There are many different ideas about what makes a true Christian. Some people think you become one when you are christened as a baby. Others believe it's something you have to choose for yourself, while others think it's about how you live. There are an estimated 2.2 billion Christians and counting around the world, with different doctrines and practices – but what exactly makes a 'Christian'?
1. True Christianity is a way of life. John 13:17 says: 'If you know these things, blessed are if you do them.' Christianity is not a mood or an emoji, it's the way we live in once we dedicate our lives to Christ. A true Christian seeks God's way of life, his thoughts and most importantly his will for them. It's someone who is willing to go the extra mile in putting him first and placing their trust in him.
Understanding the foundation of Christianity itself is even more important. 1 Corinthians 15: 13-14 says: 'But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.' This scripture highlights the fundamental building block of Christianity – Jesus' resurrection. A true Christian lives by faith in his resurrection as without it, our faith is in vain.
2. To be a true Christian, a person must change. Acts 27:38-39 says: 'Repent, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.' To be a true Christian you must 'repent' and walk a different way of life. You can't go back to a life of sin and still expect to be a Christian; that lifestyle must be left in the past as you press on to the future. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: 'Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come!'
3. Becoming a Christian is solely by faith and not through a check list of rules or good works to get you brownie points. Ephesians 2 :8-9 says : 'For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.' Once faith has been established in Jesus Christ, a true relationship can be formed because now the individual knows the foundation of their Christianity and beliefs.
Trusting God in all that you do will also help you to understand what it means to be a true Christian. Jeremiah 29:11 says: 'For I know I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' Christians will put their calling before everything and everyone else, knowing fully in their heart that the calling over their life will always bring forth great things.
4.To be a true Christian, you must have the Holy Spirit living inside you. Paul writes in Romans 8:9: 'If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ'. A true Christian has God's Holy Spirit living within who will inspire you to be Christ-like. This verse reminds us that the Holy Spirit living within us is what connects us to God. Without it, we cannot establish our identity in Christ.
Don't let the world's definition of being a Christian control you. What matters most is that you personally understand Jesus to be your Lord and saviour and you understand his importance in your life. Don't allow the world to discourage you in your walk with Christ, keep God close to your heart and serve him wholeheartedly and genuinely. For the Bible says, 'Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart' (1 Samuel 16:7).
