What does the word "Christian" mean?

the word "Christian is used to mean many things. The common usage of the word means someon who

1. Believes in Jesus as the divine son of God.

2. Trusts in Jesus' sacrificial death as payment for his or her sin.

3. Has determined to follow the teachings and life of Jesus.

Where did the word "Christian" originate?

The first time believers in Jesus were called "Christian" was in Antioch, a town in southern Turkey. The term originally meant a person who "lived" in Jesus, as Americans live in America, or Italians live in Italy. "Christian" was originally a term of derision, but the church liked it, and kept it anyway.

Are all people who believe in Jesus Christian?

Some people believe that Jesus is a good person. Others believe that He was a prophet, but one of many. A Christian believes that Jesus is more than a good person. He is fully God, as well as being fully human.

Who is God to a Christian?

God is a Spirit, without body or limitations. He is everywhere and always.

In order to interact with his creation, God has come in three forms, or persons--

He has existed forever and created all things. He is the creator of all, so we call Him God the Father.

He expressed Himself in a way we can understand. In the fullness of time, he expressed Himself as a human being living in an historical place and era. He is God the Son, or Jesus.

He also continues to interact with us, by moving in and through creation. This aspect of God is called the Holy Spirit, God's unseen hand and voice.

God has other characteristics, too. He is completely wise, completely strong, and completely fair. He is also completely loving, and passionately loves His creation--expecially human beings.

What does God think of us?

He loves us, deeply passionately, and completely! More than anything, he wants to spend time with us. He even made us in His image, giving us th power to create and appreciate beauty.

If God loves us, then what went wrong?

The first people--Adam and Eve--broke trust with God by deliberately disobeying His instructions to Him. Ever since that time, the human race has been in conflict with the will of God. This caused us to be estranged from our loving God.

If that is so, then how is can we ever be right with Him?

Nothing we can ever do wil get us back in relationship with God. It is simply not possible from our side. Since that disobedience (which we call sin) taints every part of our nature, nothing we do will ever be good enough good enough to repair the gap between us and God.

What is impossible for us, though, is possible with God. He offered a truce in the conflict between us and God, by becoming a human being Himself and offering to receive our punishment in Himself. That human being, Jesus, was offered up on a cross so that we could have a relationship to God, and the division begun in Eden would at last be put right.

How can Christ's sacrifice make us right with God?

The apostle Paul expressed it this way "For is it by grace you are saved through faith. It is a gift of God, not of deeds, so that no one may brag about it."

Grace is something you are given you do not deserve. If is a favor God grants us based on His love, not our worth or merit. God gave us Christ's death so that all glory for the renewal of our relationship would fall on Him, not on our love.

Faith is believing this, and acting upon it. It is taking God at his Word, that He has reconciled us to him. When we truly believe and acknowledge that Jesus is God and what He Has done for us, then we can build a new relationship with HIm on the basis ofHis love, not our worthiness.

Don't I have to stop sinning to be a Christian?

You have to want to change. You have to intend to change with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. That is what the Bible calls "repentance"--literally a change of mind. when we desire to live like Jesus lives, from that moment on God counts us as having already succeeded, and the Holy Spirit helps to make that desire a reality.

But what if I fail?

Then we are forgiven. God's forgiving grace extends to all our sins--past, present, and future. The apostle John tols us that if we confess our sins, He forgives our sins, and cleanses us from unrightness.

Why are Christians sometimes so bad at copying Jesus?

Christians do not live up to their own teachings. It is easy for us to slide back into our old ways. The history of Christianity includes some spectacular failures. However, our inconsistency does not make us any less forgiven. We have to constantly be reminded of what God's ways.

God does have standards of behavior He wants us to keep. If we follow those standards, then we will live happier and better lives. But our lives are not based on shame, but on forgiveness. We do what God wants becaue we know it is right and because we love Him, not because our place in eternity depends on what we have or have not done.

Bill Hybels says it this way. Religion, as it is generally practiced, is spelled "D-O" It is about what a person does. Christianity is spelled "D-O-N-E." God has already done all we need to have a relationship to Him.

How do we become Christians?

By trusint God's gift of Jesus. We throw ourselves on His mercy, while we dedicate ourselves to follow Him.

This is not done in secret, however. Our commitment to him must be public in order to be real. We need to openly declare ourselves to be His followers, by publicly declaring Him as our leader and rescuer.

Such a prayer may go like this,

"God, I know I have sinned. I know I cannot save myself. I thank you for the forgiveness you have given me, through the cross of Jesus Christ. I dedicate myself to following Jesus, and to living a life that honors you. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Faith begins with a private, personal prayer to God, putting our faith in him. But if our faith is sincere, it must also be public, honest, and open. We must be willing to publicly join other Christians, for His love and grace to take root in our lives.

We need to go before the rest of the world, or at least before a church, and confess that we have commited our lives to Christ. If we have done wrong to anyone, we should make amends. If we have offended anyone, we should apologize. From then on, we ought to try with all our hearts to live with a clear conscience before God.

What we do next?

Tell others about your decision.

Find a good church and join it.

Keep in contact with God by developeing the habit of daily prayer.

Get a Bible, read it, and study it.

Follow Jesus by showing and telling of God's love to other people through compassion to others.