What is a Christian anyway?

One of the great journeys of life is the search for identity. One of the inevitable questions each individual will face is, “What do I believe?” The majority of people in the U.S. answer that question by claiming Christianity. But what does it mean to be a Christian? Many teens consider themselves to be Christian but struggle to understand that to be Christian is to accept God’s gift of salvation and be committed to follow Jesus and his commands.

When I was in grade school, I remember some of my peers talking about Christianity during lunch. Most of them believed they were Christians, but they admitted that they didn’t really know anything about God, or the Bible, and they didn't go to church. And they were fine with that: they were ok with just believing there is a God. They came up with a name for this half-religion: bi-Christian. Sadly, this is the attitude of many teens, and adults alike, in America.

American Christianity

The word “Christian” gets thrown around a lot in American culture. Many people have varying associations with the word. Some associate it with church; some with politics. Some put Christians in the category of self-righteous, judgmental hypocrites. In American culture, being a Christian usually means that a person believes in the God of the Bible (or their parents do) and occasionally attends church. Research shows that 63 percent of teens in the U.S. identify as Christian (“U.S. Teens"). Also, statistically, of that 63 percent only 10 percent of teens will take their faith seriously after they graduate high school (Kinnaman). Sounds like we have some commitment issues.

The Origins of the Word

American culture says that being a Christian means believing in the God of the Bible. But is that what “Christian” originally meant? The term “Christian” only appears three times in the Bible (Acts 11:26, 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16) and it refers to followers of Christ. (Got Questions). The word “Christian” in the original language of the New Testament, Greek, literally means “adherent of Christ” or “committed to Christ” (Robinson). These people being called Christians were not just people who believed in the God of the Bible, or that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died to save them from their sins and rose from the grave to defeat death forever. They believed that, but they were also committed to living their lives according to God’s standard and sharing Jesus’ message with others. 

Biblical Christianity

So what is a Christian according to the Bible? A Christian is someone who has confessed that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9), turned away from sin to follow him (Acts 2:38), been baptized in his name (Acts 2:38), and is committed to living life according to his commands (Matthew 28:18-20). And what are Jesus’ commands? There are many specific instructions given by Jesus on how to live life as a Christian, but they can be summed up in this statement: Love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). That is what Biblical Christianity is about.

The search for identity is one of life’s great journeys, but when that journey leads a person to find their identity in Christ, it becomes life's greatest journey.

About the Author

Joe Jackson is the NextGen pastor at Harvest Christian Church in Superior, Nebraska. He currently attends Summit Christian College and is working towards his Bachelors of Arts degree in Biblical Studies. In his free time, Joe enjoys reading, outdoor activities, and spending time with his wife, Gracie.

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Works Cited

Got Questions Ministries. “What is a Christian? | How to Become a Christian.” YouTube, 14 November 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw7wwJMGxuI.

Kinnaman, David, et al. Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon. Baker Books 2019.

Robinson, Darrell W. “Christian.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 2003.

The Holy Bible. English Standard Version, Crossway Bibles, 2016.

“U.S. Teens Take After Their Parents Religiously, Attend Services Together and Enjoy Family Rituals.” Pew Research Center, 7 Dec. 2023, https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/09/10/u-s-teens-take-after-their-parents-religiously-attend-services-together-and-enjoy-family-rituals.