There are many ideas, assumptions, explanations, and "beliefs" out there today about what a "Christian" truly is. Some say one is a "Christian" when one simply believes on Christ, or says a prayer, or when one just decides they want to be called a "Christian".
According to the Scriptures, to be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ, a disciple of Christ…. Christ-like. The world and modern Christianity of today have a very shallow, unBiblical view of a "Christian". To them, a Christian is simply someone who has "said the prayer" and are still living in a continual life of sin. This is not God's view of a Christian.
The world says a Christian does not have to live holy (but rather they say a Christian sins daily), but the Bible teaches us that Christians must crucify self, die to sin, and strive to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). The world says that a Christian can sin and still be a Christian, yet the Bible says "he that committeth sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:8)
So, according to the Scriptures, what is a Christian? We must definitely throw out the view of a Christian that the world has, and adopt the view that our Lord has of a Christian.
Beginning at square one… a Christian is:
- one who has been born again (John 3:3, John 3:7, 1 Peter 1:23)
- commanded to depart from iniquity [sin] (2 Timothy 2:19)
- to be holy, as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16)
- to be perfect (Matthew 5:48)
- to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11-12)
- to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:11-12)
- to be a peculiar person (1 Peter 2:9)
- to take up his cross and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, Matthew 10:38, )
- to deny himself (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23)
- to die to sin (Romans 6:2, Romans 6:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:13, Romans 6:7… Romans 6!)
- to crucify the flesh and the old man (Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:6)
- to obey Him and His Word (Hebrew
s 5:9, 2 Thess 1:8, Matthew 7:21, and many, many others) - one who has repented of his sins (Matthew 4:17) and forsaken them (Isaiah 55:7)
- one who obtains righteousness by faith through Jesus Christ (Romans 4:5, Romans 4:9, Galatians 5:5, Philippians 3:9)
- not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2)
- to present himself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1)
- to abhor that which is evil (Romans 12:9)
- to think on things that are honest, pure, just, lovely, of good report, virtue, praise, and true (Philippians 4:8)
You can't just say a prayer, and then poof! All of a sudden you're a Christian. No, my friends. A Christian is a follower of Christ and one who obeys His Word, repents and forsakes his sin and strives to live holy and godly, soberly and righteously, in this present world, by the grace and power of God!
Grab the code for this graphic and put it on your site!
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#1 by Thandi on Monday, January 11, 2010 - 9:28 AM
Amen!
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#2 by Frankie on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 - 2:42 PM
Lacy,
Your list is great. Many people of other religions believe in Christ, however no one would say they're Christians. Sadly, it works the other way around too. More and more Christians are borrowing larger aspects from other religions (especially Eastern beliefs and practices) in their beliefs, yet we still call them Christian.
I will slightly disagree with your closing remarks. What I disagree with is that you can't just say a prayer and be a Christian. I agree that alone a prayer won't do it. However, if you repent in your prayer then honestly strive thereafter to follow Christ in heart and action, you are a Christian. Yet, you're right about the modern notion of a sinners prayer. It's just empty words unless followed or accompanied by a change of heart.
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#3 by Jessica on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 - 10:02 AM
Hey Lacy I awarded you!
~Jess
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#4 by Sister F on Thursday, January 14, 2010 - 1:21 AM
Agreed! Very nicely put together.
I used to listen to a "Christian" radio station but stopped when one of their hosts asked a caller to repeat a prayer after them and then… poof! They were 'saved' – FOREVER!
I agree that a true Christian must repent of and forsake all sin, and that he (or she) is not a "sinner". A Christian should be continually striving to be perfect. I know that you don't believe in the doctrine of "once saved, always saved"(I don't either), but I am curious, do you believe in the doctrine of "once lost, always lost"? Or, can a Christian who has committed a big sin and lost his salvation return to the fold?
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#5 by Skippie on Saturday, January 16, 2010 - 12:39 PM
I'm sorry Lacy, but I disagree. The minute you say a prayer and TRUELY ask God into your life, you become a Christian! (Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7v7-8)
Also you never know the hidden heart of man (But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 1 Peter 3v4) we can never suppose to judge whether someone is a christian or not, it is not for us to decide – juding that is the path to self-righteousness. "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Matthew 7v1
"Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:" Luke 6v37
"Judge not according to the appearance," John 7v24
"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." 1 Corinthians 4v5
I say all this in the love of Christ,
Skip
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Dear Skip,
I appreciate you taking the time to write and leave your comment! Thank you.
