What is a Christian?

Today, thousands of groups claim the name “Christian,” yet they teach conflicting doctrines, follow different practices, and even recognize different scriptures. These teachings cannot all be true at once. If they contradict one another, can every one of them truly be Christian? Does God accept whatever pathway to Him people devise, or has He defined it Himself? God is not the author of confusion, so the confusion must come from man, not from Him.

Let's see what the Bible teaches:

"Christian" is a name given to us by people who observed the followers (disciples) of Jesus Christ in the first century. The disciples were first called "Christians" in Antioch. (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16)

However, calling oneself a Christian does not make him or her one, any more than calling yourself a nuclear physicist doesn't actually make you one. You must learn what Christ says to do and what to obey in order for Him to add you to His church so that you may become a Christian [Christ follower] (John 14:15; Acts 2:47).

NOTE: These are by no means ALL the applicable scriptures that support these statements. However, they should be sufficient to help one begin to understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:17).

How could I become a Christian?

Let's see what the Bible teaches:

1. You must first believe in the God of the Bible (Genesis 1:1; John 3:16 & 36)
2. You must hear and understand the gospel message. (Romans 10:14 & 17; John 20:31)
3. You must believe the message that has been preached to you. (Romans 10:9; Hebrews 11:6)
4. You must repent of the sins against God that you have committed and commit to putting Jesus Christ first in your life, ahead of your own desires. (Acts 17:30; Matthew 16:24; 1 Peter 13-16)
5. You must confess that Jesus is the Son of God. And that as God's Son, he has the authority (Acts 8:36-38a; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 1:18)
5.You must be baptized for the remission of sins, being born again and demonstrating your commitment of your life to Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-7; 1 Peter 3:21)
6.Having then become a disciple or follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and being called a Christian after the name of Christ, you must live a Christian life as instructed in the New Testament of Jesus Christ. (Acts 11:26; 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 4:12-19)

NOTE: These are by no means ALL the applicable scriptures that support these statements. However, they should be sufficient to help one begin to understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:17).

Why we are "just" Christians?

Let's see what the Bible teaches:

We are NOT a denomination within Christianity.
The apostle Paul even condemned such division (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:3-7)
We are just followers or disciples of Jesus Christ and we only use His name (Colossians 3:17).
There is no need to use another (Acts 4:12).
A true church of Jesus Christ is a local body (assembly or congregation) that meets together to worship and learn, love and admonish one another to love and good works (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 10:24-25; Ephesians 2:10).

NOTE: These are by no means ALL the applicable scriptures that support these statements. However, they should be sufficient to help one begin to understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:17).