A person is not a Christian because they are religious (See Acts 17:22)[1]. A person is not a Christian because they attend Church. It does not matter if they attended the same Church for fifty years, serve as a deacon, teach Sunday School, or is involved in the homeless ministry, feed the hungry, and visit convalescent homes. A person is not a Christian because they are a gifted singer that leads the choir. A person is not a Christian because they can play an instrument or multiple instruments on the praise team. A person is not a Christian because their Father is a Pastor, and their Mother is an Evangelist. Proxy saves no one. A person is not a Christian because they “feel Jesus in their heart.” Salvation is never based on our subjective sentimental feelings. A person is not a Christian because they have been water baptized. Baptism has never saved anyone. A person is not a Christian because they wear a crucifix around their neck and kiss it. You’re not a Christian because you have graduated from Seminary or Bible College. A Church cannot make someone a Christian, just like someone standing in a garage will not make them a Mercedes Benz.
All the above are charitable deeds, but they are works of the flesh that can never save the soul. The Bible declares that no works of the flesh can justify us or make us right with God (Rom 3:20; Gal 2:16).
The word Christian was not given to believers by believers. It came from the Greeks. Believers in Christ were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). They mostly meant it as a pejorative. The only other times the word Christian is used in scripture is Acts 26:28 when King Herod Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian,” and in 1 Peter 4:16.
A Biblical definition of a Christian is one who belongs to the party of Christ or one who is a disciple of Christ. Now, back to the question. How does one become a Christian? A person is saved upon hearing the gospel message and has repented of their sins and has placed their faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
To repent means to change your mind. We agree with God that our sins are egregious in His sight. All sin must be judged and punished. Worst of all sin breeds death (Romans 6:23). When one places their faith in Christ's substitutionary atoning sacrifice, He takes away their sin, thus forgiving them and grants them His righteousness. This results in the sinner receiving eternal life. But for us to be made alive, Jesus had to die. Why? Because he bore our sins on the tree (1 Peter 2:24).
2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Believers realize that salvation has nothing to do with anything they have done, but with all that Jesus has done. Titus 3:4-7 says, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast.”
Man is completely impotent in this process. The grace and faith are gifts that are given to the redeemed sinner to empower them to believe. The Prophet Jonah said it best, “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9).
Another passage that describes true conversion is Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 4:24b-25 says Jesus was raised from the dead who was first delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. Did you catch that reader? Jesus HAD to die because of our sin, and He HAD to raise from the dead for us to be justified before God the Father. The famous hymn “Jesus Paid It All” is true.
What a Christian does and must develop into
True believers work out their salvation daily (Philippians 2:12-13).
They always pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
They endure numerous trials realizing tribulation builds character (James 1:1-4; 2 Peter 1:1-6)
They study the Word to show themselves approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15)
They fulfill the great commission to preach the gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
They fight against their sin and are broken when they are defeated by it (Read Romans 7, entire chapter)
They pickup their cross and live a life of self-denial (Matthew 16:24-25)
They are continually confessing their sins, not for salvation but for ongoing fellowship with the Lord and continual cleansing and righteousness (1 John 1:9)
They exhibit the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
They support their brothers and sisters caught in sin without judging them realizing their own propensity to sin themselves (Galatians 6:1)
They are always forgiving others realizing Christ has forgiven them (Ephesians 4:28-32)
They desire to live peacefully with all people and refuse to take personal vengeance (Romans 12:17-21)
They love and pray for their enemies (Matthew 5:44)
They remain morally and sexually pure (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4)
They boldly defend the Word of God and rebuke those who contradict it (Titus 1:9)
They hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6)
They realize that being a witness for Christ could mean their death (Acts 1:8). The word witness in Greek is Martus or Martur where we get the English word Martyr. Yes, the cost of discipleship is very high.
They long for the Lord’s return (Revelation 22:20)
Sadly, the “Christianity” that many have embraced is cultural and social, but not biblical or salvific. A lot of people like a lot of things they see in Christendom like feeding the hungry, visiting the sick or being kind to the homeless. This makes us feel good about ourselves. But, when it comes to living a holy life, defending the faith, rebuking false teachings, or submitting to the Lordship of Jesus and sharing the gospel they are not committed. Only those who do the will of the Father will ever reach heaven. Pretenders will be left out (Matthew 7:21-23).
We perform good works because we are saved. We do not perform good works to get saved. If unrepentant vile sinners can merit salvation by what they do, then God the Father was most cruel in sending Jesus to be beaten and crucified, shed His precious blood and die for nothing.