However, I wholeheartedly and Scripturally disagree with your comment.
You said,
Yet in many places the Bible says that we shall know if one is a Christian or not by their fruits. (Matthew 7v16-22) We will be able to tell if one is a Christian or not by the fruit this person produces. The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5v22-23, Colossians 3v12-14) is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, etc.
A Christian will produce the fruits of the Spirit. What are the opposite of these? (Colossians 3v5,8,9, 1 Corinthians 6v9-11, Galatians 5v19-21) Therefore by the fruits the person produces (by their fruits ye shall know them) we as Christians will be able to judge (1 Corinthians 2v15) whether the person is indeed a true Christian or not.
Either a person is producing good fruit, or bad fruit (Luke 6v43-45). A Christian should be able to view that produced fruit and discern (Hebrews 5v14) whether that person is a follower of Christ or servant of sin (Romans 6v16).
Striving on the narrow way,
~ Lacy
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Hi Lacy,
I still don't agree with all that you've said.
I believe we can tell if someone is a Christian or not, by seeing the fruit (or lack of fruit) they produce. However, we don't have any position to say definitively that they are not a christian because there is little or no fruit to see.
(I will say though that I believe there are some who say that they are Christians and aren't. Not everyone that profresses faith is actually a believer.)
Other this, I just want to say I admire you and your family for your knowledge and zeal for the Lord, it is inspiring…
Love in Christ,
Skippie
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#6 by Joanne on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 - 4:34 PM
Hello Lacy – I'm new here. I look forward to reading more of your posts. Lord bless you as you follow Him.
In Christ,
Joanne in MO
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#7 by Joanne on Thursday, January 21, 2010 - 1:50 PM
In regards to Skip's comment – I agree with Lacy.
Hebrews 5:9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
1 John 2:3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
No where in scripture can you find a verse that says all you need to do is say a prayer and then you are set for the rest of your life here on earth. You must obey, you must walk daily with the Lord, you must carry your cross, you must endure to the end, and so on.
In Luke 14:26, 27 & 33, Jesus says three times, if you do not ______ you cannot be my disciple. [vs.26 'hate' your family and you own life also; vs. 27 bear your cross and follow Him; vs. 33 forsake all]. These are only a few of the conditions listed in the New Testament. Is it a 'work' to obey the Lord? No, it is a requirement.
Jesus was asked a few times in the Gospels something like "Master, what must I do to be saved?" Did he reply with, 'say a prayer and ask God into your life'?
No.
See Luke 10:25-37 (we must love God with all our heart, soul, mind, strength, and our neighbor as ourselves … and who is our neighbor? Even our enemies are our neighbors)
Luke 18:18-23 (sell all you have, give to the poor and FOLLOW HIM) (I believe the point in Jesus saying 'sell all you have' is that riches were a snare to this man – so whatever is a snare in our lives we must give it up in order to follow Jesus)
Few will find this narrow way, but MANY are on the broad way thinking they are all right. Many will say in that day, Lord, Lord!! But sadly He will say, Depart from me, I never knew you.
As for judging – there is a difference in judging unrighteously and righteously.
1 Cor. 5 for example – 11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Clearly a judgment must be made if we are to obey this scripture. Notice, this man is called a BROTHER, yet we are not even to eat with him if he is participating in these wicked things.
Another example:
James 5:19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
James was talking to believers – if any of YOU do err; and fellow believers who point it out – and one convert him. Is this being judgemental? No. It's being loving (love one another!).
And one more:
Matthew 18:15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Thy BROTHER = a fellow Christian. If he does not repent, he is to be to us as a heathen man! This is biblical and it calls for righteous judgment.
We shall know them by their fruits.
Lord bless you as you serve Him in truth.
In Christ,
Joanne in MO
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#8 by Danielle on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 10:15 PM
Amen! I agree that a christian is all of those wonderful things that you have listed from God's Word and many more….although I think that you can pray and accept Christ and be saved from Hell through faith at that point and yet not bear the name of Christ until they get their life right with God. "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."Acts 11:26 They were called Christians because of the outward showing of the faith they had.
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#9 by David on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 2:04 AM
Good morning to you sister Lacy,
Just thought I'd let you know that the word "christian" appears in the King James Bible three times. Twice in Acts, once in 1 Peter.
