What is a Christian Part 1

Between the noise of headlines, opinions, and the constant churn of online “faith talk,” one thing keeps standing out to me — there are a lot of versions of Christianity floating around out there. Everyone seems to have their own flavor, their own spin, their own definition. But, I keep circling back to a simple question: what is a Christian, really?
And maybe the best way to start answering that question is by talking about what a Christian isn’t. Because somewhere along the way, “Christian” became shorthand for religious person, or maybe just “nice person who believes in God.” But that’s not the definition Jesus gave, and it’s not the picture Scripture paints.
Let’s break it down.

What a Christian Is Not

A Christian is not someone who just goes to church. Church attendance can be a good thing — actually, it should be a good thing — but sitting in a pew doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. If church attendance was the measure of faith, Jesus wouldn’t have called out the ‘religious elite’.

A Christian is not someone who “likes” God. Plenty of people “like” the idea of God. They might even pray now and then, thank Him for the blessings, or quote a verse on Instagram. But liking God isn’t the same as following Him. Liking Him costs nothing. Following Him costs your life.

A Christian isn’t someone who wears the right clothes or can drop the right Christian phrases. You can have a closet full of “Jesus Saves” merch and still not know the Jesus you’re advertising. The brand isn’t the belief.

A Christian isn’t someone who just believes in a higher power either. Scripture says even the demons believe in God — and they shudder. Belief by itself doesn’t equal surrender. There’s a difference between knowing about God and trusting Him as Lord and Master.

And here’s one that might sting a little: a Christian isn’t someone who simply claims the title. Saying “I’m a Christian” doesn’t make it true. Our mouths can write checks our hearts and lives never actually cash out. Jesus said it this way: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father.” (Matthew 7:21)

So if it’s not about what you wear, where you go, or what you say, then what is it?

Getting Past the Outward Display

We love our outward displays. It’s human nature. We want something visible — something to measure, something to show off. It’s why people say things like, “Oh, he must be a Christian, look how clean he talks,” or, “She’s always at church, so she must really love the Lord.”

But that’s not how the Bible defines a disciple.

Jesus didn’t say, “They’ll know you’re mine by your fashion choices or your Sunday schedule.” He said, “They’ll know you’re my disciples by your love.” Love — not the soft, fluffy, Pinterest kind, but the kind that sacrifices, forgives, and serves when nobody’s watching.

Real Christianity starts from the inside and works its way out. It’s transformation, not performance. It’s repentance, not reputation.

The trouble is, a lot of what gets labeled “Christian” today is just morality with a cross sticker on it. And morality isn’t bad — but morality can’t save you. There are plenty of moral people who don’t know Jesus. There are also some Christians who are still getting their lives sorted out, but their hearts belong to Him — and that’s what makes the difference.

The Core of the Matter

At its root, Christianity isn’t about behavior modification. It’s about identity transformation.

A Christian is someone who has recognized that Jesus is who He said He is — God in the flesh, the only Son of the Father, crucified, risen, and reigning. And because of that, they surrender. They stop trying to play God in their own story and let the real one take the lead.

That surrender changes everything. It shifts how you see sin, how you treat people, how you handle pain, and even how you see yourself.

It doesn’t make you perfect. It makes you dependent — on grace, on truth, on the One who took your mess and called you His own anyway.

When you boil it down, a Christian isn’t someone who “acts like a Christian.” A Christian is someone who belongs to Christ by way of repentance. That’s it.

The Real Divide

So here’s the tension we live in: it’s possible to look Christian, sound Christian, and still not be one. You can live by Christian morals, support Christian causes, and still be missing Christ Himself. And that’s the tragedy — because when we confuse culture for conviction, we settle for imitation instead of transformation.

That’s why the early Church wrote creeds — to make sure the next generation knew what mattered most. We’ll dig into that in Part 2, but for now, just know this: the Gospel isn’t about cleaning yourself up so you can belong to God. It’s about admitting you can’t clean yourself up — and trusting the only One who can.

Closing Thought
Maybe the simplest way to test whether you’re following Christ or just have a Christian aesthetic is this:

When you mess up, do you hide from God, or do you run to Him?
Because a true Christian knows they’re a mess — but they also know who to run to.

In the next post, we’ll talk about what those first believers built their faith life on — in the Apostles’ Creed — and why it still defines what it means to be a true follower of Jesus today.