What does it mean to be a Christian?

I stop and wonder: what does it mean to be a Christian? I am slowly but surely (hopefully?!) learning what it means as I keep taking steps forward in Christ with God and an enthusiasm that cuts deeper than I probably care to admit.

Nevertheless, here I am. A Christian, devoting my life to Jesus Christ and learning what it looks like day to day, even when I stumble a gazillion times.

As a little disclaimer: I am sharing my personal thoughts on this topic. It is just that, a personal thought. I am not looking to be perfect in this, because I am not perfect. I stumble and fall and quickly get back up again to learn the next lesson. If you read something that doesn’t quite fit in the life of a Christian, please feel free to lovingly share a thought, but no pointing fingers, thank you. I’m just a gal looking to learn and grow in my walk with Christ, and I want to share this with you who is reading.

So here I am, wondering what does it mean to be a Christian?

Each day this thought lingers somewhere, sometimes from a different angle… what do I do as a Christian? Am I a new person in Christ? What does it mean to be born again? Am I a new creation? Can I just forget about my past? My sins?!?!? How do I actually act as a Christian?

After living many years without faith and not being a Christian, and then embarking on a spiritual journey, which led to believing in God, to now choosing to be a Christian. What does it mean to be a Christian?

Do I have the answer to that question yet? Perhaps I need to come back to these questions in 10 years and have a more solid answer, maybe I am still new and fresh in this to give a solid, definitive answer. All of it is ok as I walk a life in Christ.

Check out: 34 Bible Verses About Children Being a Blessing

What does being a Christian look like for you?

We can pray daily, read the Bible, learn from the Gospels, go to church, attend Bible study groups, help with the church and get involved in other church activities, have Christian friends and be in fellowship together. All of this is wonderful and I highly encourage doing this to help each other in our daily ups and downs in life as we walk this earth.

However, I feel it goes deeper than that. I mean, do we even need any of that? Yes all of the above helps, it certainly helps me, but I wonder, if we simply walk in Christ aren’t we already doing enough? What do we need to prove by doing anything else…

Are we just trying to prove something to ourselves, others, God, when we add this long to-do list, even if it looks perfectly Christian in all the activities and daily routines? Ah, so many questions as I walk my day in faith.

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Who I am in Christ

I think the best place to start is the Bible to gain a simple and clear perspective on who I am in Christ. I am reminded of a post from Joyce Meyer who put together a list that reveals the truth about who God created you to be and how He wants you to live:

I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).

I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

I am far from oppression, and will not live in fear (Isaiah 54:14).

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).

I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

I have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

The Spirit of God, who is greater than the enemy in the world, lives in me (1 John 4:4).

I am merciful, I do not judge others, and I forgive quickly. As I do this by God’s grace, He blesses my life (Luke 6:36-38).

God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I have everything I need to live a godly life and am equipped to live in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).

I am healed and whole in Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

I am saved by God’s grace, raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:12).

I am greatly loved by God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

I am strengthened with all power according to His glorious might (Colossians 1:11).

Christ lives in me, and I live by faith in Him and His love for me (Galatians 2:20).

Read more of the list here.

That being said, what does it actually mean to be a Christian?

My answer is going to be a very basic simplified one. A “beginner’s guide to being a Christian” approach. If you want something more profound, then there are many other places to find the deeper meaning behind being a Christian.

However, if you like basic and simple (like me!) and want to relate to a woman who is just doing her best to figure out what it means to be who you are in Christ, then this is my understanding of what it means to be a Christian…

To be a Christian means putting your life in Christ. Turning to Jesus Christ and seeing the glorious wonders that he did on the cross for our sins. A man who put the love of God and the love for others before anything else, and therefore, we choose to follow his greatest commandment:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:30-31

As a Christian, we be who we are in Christ. This blew my mind when I heard this from a sermon at a church weekend away at a Christian Conference centre. The way he explained being a Christian and how we are called to Christ, it brought everything I have been trying to wrap my head around into this simple explanation: be who you are in Christ.

I am sure that has been heard a million times; however, in this moment it just caught my attention when I was being thrown into the pit of changing my heart to follow a life as a Christian.

Believing in God is a simple feat for me; once I chose to believe and have faith, that became a natural part of my life. However, choosing to be a Christian was a whole new ball game. I can now see that we become a new creation, we are born again, and we are forgiven for our sins. We walk together with fellow believers, building each other up, serving, caring, and loving one another. Being a light for those in our lives, guiding each other as we battle the sinful ways we all encounter daily.

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Final Thoughts

We all make mistakes. Every single one of us. Living a life of guilt, shame, despair, disappointment, resentment, and fear is just not what God wants for us. Choosing the love of Christ and following his teachings can give the hope, love, peace, joy and faith our hearts desire whilst here on earth.

Leave the worldy ways behind.

Choose God.

Put faith above fear.

Love others.

See the beauty all around, even in the dark moments.

Be who you are in Christ.

Find peace in Christ. If you need more help, check out my Ultimate Faith Planner to help build habits and be accountable for your walk in faith.