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What Does It Really Mean To Be A Christian?By Rev. Jack Howell

The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch(Acts11:26 NASB).

What does it really mean to be a Christian a disciple orfollower of Jesus Christ? In the first place, just because oneattends a church, has been baptized, christened, sprinkled,or has his or her name on a church membership roll, or hasbeen born into a Christian family, does not make one aChristian. Just because someone claims to be a Christiandoes not make them one no more than claiming to be adoctor makes a person a doctor. Not everything or everyone

that claims to be Christian is. We need to get that straightfor there are a number of people who think they areChristians who are not. Being a Baptist, Methodist,Pentecostal, Catholic, Episcopalian, etc., does not make onea Christian. Being a Calvinist or Arminian does not make onea Christian. A Christian is one who has been changed on theinside as a result of the New Birth (John 3:3-7). One who hastruly been born again of the Spirit and Word of God willundergo an inward change and no longer be the sameperson they once were. The apostle Paul tells us at 2

Corinthians 5:17 that if anyone is in Christ, he is a newcreature; the old things passed away; behold, new thingshave come(NASB). After one has been truly regenerated bythe Spirit and Word of God, their nature changes and theyhave a new nature. A nature that is not at enmity with God,but one that desires the things of God. Old value systems,beliefs, plans, etc., that are not of God are replaced by thosewhich are of God and the Believer seeks to please God in allthings, even surrendering himself/herself completely over to

Him because he/she realizes they are no longer their ownperson, but have been bought with the shed blood of JesusChrist (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). To be a Christian means tofollow Christ, to desire Him, to fellowship with Him, to beindwelt by Him, and to bring glory to Him in your life. To be aChristian means to be like Him. One is not born a Christian;rather, one is REBORN as a Christian. Being a Christian

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entails taking up our cross daily and following Him (Luke9:23). What does taking up our cross daily and followingHim mean? The cross was an instrument of death in ancienttimes, and for us to take up our cross daily means that we

die to our own will, desires, plans, etc., and submit to the willof God for our life each and every day no matter the cost.