Nairaland Forum

In order to answer the question of what a Christian is not, we need to go to the source. The Bible is our authority here on earth, it is God’s Word that was spoken to us and recorded by people who were chosen by Him so many years ago. The Bible contains everything that we need to know in order to serve God, and each other.

First, a Christian is not perfect, as we all make mistakes. Jesus was the only person to ever walk the earth who led a sinless life. This is not to say that we are not all made perfect in God’s sight through our faith in Christ our Savior. What this means though is that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came through Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:23-24). We have an understanding of what sin is through the perfect law of God, and that we by ourselves cannot change our sinful ways.



Second, a Christian is not someone who lives according to his or her own will. Christians understand that they must fully submit to God’s will. It cannot happen the other way around. Sure, God will listen to us and He knows what we want, but that does not mean that He will give in to our will. Who is the God here? There are so many Scriptures that support this fact it is hard to just choose one. Take for example the Lord’s Prayer “your will be done” means exactly what it implies. A lot of Christians these days feel as if God should conform to their every desire. We are all guilty of that from time to time though. Imagine how great this world would be if we all submitted to God’s will!

Third, a Christian is not someone who looks at the world, and wants to fit in to it. We are called to be different than the rest of the people out there. We are to live differently, act differently, and respond to adversity differently. We need to remember that we are God’s ambassadors and all that we do is scrutinized by the world around us. Since this third entry of what a Christian is not is actually two separate facts, two separate verses will be given for your review. “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Mat 5:14-16). The second verse for consideration here is: “if you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (Mat 15:19). Jesus knew that non-Christians would hate us for the message that we proclaim.

Lastly, a Christian is not someone who sits on what he knows. This means that Christians are called to spread the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to people that we meet. Jesus commanded us to do no less. We are all guilty of not sharing Jesus with people though. However even if we do not actually have the conversation, all that we do should scream to people “I AM A CHRISTIAN”. We are told in the Bible that often times you can recognize a Christian by the fruit that he or she gives. Are we to ignore our Savior’s commission to “…go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15)?



There are certain aspects of what a Christian is, and what a Christian is not. In order to understand either, we must open our Bibles regularly. Christ commands that Christians have certain attributes that define us, as well as Him. What a Christian is, and is not go hand in hand. In order to understand one, a firm understanding of the other must ensue.

http://www.helium.com/items/1725800-what-makes-a-christian?page=2