WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?
Is a Christian one who goes to church once a week, always prays before dinner and bedtime, and knows the whole Bible by heart?
Everyone has their own thoughts about what a Christian is or is not. What does the Bible say about being a Christian? The word “Christian” occurs only twice in the Bible. The first time you will find this in Acts 26:28 “King Agrippa said to Paul, 'Soon you will get me to pass myself as a Christian.'” Christian is derived from the word Christ. Jesus was appointed by God to be the Christ which means Anointed One. Initially, the first Christians were called differently: believers or saints. Whatever the exact name is, they are people who follow Jesus Christ. Jesus says in John 13:15 “I have set an example; what I have done for you, you must also do.”
How do you become a Christian?
No one is born a Christian. You cannot earn it or teach it. In fact, we all do not naturally follow the example that Jesus set. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” 'All' are you and me; everybody. Unfortunately, we all fall short. And that makes the Bible a very honest book. For us humans this is not always easy, admitting that we have sinned and so… needing forgiveness.
Forgiveness is one of the most precious gifts. You cheated on someone and the other person says to you, “I forgive you.” What a relief. It's over, I won't go back to it, sand over it. Jesus bore all our guilt when He died on the cross so that we can be forgiven. Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The most important condition, on our side, to be forgiven is repentance.
A new life
Repentance is a sincere and profound change of mind regarding sin. In other words, “Jesus, I know that I have sinned and gone astray from You. I want to ask You to forgive me and to wash me clean with Your blood. Come into my heart and I will follow You. I pray that in the name of Jesus.” This sincere prayer God will always answer. Many people have changed in this way. Because that is the greatest miracle that can take place in your life: a new life. Forgiveness, assurance of eternal life with God, relationship with God, peace, recovery, rest and much more that God is going to do. Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 5:17 “So then whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.”
There is so much more to say about it. The important thing is this: There is One who cares about you so much that He was willing to let His only Son die for you. If you are willing to accept this sacrifice, you will soon be able to tell yourself “what a Christian is”. And your life does not end here. It is the beginning of a new life with God.
WHY JESUS?
Believe, fine. But Jesus? Of course He was a great spiritual leader. But that has been more people in history.
For centuries people have been divided over the question, "Who is Jesus?" Even people who don't believe in Him sometimes make it a life's work to prove that He is not who He says He is. Throughout history and science, so much evidence has been found about the life of Jesus on earth that this is actually indisputable. The question remains: “Who is Jesus?”
Who is Jesus?
Remember that people who saw Jesus at the beginning of the era also asked the question, “Who is Jesus?” Scribes said, “How dare He! He mocks God. There is only one who can forgive people their sins and that is God (Mark 2:7). Jesus responded, "Which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven, or get up and walk?" And that is exactly what Jesus did on earth. He healed the sick, brought the dead back to life, delivered people and forgave their sins. There has never been anyone like Him. Many times Jesus turns to God: “That all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him (John 5:23). There are over 300 references in the Old Testament to the Messiah (Saviour). They all refer to Jesus.
A special person? Yes, only Jesus goes much further. He claims to be equal to God. John 14:6 “Jesus said unto him, I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” With this, Jesus himself excludes all other ways, ways, doctrines and religions in order to come to God. Jesus gives Himself the monopoly. Why?
An incident
A college student once asked Joshua McDowell, "Why can't you refute Christianity?" McDowell: “There is one incident in history that I cannot explain away: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Hardly anyone in Jesus' day thought that He would ever die. Not even His disciples. When Jesus died, all the hopes of the disciples were dashed. That is why they abandoned Jesus.
If Jesus had not been resurrected after dying, there would be no church, no faith, no Christians. It does not stop here: the tomb is found empty, the disciples see Jesus after His death, after His resurrection, even at one moment a total of 500 people see Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:5-6). dr. Simon Greenleaf was one of the greatest lawyers in the US. Thanks in part to him, Harvard's law school stood out above the rest. He examined the legal value of the apostles' testimony to the resurrection of Jesus. Greenleaf concluded that the resurrection of Christ is one of the best documented events in history by the standards of legal evidence. And so there are countless renowned scientists who confirm this event. From Isaac Newton to Sir William Ramsay.
Then why Jesus?
The only way to be forgiven, to have a relationship with God and to go to heaven after this life is only through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews 9:22 “And almost everything is cleansed with blood according to the law, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Only this sacrifice with bloodshed, because Jesus is able to take the guilt of everyone. He is God Himself, without sin (Hebrews 7:26). 1 Corinthians 15:17 says, "If Christ be not risen, then your faith is futile, you are still in your sins."
You may have read all the books in the world. For all of us it is a given: we were not there when Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead. The only option left: Hear the testimonies of people who have experienced His resurrection power. Experience Him yourself in your life. He is waiting for you every day.