What Exactly is a Christian--and Why Does It Matter?

Brokenness surrounds us. War. Broken homes. Isolation. Divisive politics. Financial stress. No wonder levels of depression are skyrocketing.

What’s behind all of this? The root cause is something we all struggle with: selfishness. People naturally put self before others.

We've all done this. We've all told lies, lashed out in anger, held grudges, or taken advantage of others. Our self-centered choices have contributed to the brokenness around us—and inside us.

God calls this self-centeredness sin. It shows up in different ways—pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, and many more. On our own, we can't fix it.

God created us for something better than this. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” We were made to flourish in a society whose two primary laws are “Love God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

No one within our broken world can heal this damage. The fix had to come from outside. 2,000 years ago, the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, was miraculously born in Bethlehem through the Virgin Mary. Jesus is the only person in history who fully placed God before self. He said in John 8:28-29, “I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him”.

This means that Jesus never sinned. He never told a lie, stole anyone’s things, or spoke unkind words. He modeled the kind of person we would want in a perfect society.

Unfortunately, Jesus’ flawless behavior convicted those around him of their selfishness. It highlighted their own moral failures. In the end, their anger led to his execution.

By the power of God, Jesus rose from the grave on the third day. This gave him the power to forgive the sins of his followers, and to grant them resurrection from the grave. Jesus said in John 5:24, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life”.

Not only do followers of Christ receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life, they receive greater purpose in this life. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” He added in John 7:37-38, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'".

What does that look like? Here are a few examples:

• Jesus replaces our guilt and shame with complete forgiveness
• Jesus replaces self-hatred with the knowledge you’re intentionally created just the way he wanted you
• Jesus replaces conflicting online voices with the absolute trustworthiness of the Bible
• Jesus replaces toxic political division with a desire to love even our enemies
• Jesus replaces loneliness with authentic Christian community
• Jesus replaces empty hookup culture with meaningful sexuality in marriage
• Jesus replaces the endless pursuit of more stuff with generous living and good money management

So what is a Christian? A Christian is someone who accepts the Bible's account of Jesus' life as true, turns away from self-centeredness, and chooses to follow Jesus as Lord. John 20:31 tells us, "These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name".

We have a decision to make. We must choose whether to follow self or Jesus. There is no middle ground. Matthew 6:24 tells us, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other”.

How do you become a follower of Jesus? There is no magic formula. It’s not about joining a church, getting baptized, giving money, or signing a creed. It’s a matter of faith. Romans 10:9-10 says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved".

It’s simply having an honest conversation with God, that you want to turn from selfishness and start following him instead. There is no script to follow, but here's what that conversation might sound like: “Lord Jesus, I confess that I’ve been living for myself, doing whatever I felt like doing. I want to change direction and follow you instead. I believe that you died for my sins and rose from the grave. Please forgive me and make me part of your family. From now on, I want to follow you as Lord of my life. In your name, Amen.”

If you've had that conversation with God, the next step is connecting with other Christians who can support you as you figure out what this new life looks like. We'd love to help you get started on this journey. Just email us at [email protected], or text SAVED to 833-621-6172.