4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 (KJV)
How is a Christian defined?
It used to be that if you were not Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist, you were a Christian, whether Catholic or Lutheran or Baptist. It is considered to be an actual religion. What makes it different? What does it mean to be a Christian?
If you asked, “Are you a Christian?”, here are some of the famous answers:
- I was raised in a Christian home.
- I’m a baptized Catholic.
- I’m a Methodist.
- I go to Baptist Church.
- I read my Bible every day.
- I walked an aisle, said a prayer, signed a card, and raised my hand, and say “Amen.”
First of all, it’s perfectly fine for people to identify themselves any way they like. Second, acceptance doesn’t imply agreement. Third, since we try to base our faith on the Bible, here’s what the Bible says:
- “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26)
- “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)
- “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” (1 Peter 4:16)
Here are some interesting facts to consider:
The name “Christian” was not invented by early Christians. It was a name given to them by others. Christians called themselves by different names: disciples, believers, brethren, saints, the elect, etc. The term had a negative meaning in the beginning which means those belonging to the Christ party, a term of contempt or ridicule.
Two definitions of Christian:
- One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
- One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.
To be a Christian means that you:
- Believe something.
- Follow something.
- Live something.
We could simply say that a Christian is a fully devoted follower of Jesus. It doesn’t happen by accident. It requires conversion of the heart. (Luke 9:23) The heart itself must be changed so that you become a follower of the Lord.
A Christian is someone who has been chosen by God
Verse 4 shows the sovereign grace of God on salvation. A Christian, then, is a person who has been called and chosen by God himself. Being a Christian is not a work of merit or a personal accomplishment but an act of God’s free grace.
A Christian is someone who responds to the gospel message
When the Word is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, it produces deep conviction in the hearts of the hearers. (Romans 1:16, Acts 4:12) It means people are so deeply convicted of their sin and their need for a Savior that they run to the cross and embrace Jesus as their only hope of heaven.
A Christian, then, is someone who having been called and chosen by God responds to the gospel message and is saved.
A Christian is someone whose life has been genuinely changed by Jesus Christ
The word “example” is the Greek word (tupos), which refers to the impression left by a piece of metal when pressed into clay. The best way to win others is by the example of your own changed life. (Mark 5:19) The word translated in 1 Thessalonians 1:8, “sounded out or forth” means to strike the cymbal. The Thessalonians sounded “wake-up signal” and the whole province woke up.
Here, then, is the evidence of true Christianity clearly explained.
First you receive God’s Word gladly, then you live it on a daily basis. As you do, the message of the gospel reverberates in every direction. And those around you begin to sit up and take notice. A Christian is a person whose changed life changes others because of a commitment to be like Jesus and to follow him wherever he heads.
A Christian is someone who has gone “all in” on Jesus
Note the key verbs in these two verses:
- You turned.
- You serve.
- You wait.
The whole Christian life can be found in those six words – (1) you turned from the old life; (2) you now serve the living God; and (3) you wait for Jesus to return. These three phrases give us the three tenses of the Christian life. In the Past you turned from your idols. In the Present you serve the living God. In the Future you wait for Jesus to come back.
There comes a moment when we have to decide to go all in about what we believe. Somewhere along the way, we have got to make a stand.
Lewis Sperry Chafer (American theologian) said: “…believing in Jesus means trusting him so much that if he can’t take you to heaven, you aren’t going to go there.”
How is a Christian defined?
A Christian is a person who has been truly converted to Jesus Christ.
It begins with God and his choice of us. It requires the true preaching of the gospel. It leads to a heart-felt acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior. It results in a changed life that changes other lives. It means that we go all in on Jesus.
It starts with God.
It is based on the truth of who Jesus is.It changes everything about our lives.
What is a Christian?
A Christian is a person who is truly satisfied with Jesus and what he did on the cross. A Christian is someone who is so satisfied with Jesus that he says, “I am trusting the Lord Jesus Christ completely for my salvation.”