Hello, and God bless you. If you are asking the question, what is a christian according to the bible, you are asking a very important question. In a world with many beliefs, it is good to know what being a Christian truly means. It is more than a label you wear. It is more than a box you check on a form. It is about a real, living friendship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The word “Christian” was first used in a city called Antioch. The book of Acts says the followers of Jesus were first called Christians there (Acts 11:26). The name meant “little Christs” or “followers of Christ.” It was a name for people whose lives were so changed that they acted like Jesus.
This journey is not about religion or rules. It is about a relationship. It is about finding the great love God has for you. It is about the freedom and hope you can only find in Jesus. So, let’s open God’s Word together. Let’s find the lovely truth of what it means to be a Christian.
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What Does the Word “Christian” Mean in the Bible?
As we saw, the name “Christian” started in Antioch. People who did not believe in Jesus likely used it first to describe His followers. But the believers soon loved the name. It was an honor to be called a Christian. It meant you belonged to Christ. Your life was not your own anymore. You now lived for the King of Kings.
This is a key place to start. Being a Christian is not like joining a club. It is not about being from a certain country. It is about your own choice to follow a Person: the Lord Jesus Christ. It means you have heard His call on your life and have said “yes” to Him. Peter was one of Jesus’s best friends. He told believers to be happy if they suffered for being a Christian. He said they were carrying the name of Christ Himself (1 Peter 4:16).
So, from the start, being a Christian meant your life was all about Jesus. It was about who you followed, who you trusted, and who you lived for every day. This is the foundation of what is a christian according to the bible.
Is Being a Good Person Enough When Asking What Is a Christian According to the Bible?
This is a very common question today. Many people think that if they are a good person, they are a Christian. They think being kind to others is enough. The Bible, however, teaches something very different and much deeper.
God’s Word is very clear. Our own goodness is never enough to make us right with a perfect God. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This means every one of us has missed God’s perfect mark. It does not matter how “good” we try to be. Our hearts are naturally turned away from God.
This is why the Bible says being saved is a gift. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we read these lovely words: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Being a Christian is not about earning God’s love by doing good things. It is about taking the free gift of forgiveness that God offers to us. It is not about trying hard to be good. It is about being rescued by God.
What Is the Foundational Belief of a Christian?
To know what a Christian is, we must first know what a Christian believes. The Christian faith is built on amazing truths. These truths are about who Jesus is and what He has done for us. These are not small points. They are the heart of the Gospel, the Good News.
Do Christians Believe Jesus is God?
Yes, they do. This is the main truth of the Christian faith. A Christian believes that Jesus Christ is not just a good teacher or a wise man. He is the Son of God. He is God Himself who came to earth in a human body. The apostle John starts his book by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1, 14).
This is a big claim. It means the God who made the whole world loved us so much that He came to earth as one of us. He did this to show us God’s heart. He did this to save us from our sin. Believing that Jesus is God is a key part of understanding what is a christian according to the bible.
What is the Importance of the Cross and Resurrection?
The Christian faith rests on two real events in history. The first is the death of Jesus on the cross. The second is Him rising from the dead three days later.
The cross is where God’s perfect fairness and His great love met. We know that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). We all deserved to die for our sins. But on the cross, Jesus, who never sinned, took our punishment for us. He died in our place. He paid the price we could not pay.
But the story does not end at the cross. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead! His rising from the dead is the final proof that Jesus is who He said He is. It shows He has power over sin and death. Because He lives, we who trust in Him can also live forever. The apostle Paul said that if Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is for nothing (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection is our victory and our hope.
How Does a Person Become a Christian? The Biblical Path
So, if being a Christian is not about being a good person, how does someone become one? The Bible shows a clear path. It is not a hard list of rules. It is a simple and personal answer to God’s loving call.
Why is Repentance a Key Step in What is a Christian According to the Bible?
The first step on the path is to repent. When Jesus began to teach, His first message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). To repent is more than just feeling sorry for doing wrong. The word means “to change your mind.” It is a deep change in your heart and in the way you are going.
It means you stop seeing sin as fun. You start to see it the way God sees it. You see it as something that hurts you and separates you from God. It is a choice to turn away from your old life of sin. It is a choice to turn toward God. It is like saying, “God, you are right. My way is wrong. I want to live Your way now.”
Why is Faith in Jesus the Core of What is a Christian According to the Bible?
The second step is faith. Repentance and faith go together. As you turn from sin, you turn to Jesus in faith. Faith is not just knowing facts about Jesus are true. The Bible says that even the demons believe in God, and they are afraid (James 2:19).
