Christ before men or to love the brethren. But these are duties to which faith secures obedience; they are not the means of salvation. 2. This ritual system is utterly inconsistent with the whole genius of Christianity. God is a Spirit, and He requires those who worship Him, to worship Him in spirit and in truth. External rites are declared to be nothing. Circumcision is nothing. and uncircumcision is nothing. “He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is ou”
9. 1 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Timothy 5:16: 5:16 Individual Christian households maintained their function and identity within the church (cp. 2:15; 3:15). They were not eclipsed by the church, although the household of God is primary to the identity of the believing community (see Mark 3:31-35).”
10. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 83: it was of importance to us to recognise it, the Lord has distinguished it by certain marks, and as it were symbols. It is, indeed, the special prerogative of God to know those who are his, as Paul declares in the passage already quoted ( 2 Tim. 2:19 ). And doubtless it has been so provided as a check on human rashness, the experience of every day reminding us how far his secret judgments surpass our apprehension. For even those who seemed most abandoned, and who had been completely despaired of, are by his goodness recalled to life”
11. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 64: be identified with any one nation. National citizenship is no longer the condition of church-membership. Rome, however, teaches, — 1. That the Church is, in its essential character, an external, 560 organized society, so that no man can be a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of his life, who is not a member of that society. 2. The Church is an institute of salvation. Its sacraments are exclusively the channels for conveying to men the benefits of the redemption of Christ. 3. As the sacraments are the only channels of grace, no gracio”