S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

According to Acts 11:26, the followers of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. Why were they called Christians? Because they were "followers of Christ." They had committed their lives to "walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6).

 Other Scriptures explain how a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ and begins this relationship. For example, Ephesians 2:8-9 reveals that a person becomes a Christian by faith, not by following a list of rules or good works: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." A true Christian has faith in Jesus as the Savior.

 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." A true Christian is unashamed to say Jesus is Lord and believes Jesus was resurrected from the dead.

 First Corinthians 15:3 says this message of the resurrected Jesus is of "first importance." Without Jesus' resurrection our faith is "futile," and we are "still in [our] sins" (v. 7). A true Christian lives by faith in the resurrected Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).

 Paul writes, 'If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. . . . The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children' (Romans 8:9, 16). A true Christian has God's Holy Spirit living within.

 The evidence of a true Christian is displayed in both faith and action. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). James says, "I will show you my faith by my works" (James 2:18). Jesus put it this way: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). A true Christian will show his faith by how he lives.

 Despite the wide variety of beliefs that fall under the general "Christian" label today, the Bible defines a true Christian as one who has personally received Jesus Christ as Savior, who trusts in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of sins, who has the Holy Spirit residing within, and whose life evinces change consistent with faith in Jesus.

See http://www.gotquestions.org/true-Christian.html

July 01 2013 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Wade Fehlman

Jesus told Nicodemas in John 3:3 most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

A true Christian is therefore someone who is born again. How do you get born again? Well the cross, Jesus, and all that he came here to do makes no sense without understanding sin. Jesus came here to save us from the consequences of sin which is spiritual death, and ultimately the lake of fire. 

We are all born separated spiritually from God by our sin. Contrary to popular opinion we are not all children of God, but actually children of the devil, as Jesus stated to the Pharisees in John 8:44.

To give a short answer to this, first we must recognize that we need a savior. This cannot be done without recognition of our sin. John wrote in 1st John 3:4, sin is transgression of the law.

What law is he talking about? In Galations 3:24 Paul writes the law is a Tudor or schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. So we are truly brought to Christ when we recognize that it is Gods law that we are breaking.
Remember the Ten Commandments these are like a mirror to show us our sin. Breaking one is the same as breaking them all. Since we have all broken all or some of these laws, We therefore are all guilty of transgressing or going outside of or against Gods law. The law is Gods standard for righteousness and perfection.

It is a standard no human being can or has ever kept, with one exception, Jesus. Both fully man and fully God, He came as the perfect sacrifice to fulfill the requirements God has for redemption, righteousness and justification.

Therefore, we must recognize our sin and desire to turn from it and follow Jesus, this is called repentance. Without this step there is not true salvation. The second thing we must do is put our faith and trust in Jesus alone for our salvation, we must believe in him, not just believe he exists or is the son of God but the word believe means faith and trust. We must wholly trust him alone for our salvation. Not our works. Good works come from salvation not to get it or keep it. Read Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5
The world is full of false converts who think they have Christ but have never recognized or repented of their sin.

God bless..

February 06 2015 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report