The first reference in Acts 11:26 is in regard to what unbelievers…most likely roman soldiers were calling believers. In this context it was most likely not considered a compliment. The second is Acts 26:28 where the term "christian" is used by a pagan, heathen king and again, very likely not used in a complementary fashion considering that christians were actually not very well thought of by Jews and unbelievers.
The third occurance is 1 Peter 4:16 and it is used by Peter to describe the way that a believer is treated by the heathen…"as a christian"…christians will suffer at the hands of unbelievers…not because anyone admired them for their faith.
It is the heathen…unbelievers who decide who is a christian and who is not.
All the wonderful things which you quoted in your post about what a christian ought to be, though clearly some of them are used without regard to rightly dividing the scriptures are all things which are done by the working of God in a believer. The fruits of the Spirit for example are just that…they are His fruit. Not ours. These things should be apparent in the life of a believer. It may take time for them to manifest as the Spirit does His work in building up and growing a believer. It often takes many years before some trees will bear fruit. And even then the fruit may not be Grade A, but those fruit will become manifest in time, if they do not then it is the believer himself who should examine himself as to whether or not he is truly in the faith. I would also caution that some fruit bearing trees never bear fruit because of the situation in which the grow. They may be stunted due to poor nutrition. They may have been damaged by some outside force or disease. There are other factors involved as well.
Some clues that one could look for in their own life. 1) Do I love the brethren? If not, there is likely a problem. 2) Does sin matter to me? Do I still love my sin? The bible says that we will still sin as believers 1 John 1:8 but that sin is something which we should understand as being wrong. Whether it be a sin of the flesh, of the spirit, or of the mind. Many forget the sin which is by far the most deadly…it is the one in which we begin to trust in our own goodness, our own righteousness, our own false sense of security…and many fall headlong in this sin and never see it in their lives.
A last thought…please read Acts 21:1-6. It is clear here that the Spirit of God did not want Paul to go to Jerusalem. I do not believe that Paul disobeyed on purpose. I think he simply was not sensitive to the Spirit and may even have hardened his heart though I do not wish to make that latter assertion.. I don't think he was sensitive enough to the Spirit speaking to him through those other believers. However, that does not mean that it wasn't wrong. One thing we know. the scriptures never tell us that Paul ever repented of this disobedience.
The point…even the best of us fail. Even the most spiritual of believers will stumble.
Can we fail to realize that not all believers will attain the heights to which Paul attained? Can we not accept that the grace of God saves even the basest of men? Beginning from there, He begins to work….and some may never become much more than they were before, but in their own hearts they know in Whom they have believed…Our job as believers is to love the weaker among us, to teach as given opportunity, to reprove if needed, and most importantly of all…to pray for all men. If we cannot do these things…we ought to be very careful in asserting who we think is a believer and who is not…be wise sister, study and grow stronger in the Lord.
What is a christian?….ask the heathen.
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Amen! I myself accepted Christ when I was 14, but never bore much fruit from my relationship in Christ until I was about 19. At age 18 God "replanted" me in richer soil. Had I stayed where I was before I was replanted, I'm not sure if I would've bore fruit so quickly….
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#10 by Valerie on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 2:36 PM
Dear Sister Lacey, I am blessed by your website and the conversation that has arisen regarding faith and works. It is good for us to think about these things and strive to have deeper understanding. The things of GOD are mysteries to humans and it is only His light that allows us to have understanding. The argument between "Salvation by faith alone in Christ alone" and "by their works you will know them" are two parallel truths. Both are true. They are like two lines of train tracks that never intersect and yet they are both fully true. I feel at peace with them most at those times when I recognize that my most fervent attempts at righteousness are so small, weak and failing in the world's eyes and yet in GOD's hands they can bear fruit for his kingdom. May He bless you and all your readers today.
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#11 by Io Birch on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 8:45 PM
I agree with Lacy, in that a Christian is a disciple of Christ. But sinning cannot make you lose your Salvation. Many times, the Bible says, "The LORD is my Salvation…" Can we lose our salvation? The Apostle Paul says in Romans, "Nor height, nor depth, or any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39
"God is Love" 1Jn 4:8
Therefore, nothing can separate us from God.
Lacy, dear, you must make the distinction between The Lamb's Book of Life, and the general Book of Life. The former is the Book wherein the lives of every Christian who has ever lived are written; the latter, is the Book wherein the lives of every person who has ever lived are written.
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#12 by scott on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 9:19 AM
well done Lacy. Many people now claim to be Christians but do not follow Christ and His words, great job in following Him and His words.
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