Since most people have access to a larger audience online than in real life, the opportunity to share ideas or opinions has exploded. As a result there is a multitude of unsubstantiated teaching available for debate. The one that occupies my mind for this article is the question of what constitutes a “Christian”. There is a growing list of religious denominations in the USA, also a growing list of non-denominational churches and independent churches, ALL of which claim to be Christian. Some of them claim to be the only ones who are truly Christians. Others claim to be the original Church and the only one authorized by God. When we look at the distinctions of these organizations, we will find it very difficult to identify enough common ground in doctrine to have any organizational fellowship. After all, it is the nature of a denomination to be exclusive. It’s existence requires it. However, it is my personal conviction and experience that there are genuine Christians to be found in almost every denomination and group, not because of their connection to the group bhut in spite of it. The power of God to reach and redeem souls is not restricted to any Earthly organization or structure. I will list eight ways that someone or the other may think themselves to be Christian. Please evaluate your experience while reading this list. The list may not be exhaustive, but I think it is well covered. The last one will be what I believe is the Biblical truth. Thanks for reading.
EXCLUSION OF EVERYTHING ELSE – “I’m not a Buddhist, or Hindu, or Satanist, or even an Atheist, I believe in God so I must be a Christian.” In many western cultures, Christianity is the default religion.
NATIONALITY ORIENTATION – “The country of my birth is a Christian country, so it is my heritage to also be a Christian. It comes with my citizenship at birth.”
FAMILY RELIGION – “My parents are Christians, as are all my family as far back as we can tell.” It is almost considered genetic necessity by some groups, to follow the family religious structure. They may have no idea why, it just is.
AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE – Like people who read the Bible as literature, there are some who find themselves respecting many important Biblical principles, even though they have no personal relationship with deity. The agree with some truths they find to be important and since they are in the Bible, they associate those truths to being the equivalent of being a Christian.
EDUCATIONALLY EMBRACING CHRISTIAN TEACHING – “I went to catechism or Sunday School and learned to be a Christian.” Because one has learned a body of truth does not make one a Christian. For example, I can read music but there isn’t any way that I could produce any sounds that would please the ear and be called musical.
PERFORMING A RITUAL – “I’ve been baptized as a baby.” “I’ve been confirmed or dedicated as a baby and that made me a Christian. I have a certificate to prove that I’m a Christian.” There are denominations that teach this very thing. The person, as an adult, has no personal knowledge these things taking place, they just assume that having the experience of a ritual makes it so.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP – It is a common thought among many denominations that being a member of a “church” or some other religious organization carries the idea of being right with God. “I am a Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, or Presbyterian that’s means that I am a Christian because they are are Christian churches, right?” Each of the named denominations would usually say that being part of them does make you a Christian. However, belonging to a gym does not make one an athlete, it takes more than that.
YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN – These are the words that Jesus used to explain to a very religious Jew, a leader among the Jews in Jerusalem. His name is Nicodemus, the context is John, chapter 3. Nicodemus was one of the elite leaders of the Jews and he was an expert in the doctrine of the Old Testament. He had been circumcised as an infant, had attended Jewish schools, studied the Scriptures, kept the feasts, obeyed the Torah, believed in God without a doubt. He like Paul, was blameless in his Jewish faith and practice. Yet, Jesus said that all his faithfulness was insufficient, he was still missing something. He had to be born-again; a spiritual experience that transformed his entire being into a new person. Paul wrote to the Christians at the Church in Corinth and said “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 In Hebrews 11 is recorded w2hat is sometimes called the Christian Hall of Fame. It describes how people in Old Testament history were saved. They were saved by the avenue of faith in God’s grace which was demonstrated in every animal sacrifice for sin. When Jesus was crucified, He fulfilled the promise of every sacrifice for sin, one time for all people, forever. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:11-13
From the letter to the Ephesians – “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-1
CONCLUSION – I believe that a Christian is someone who has had a personal encounter with God that began the transformation of ones life into newness of life. That encounter is the result of hearing the Gospel of Christ and believing it to the extent of exercising faith by receiving Christ as Saviour and offering Christ’s death, His blood, to God the Father as the only acceptable offering for our sin. Upon that offering, then the Holy Spirit indwells our soul and miraculously transforms us into a new creature in Christ Jesus. That is being born-again. There is no substitute for being born-again, not knowledge, not family ties, not education, not ritual, not obedience, and not membership. The transformation of the new birth happens in a moment and continues throughout our life. This is important to know for our own relationship with God. It is also important for our relationship with other people. There are many voices that compete to claim the identity of Christian. These voices are loud, persuasive, and powerful, but they can’t all be right. They are offering their opinions and teaching as the solution for problems in this world, usually at the expense of other believers. They tend to exclude those who do not agree with their position. As a result, I expect religious persecution to increase. Beware and know what is true. Know why you believe and that you have had that miraculous encounter with the living God.