What Is A Christian?

"Defining the word Christian"

     Many people call themselves a Christian or say the believe in God. But what makes a true Christian, a true follower of Jesus? This may not seem like an important question but it is because if the definition is misunderstood it is the difference between eternity with Jesus or damnation in Hell.

   First lets see what a Christian is NOT! A “Christian” is not a person who has said a prayer, or walked down an aisle, or been raised in a Christian family, or a member of a church. It is not a person that goes to church every time the doors open, tithe's, does good works, been baptized, even walk and talk like a "Christian" (Titus 3:5). While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experience, they are not what “makes” a Christian. Each of of these things are fruit of being saved by God's grace, they are things that are done because we are a changed person and want to do them out of love for Jesus and not out of obligation! Just simply doing and saying these things doesn't make a person Christian. Unfortunately over time, the word “Christian” has lost a great deal of its significance and is often used of someone who is religious or has high moral values but who may or may not be a true follower of Jesus Christ.

   The word “Christian” is used three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). Followers of Jesus Christ were first called “Christians” in Antioch (Acts 11:26) because their behavior, activity, and speech were like Christ. The word “Christian” literally means, “belonging to the party of Christ” or a “follower of Christ.” A true Christian is one who understand the gospel message (1 Corin. 15:1), has repented of their sins, and trust that Jesus has fully payed their debt of sin, that is was nothing they did or deserve but a gracious gift from God.  From:"What is a Christian" Q&A

  John 1:12 tells us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” So, a Christian is someone who has been born again by God (John 3:3; John 3:7; 1 Peter 1:23) and has put faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that it is “,by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

     So what defines a Christian? 

1) A Christian is a new creation(2 Corinthians 5:17). Becoming an entirely new creature as a result of being “in Christ.”

2) A Christian is redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-19). The word “redeemed” refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid.

3) A Christian has been justified (Romans 5:1). To “justify” means to “declare righteous.” All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God

4) A Christian has been promised eternal life (John 3:16). Eternal life is a promise of eternity (forever) in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.”

5) A Christian has been guaranteed glorification. “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). Glorification refers to a Christian receiving a perfect resurrection body in heaven.

6) A Christian has been promised that we can not be separated from God's love (Romans 8:38-39), we can not be removed from His hand (John 10:28-29), And God is both willing and able to guarantee and maintain our salvation (Jude 24-25).

    A Christian lives by faith in that which we can't see and that in trusting that Jesus has already paid the price for our debt of sin. We are supposed to die to self daily (Gal. 2:20). Being crucified with Christ means that our old nature has been nailed to the cross and has been replaced by a new nature which is Christ’s (1 Corinthians 5:17). He who loved us and died for us now lives in us and the life we live is by faith in Him. It means sacrificing our own desires, ambitions, and glories and replacing them with those of Christ. We can only do this by His power through the faith that He gives us by His grace. Part of the Christian life is praying and trusting God's power of perseverance until the end.

I heard this quote one time but I don't have any idea who said it though.

 "Sitting in a church building makes one as much of a Christian as sitting in a garage makes one an automobile."

Linked with:
Wisdom Wednesday
Teach Me Tuesday
Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday
Faith Filled Friday
Five Minute Friday
Fridays Photo Blog Hop

References: Matthew Henry Commentaries, MacArthur Study Bible, Smith's Bible Dictionary

By:Clint Baker