What does it mean to be a christian? What does it take to be a christian? Does good works by itself make one a christian? Does church attendance and membership qualify a person to be a christian? Is the giving of tithes and offerings enough to make the giver a christian? The answer to each of these questions is no, not at all. You may ask, how come? The Bible has clear cut answers.
The Bible tells us, “In Antioch the disciples were first called christians” (Acts 11:26). A christian is actually a “follower of Jesus Christ, because that person has trusted Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. The word christian means different things to different people. For example, some think they are christians because they neither drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. Others believe by doing charitable work and caring for the poor will automatically make them a christian. Still others believe being morally upright and very religious are enough to be called a christian. A person cannot be born a christian.
When the Apostle Paul and Silas were incarcerated and because an earthquake devastated the prison, the jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:30-31). If he did, the jailor would then become a christian. The Bible also gives the account of Nicodemus who said to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs as you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:2-3). The key is to be “born again.”
Anyone who is born again is a christian. Born again simply means “Being born from above,” which means a “spiritual rebirth.” Jesus told Nicodemus “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:6-7). “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” refers to our natural state – how we came into the world from our mother’s womb. “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” means a “spiritual rebirth” takes place. Until this happens, no one can be a true christian, and a follower of Jesus Christ.
The “new birth” is actually a gift from God to sinful mankind because of God’s unfathomable love. Hence, the Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). By going to the cross and shedding His blood for our forgiveness, Jesus paid the “ransom” for our sin, so that we will be truly forgiven to live for Him and spend eternity with Him in heaven. The Bible says, “For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The new birth prepares a person to accept and believe God’s word and live for Him. The Bible teaches, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This means the christian has a different outlook on life and says goodbye to the old sinful lifestyle, which had its roots in the world, the flesh, and the devil. In other words, the true christian sees and does things from God’s perspective. Thats why we have the Bible to show and guide us how to live the new life in Jesus Christ.
One of the greatest proofs of being a truly born again christian is by being obedient to God’s Word, the Bible, which says, “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says I know Him but does not keep His commandments is a liar, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5). Obedience to God’s word means doing those things that pleasing to Him.