Are We Really Christians?

There are many aspects to being a Christian, a follower of Christ. No one is born a Christian. No one is a second generation Christian. No one earns the status of a Christian. One becomes a Christian through faith illuminated by the Holy Spirit, after having been saved from sin by the grace of the Father and the love of Christ. One, individually, chooses to become a Christian! Christians are a diverse group comprised of all nationalities, races, ages, economic status, social status, sizes and shapes of people. They are recognizable by their actions, not by their appearance. They are an inclusive group. Any one who is exposed to the gospel of Christ can become a Christian. Much is demanded of one to become a true Christian. Many persons find the choice to follow Jesus to be difficult and choose not to do so. He proclaimed, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it." The choice to follow him is simple. The path to follow him is difficult to do alone. It is made possible through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.” Immediately prior to his ascension, Jesus reiterated to his disciples, “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”" The choice to follow Jesus is critical, one with powerful, eternal implications. People frequently want to boil God's commands down to as few as possible. The Jewish leaders wanted the same thing of Jesus. He accommodated them, but in the process did not make the task any easier. “‘When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”’” Following is a list that provides a summary of the defining characteristics of Christians. It is a quick reference covering the biblical characteristics of Christians that have been presented in this book.