If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? That question, or a variation of it, has been asked many times in order to remind us all of the importance of letting our lights shine (Matthew 5:16), being ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15), and defending the truth (Philippians 1:16-17). We need to live in such a way that others can see Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20).
However, while the question raised in the first paragraph is good, there is another point that is just as important for us to consider. Just because the world sees you as a Christian, that does not necessarily mean that God sees you that way, too. To illustrate this point, notice what Paul said about the adulteress in his letter to the Romans:
“For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man” (Romans 7:2-3).
Notice that this woman who is “joined [in marriage] to another man” is “called an adulteress.” Who is calling her an adulteress? It would not be those in the world – they would see her as being legitimately and legally married to her second husband. The one calling her an adulteress is God because His law classifies her second marriage as adultery. The point we get from this passage is that man’s definitions do not always match God’s definitions. Though man might recognize this woman simply as a wife, God recognizes her as an adulteress.
Therefore, we ask the question: Who calls you a Christian? The world may do so. Your family, friends, and acquaintances may think of you as a Christian. But would God call you a Christian? How can we know? The only way to answer this question is by looking to His word.
Luke recorded: “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). This term was not one invented by the disciples, nor was it a term of derision used against them by their enemies. The phrase “called Christians” indicates a divine calling. It is the same word used of the woman who was “called an adulteress” that we noticed earlier (Romans 7:3). The term Christian was a name given to the disciples by God (Isaiah 62:2).
But who would God call Christians today? In light of the way the term is often used, let us consider the following points:
- Being a good, moral person does not make one a Christian – Cornelius was described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually” (Acts 10:2). Certainly he would qualify as a good, moral person. Yet he was not a Christian. The angel of God told him to send for Peter so that the apostle could “speak words…by which [he would] be saved” (Acts 11:14). Since this good, moral man was not yet saved, then it is obvious that goodness and morality alone do not make one a Christian.
- Being religious does not make one a Christian – Paul noted that the men of Athens were “very religious” (Acts 17:22), even though they worshiped idols. To them, God was “an unknown God” (Acts 17:23). Simply being religious does not make one a Christian.
- Believing in God/Christ does not make one a Christian – Many today would call anyone who believes in Jesus a Christian. Yet James said, “The demons also believe” (James 2:19). In the gospels the demons are even found to be confessing Christ (Mark 1:23-24; Luke 4:40-41). Were these demons Christians on the basis of their belief? Certainly not! Just because one believes that Jesus is the Son of God does not necessarily mean that he is a Christian.
- Claiming to serve the Lord does not make one a Christian – Notice the words of Jesus: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23). Though Jesus classified their actions under the category of lawlessness (those things for which they had no law/authority), they believed they were doing them for the Lord. One may do all sorts of things while claiming to serve Christ. Merely making the claim that one’s actions are in the name of the Lord does not make one a Christian.
Certainly, a Christian ought to be good, moral, religious, believing in Christ, and striving to serve God. But these things by themselves do not make one a Christian. So then, according to the Scriptures, who are the ones who are “called Christians” by God (Acts 11:26)?
When Paul stood before Agrippa, the king recognized that the apostle was trying to “persuade [him] to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Notice Paul’s response to Agrippa: “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains” (Acts 26:29). Paul was a Christian. He wanted all those around him to also be Christians. But how does one become a Christian? We can look and see how Paul became one and learn what we must do to become such as he was.
Before becoming a Christian, Paul – then known as Saul – traveled to Damascus in order to find Christians and bring them bound back to Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). Let us notice what Luke recorded:
“As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.’ […] Leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. […] And the Lord said to [Ananias], ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying” (Acts 9:3-11).
The Lord appeared to Saul. But that did not make him a Christian. He called Jesus “Lord.” That did not make him a Christian, either. He was sorrowful for what he had done – this was evidenced by his fasting. But his remorse did not make him a Christian. His fervent prayer did not make him a Christian. The fact that he was “a chosen instrument” of Christ’s (Acts 9:15) did not make him a Christian. How do we know? Notice what Paul said he was told by Ananias:
“Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16).
Here was Saul in Damascus, praying and fasting. What was he told to do? First, he was told to “get up.” Salvation is not obtained through prayer. Ananias did not tell him he needed to say a different prayer – he told him he needed to stop. Stop and do what? Be baptized. What was the purpose of baptism? To wash away his sins. Saul – despite his new faith in Jesus, his sorrow over his sin, and his fervent prayer – was still not forgiven. He needed to be baptized. In the act of baptism, he would call on the name of the Lord, making “an appeal to God for a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:21).
So what did Paul do to become a Christian? He believed in Jesus, repented of his sins, and was baptized. The Scriptures also speak of confession as a verbal affirmation of one’s belief. We can infer that Paul did this as well based upon what he wrote to the saints in Rome (Romans 10:9-10).
We can look elsewhere in the New Testament to show that Paul was not the only one to do these things to become a Christian. On the day of Pentecost when the church was first established, the Jews who were saved did the same things Paul did – believe, repent, and be baptized (Acts 2:37-38).
Shortly before His ascension, Jesus gave His apostles the Great Commission in which He told them what they were to teach that men must do to be saved – believe (Mark 16:16), repent (Luke 24:47), and be baptized (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16). Since this was the message that Jesus gave them to teach, we can safely conclude that this was what the apostles taught “in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8), even though every detail of each conversion account is not recorded for us.
So what does one need to do to become a Christian? The same thing Paul did. The same thing the Jews on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 did. And the same thing that Jesus told His apostles they were to teach. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and be willing to confess that belief before men. We must repent of our sins and turn to follow Christ. And we must be baptized into Christ to have our sins washed away.
Friend, have you done those things? The world may call you a Christian. But would God call you one? It is certainly good if others see us as Christians. But in the end, the only thing that matters is if the One sitting on the judgment seat (2 Corinthians 5:10) recognizes us as Christians (Acts 11:26) and faithful servants of His (Matthew 25:21, 23). It will not matter what the world thinks of us if we reach the end and the Lord says, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).
Andy, I enjoyed reading this post of yours and you made the points so very plainly even a child can understand what makes one a Christian. Why does the world refuse to accept the truth that is revealed in the word of God so clearly? All a Christian can do is continue to teach the truth and live it every day. The word “Christian” has become so corrupted by a confused religious world that just about anyone to them is a Christian. That is very sad.
Excellent article, Andy!
Thank you Andy
I shared this article through my email! So simple to understand so sad so many think by saying they are Christians that are, The word Christian used by so many that don’t take the time to really understand the word or its work involved in being a Christian or needed to be saved. Thank you again!
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate your comments. It’s sad to see the state of confusion in the religious world. But as Wayne said, all we can do is continue to teach and practice the truth. Hopefully others will be persuaded.