What exactly is a Christian?

I think that the term "Christian" is one of those easily-handed-out words in our world. Kind of like the words "Love" and "You're welcome" which have the strongest of meanings but have lost their luster over time. So what makes you a "Christian"? What makes anyone a Christian? Our minds naturally label the people that we come in contact with everyday. Our minds label "Christians" as: people who go to church, people who don't cuss, people who have fish stickers on their cars, people who post bible verses on Facebook, people who do good deeds, people who try not to do wrong, people who "believe there is a God". Now, let's hear this from the Holy Spirit in all clarity: even if all of those qualities describe us, that doesn't mean that we are Christians. That was shocking to me, too, when He first told me. It made me want to scream, "THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? HOW CAN I MAKE YOU HAPPY?!"

He then gently reminded me that I didn't understand Him enough if I thought that way. God doesn't need anything from you or me. God just simply wants us. He doesn't need me yet He wants me? Doesn't that just make your heart jump for joy. God, the creator of all things, wants me. Wow. I don't think that we can fully wrap our minds around a love like that. We can't. Love like that only exists in Him.

So, what makes us "Christians" or not? Because have we ever realized that it is possible for us to not be Christians even if we say we are and hope we are? God tells us several times in the Bible what being a Christian is, but get this: He says the same thing every time.

"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

-Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27,

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NLT)

 

 Most of us reading that verse, say in our heads, "OK. Whew. I love God. That ground is covered for me." But let me ask you again, do we truly love Him? Remember, our brains have learned to overuse and dull the word "love". Do we truly love God more than anything or anybody? Think about the first time that you fell in love with somebody. Do you remember those butterflies in your stomach? Do you remember that burning need to see them smile? Do you remember telling yourself that you would do anything to make them happy? Let me tell you a little story. Stay with me here.

When I was younger, my parents would sometimes leave a list of chore type tasks for me to do when my brothers and I arrived home from school. I would groan and complain like any child does. Now that I'm older, my parents don't leave lists like that for me to do anymore. For one, they've raised me to clean up after myself. But for two, I still clean the house for my mom without her even asking. Why do I do that? I do it simply because I love my mama. I don't do things for her because I feel like I have to; I do them because I love her.

This is how our love for Christ should be. Those "Christian" qualities that I listed in the beginning of this post are certainly great qualities in a person, but those things should come only as a result of loving Christ, not because we want to keep our titles of being Christians.

We need to take back our faith and fall in love with Christ. A lot of us love Christ because of what He can give us. We love Him because we want to get to Heaven one day. We love Him because, ultimately, we don't want to end up in hell. I was asked this question while reading a book by the great preacher, Francis Chan, and I want to pose you the same question, so really pay attention here:

"Imagine that when you die, you will go to a place far beyond your imagination. Everything you've ever loved will be there. Every person you've ever loved, every beautiful view you've ever seen, every delicious food you've ever eaten, every leisure activity you've ever enjoyed will all be there plus way more, and all of this along with no sadness, no sickness, no hatred, no jealousy, and no death. If you knew that Heaven could offer you all of this when you die, but Jesus wasn't there, would you still want to go?"

 Do you desire Jesus or do you desire what Jesus can give you? Do you love Jesus or do you love what He does for you? Remember our verse? Did you catch it when He said that loving Him with all you have is the first and greatest commandment? We can't trick God. We can't trick Him into thinking we love Him. He knows what our hearts really feel. So let's take a minute to examine our souls. Let's all be honest with ourselves here; no one will know but you. Do you love God more than absolutely anyone or anything? Do you desire to see the Kingdom of God come to this earth more than you desire security? Do you love God or have you just been trying to get to Heaven? Keep in mind that Heaven has been prepared for us only as a reward for our love of Christ. Heaven is not the ultimate prize - Jesus is.

Think about the story I told you about my love for my mom. This is how our lives should look for Christ. We should serve Him because we love Him, not because we feel like we need to look like Christians. Going to church, doing good deeds, etc. should be effects of your love for Christ. Church shouldn't be a place you go to get a dose of Jesus during the week; you should crave and search for Him everyday. Church isn't a place that we should go to in order to worship; church is a place that we should bring our worship to.

When you truly fall in love with Christ, you'll see your life change drastically. You'll crave Him. You'll do whatever it takes to make Him known. Whatever it takes. All of the areas in your life that disgust God will begin to disgust you. People will look at you and see Him.

Love is a word that will cost you everything: laying down your life, passion and compassion, giving without expecting, feeling His very heartbeat and surrendering to His rhythm, and following the Lamb wherever He goes. Loving God, darlin', is what makes someone a Christian. Because when you love God and know who He truly is, your life will emanate with love.

Let me leave you with this last verse:

"...It was there at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians."

-Acts 11:26 (NLT)

You might be thinking, "What is so significant about that verse?" But this is probably one verse in the Bible that stands out to me the most. Do you see that word: called? I find it interesting that these believers weren't going around calling themselves Christians. They were called Christians by the people who were watching their lives. There's a lot of Gospel in that one little verse. Wow. I hope that if someone was to watch my life and they didn't even know what a Christian was, they would still know that I'm different. I hope they would still see God in me without a single doubt in their mind. I don't care if anyone knows my name, as long as they've heard of God through me, I'm content.

Lord, help us to fall in uncontrollable, whole-hearted, whole-soul, whole-mind love with you. I want to desire you more than anything. I get a glimpse of you and I constantly crave the next time I'll get another glimpse. Help us to realize that playing with our destination after death isn't a joke. We never know when our last breath will be given to us.

Friend, you don't know how often I pray for you. I may never know you or see you in person, but you are my friend anyway. I send you so many hugs through my computer to your screen. Let's fall in love... with God. I want us to love Him soul deep because only then will our lives change. We will see Christian actions take place that aren't routine, that aren't rituals, and that come as a result of loving God. I pray that we not only fall in love, but that love will grow deeper everyday.