Real faith is active trust. It is counting completely on Jesus to save you. It is trusting in what He did on the cross. It is moving your trust from yourself to the work Jesus finished for you. The Bible gives us this great promise in Romans 10:9: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
What Is Being “Born Again” According to Jesus?
When a person turns from sin and trusts in Jesus, a miracle happens. Jesus called this being “born again.” He told a religious man named Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3).
This is not a physical birth. It is a spiritual birth. It is the moment God’s Holy Spirit comes to live inside you. He makes you a new person from the inside out. The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). You get a new heart, new wants, and a new life as a child of God.
What Does a Christian’s Life Look Like? The Biblical Answer to What is a Christian According to the Bible
Becoming a Christian is a moment. But it is also the start of a life-long walk with God. Our good works do not save us. But a life that is truly changed by Jesus will start to do good works. Jesus said you can know a tree by the fruit it grows (Matthew 7:16). A life touched by God will start to look different. This new life is the truest answer to the question of what is a christian according to the bible.
How Does a Christian Follow Jesus Daily?
Following Jesus is called being a disciple. It is a daily walk of learning from Him. It is trying to become more like Him. This means doing a few key things:
- Prayer: This is talking with God. You share your heart with Him and listen for His leading.
- Reading the Bible: The Bible is God’s Word to us. It is our spiritual food. It is how we learn about God and how He wants us to live.
- Fellowship: This is spending time with other believers in a church. We need each other to help us, support us, and keep us on the right path.
What is the Role of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s Life?
When you become a Christian, you are not alone. God gives you a helper: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, and He comes to live inside every person who believes in Jesus.
The Holy Spirit does many things. He comforts us and teaches us truth. He shows us when we sin. He gives us power to live a life that pleases God. He is the one who helps us grow the “fruit of the Spirit” in our lives. This fruit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
How Should a Christian Love Others?
Jesus was once asked what the most important command was. He said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39).
A Christian’s love for God will show in their love for other people. This is not just a nice feeling. It is an action. It is serving others and being patient with them. It is forgiving them and sharing the good news of Jesus with them. We love other people because God first loved us.
What Is a Christian According to the Bible in a World of Many Beliefs?
We live in a world that says, “all roads lead to God.” But this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible’s message is special. A key part of knowing what is a christian according to the bible is knowing why it is so special. Jesus Himself said something that shows He is the only way.
In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is a strong statement. It means that Jesus is not just one choice among many. He is the only way to come back to God. This is not a proud belief. It is simply believing what Jesus, who is God, said about Himself. A Christian is a person who trusts in Jesus’s words.
What Is the Ultimate Hope of a Christian?
The Christian life is not always easy. We still have hard times in this world. But a Christian has a living hope that is bigger than this life. Our final hope is not in this world. It is in the world to come.
Jesus promised His followers, “My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).
The hope of a Christian is the sure promise of eternal life in heaven with Jesus. This is not just wishful thinking. It is a sure thing, paid for by Jesus’s death and proven by His rising from the dead. This hope gives us peace in hard times and a reason to live each day.
Your Invitation to Become a Christian for What Is a Christian According to the Bible
In the end, a Christian is much more than a religious person. A Christian is someone who knows they have sinned. They have turned from their sin and have put their full trust in Jesus Christ alone to be saved. They have been born again by the Holy Spirit. They now live in a new friendship with God as their Father. They follow Jesus each day, love other people, and live with the sure hope of life forever.
This is the most important choice a person can ever make. It is an invitation to you from God Himself. For those who want to learn more, Christian schools like Biola University offer great resources that honor God’s Word.
If you have never made this choice, I pray that you will think about who Jesus is today. He loves you, and He is waiting for you with open arms.
FAQ – What Is a Christian According to the Bible
What is the ultimate hope of a Christian and how is it assured?
The ultimate hope of a Christian is eternal life with Jesus in heaven, assured by His promise, His death, and His resurrection, which guarantees believers a future beyond this life.
How does a Christian’s life reflect their faith according to the Bible?
A Christian’s life reflects their faith through good works that are a response to God’s love, showing love, patience, forgiveness, and living according to the teachings of Jesus as evidence of inner transformation.
What does it mean to be ‘born again’ as a Christian?
Being ‘born again’ means experiencing a spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit, which transforms a person from the inside out, giving them a new heart, new desires, and a new life as a child of God.
Why is faith in Jesus essential to being a Christian?
Faith in Jesus is essential because it involves trusting in His finished work on the cross for salvation, not relying on good deeds, and accepting His gift of forgiveness through active trust and belief in His resurrection.
What does it mean to be a Christian according to the Bible?
According to the Bible, being a Christian means having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, believing He is the Son of God who died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins, and following Him daily.
