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What it means to be a Christian

Last updated 2009-07-31

Bible quotations and testimonies from Christians help explore the meaning of discipleship.

On this page

• What it means to be a Christian
• John Flanner
• About becoming Christian

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What it means to be a Christian

The word Christian was given to the early followers of Jesus, and the name has 'stuck' to this day.

Being a Christian is not about keeping rules and regulations, performing rituals, or even going to church. It's about a friendship - a friendship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said that knowing him is the doorway to a special relationship with God.

Jesus says that we can begin such a special relationship with God by committing ourselves to follow him. Millions of people today have discovered a relationship with God in this way.

Along with some words from the Bible, here's what five people have to say about themselves and what it means to be a Christian.

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John Flanner

John Flanner©

John (55) is married with four children and nine grandchildren, and is a word-processing operator.

I used to think a Christian was someone who was born in England, been christened as a baby and did nobody any harm. And that's how I tried to live my life.

One day my typing teacher said, "Well John, you are a Christian aren't you?" And I said, "I think I am." She said, "You don't sound too sure." And I found I couldn't sleep that night. I was really worried. I thought, "Am I a Christian? Does it really matter if I am a Christian? What if I'm not? Will I go to heaven? Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? What will happen when I die?" And all these questions started going round inside my head.

God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.

John 3:16

Whereas before I used to worry what will people think about me, now all that matters is: what does Jesus think about me?

Elaine Roberts

Elaine Roberts©

Elaine (40) is married and works as a Bible teacher.

My life before I came to know Jesus? I was one angry person... It was like a force nine gale - a bit like the storm that you read about in the Bible.

Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to stop. They obeyed, and everything was calm. Then Jesus asked the disciples, "Don't you have any faith?" But they were frightened and amazed. They said to each other, "Who is this? He can give orders to the wind and the waves, and they obey him!"

Luke 8:24-25

It impacted my heart that Jesus did exist. Jesus was real. Jesus is alive. And Jesus can make a difference in my life. And I just said very simply, "Jesus, if you're real, just come and do something for me".

My life has changed incredibly and in the most wonderful ways. I don't lose my temper like I used to. And life isn't easy. Life hasn't been perfect. I've faced many storms. But whatever storm I face, I know that Jesus is in the boat with me. He is in control of my life.

Tim Coleman

Tim Coleman©

Tim (22) is engaged to be married, and is a youth worker and piano teacher.

About the age of thirteen or fourteen I ended up doing the things that most teenagers generally do - going into the park and drinking and experimenting with drugs and stuff. That became my focus.

As I started thinking about God a lot more and, you know, what life was about, I started going a lot more to church meetings and youth meetings and stuff. I had a lot of really good friends around me and they chatted to me and really supported me.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Now I know where I'm going. I know that I'm gonna be in heaven. I don't know what's gonna happen on the way. I don't really know what job I'm gonna do or anything. But I know that I'm secure now - in that I know God.

Lois Small

Lois Small©

Lois (40) is married with three children aged 8-14, and works as a remedial massage therapist.

To anyone looking in on the outside, you know, I'm quite a confident person. But actually the truth of it was that underneath it was crummy and had a feeling of sort of real hopelessness - like, "Well is this it?" That's when I found myself really weeping... desperately more than anything I needed forgiveness.

Anyone who belongs to Jesus Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten and everything is new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Jesus said "I tell you not to worry about your life ... only people who don't know God are always worrying ..."

Matthew 6:25,32

I used to have great worries about my children. And I really just put them in God's hands now.

Mark Byron

Mark Byron©

Mark (41) is married with two children aged 2-4. He is self-employed in the jewellery trade.

I didn't think God or Jesus would want anything to do with me. Now I look back, I can see that Jesus knew all the faults that were in my life but he still loved me. He knew that I was self-centred - working hard, drinking hard, striving for everything.

God's love never fails.

Psalm 136:1

God brought an incredible love into our life which I don't think I would have been able to give to my children if he hadn't been there for me.

I made it through a simple prayer of commitment, which I know God heard.

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About becoming Christian

Jesus Christ came to make it possible for each of us to have a relationship with God. He did this by dying on a cross - where he paid the massive debt we owe for all the ways we have offended him by our attitudes and actions.

These offences are so serious they shut us out of contact with God, not only during this life, but for ever. Only Jesus' death and resurrection make it possible for us to be forgiven and accepted by God.

Perhaps this is all so new to you, you want time to think it through; get some questions answered. Or maybe you want to know God.

If so, you could tell God yourself - saying something like this as a prayer:

"Lord Jesus, please make me the kind of person you want me to be. I am sorry I have been going my own way. Thank you for dying on the cross to deal with every barrier I have put up between you and me. Please come and take first place in my life. Amen."

Whenever anyone expresses that kind of attitude to God - asking Jesus to come into their life - they can be sure he will. Because Jesus promised to do just that and, as God, he would never break a promise.

Following Jesus makes a person a Christian - a member of the worldwide family of Jesus Christ; a family committed to helping each other make a real difference in the world.

For anyone taking this step to follow Jesus, it is just the beginning. They'll soon find themselves talking to him - like any friend. That's prayer. They'll want to find out more about him from reading the Bible. They'll be keen to become involved with others in his family - that's going to a church.

And they will want to live the way he wants them to.

Credits and further information

This explanation of what it means to be a Christian is abridged from material supplied by Agape Ministries Ltd and used with permission.

The Bible passages are used by permission from Contemporary English Version, copyright American Bible Society, and New International Version, copyright International Bible Society/Hodder and Stoughton.

If you would like to know more about Jesus Christ and what it means to know him, the Christian Enquiry Agency can help you. There is also a website about the person of Jesus Christ where you can take steps of faith. See the related links section.

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