The Faith of President Obama

There has been a great deal of discussion recently about the faith of President Obama. He began the conversation himself in an interview with Rick Warren during the presidential campaign in August of 2008.
Warren asked what it meant to trust in Christ. Mr. Obama responded.
“As a starting point, it means I believe in — that Jesus Christ died for my sins, and that I am redeemed through him. That is a source of strength and sustenance on a daily basis. Yes, I know that I don’t walk alone. And I know that if I can get myself out of the way, that I can maybe carry out in some small way what he intends. And it means that those sins that I have on a fairly regular basis hopefully will be washed away.”
That has a ring of confidence and sincerity to it. And yet 2 years down the road his faith is still questioned. So much so that at the National Prayer Breakfast, February 3, he felt compelled to defend his beliefs. "My Christian faith has been a sustaining force for me over the years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned."
Some in the media think that the Republicans are responsible for those increased questions.
For example, George Stephanopoulos recently grilled Michelle Bachman.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, a sizable number of GOP primary voters are questioning President Obama's faith and citizenship. Can you just state very clearly that President Obama is a Christian and he is a citizen of the United States?
BACHMANN: Well, that isn't for me to state. That's for the President to state. And I think that-
STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe it?
BACHMANN: When the President makes his statements, I think they need to stand for their own.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But, he has said it very clear. I'm just asking if you believe it? BACHMANN: Well, I think we should take the President at his word.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you can't say that- you can't just sit there and declare the President's a citizen and he is a Christian?
Senator Mitch McConnell caught some flack last August with these words: "The
president says he's a Christian. I take him at his word. I don't think that's in dispute." What is in dispute? We do know the President says he is a Christian. Is that all that is indisputable?
Finally, last Sunday on Meet the Press, John Boehner defended his position on the faith of Obama.
“The president says he's a Christian. I accept him at his word." He later called those "the facts" of Obama's background. (David) Gregory asked, "But that kind of ignorance, about whether he's a Muslim, doesn't concern you?" "The American people have the right to think what they want to think," Boehner replied. "I can't -- it's not my job to tell them."
Is there anyone whose job it is to tell us? Wouldn’t it help us all if someone went beyond rhetoric and gave a visual definition of a Christian? Of course, someone did. His name is John and he was one of the first men to be called a Christian. (New Testament book of Acts. 11:26) And being among the initial followers of Christ he would certainly know what a Christian looks like.
In fact, he wrote a letter that contains certain reliable proofs of ‘Christian’ faith. When someone is born of God, born again, John says, that person exhibits distinct behaviors. Here are 3 of these character traits.
1. “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.” 1John 3:9. This does not mean that Christians never sin. It means that a true Christian does not continue living just like a sinner, i.e. with all the bad habits associated with sin: greed, dishonesty, arrogance, lust, selfishness, etc.
2. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1John 4:7. A true Christian loves other Christians. This kind of love moves Christians toward one another. Christians want to be together. That is why they attend church regularly, for example. And pray for one another. And encourage one another. And are hospitable to one another.
3. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” 1John 5:1. A true Christian believes that Jesus is the Messiah of God, the only anointed one. That Jesus is the only divine representative from God. A true Christian does not accept the premise that there are many ways to God. He knows that Jesus Christ is the only way.
Based on these physical evidences of true Christianity, are anyone’s words proof enough?