What exactly is a Christian?

I believe that my birthday gift from God was the discovery of the book of Galatians 3, which talks about the importance of faith and the fact that the law is no longer in effect. This got me wondering, because this is a problem I have been struggling with for a while: what exactly is a Christian? I don't want your personal definition, I want the Bible's definition.

I know that a Christian lives by faith in Jesus Christ, and that they must have the Holy Spirit. But God seems to be impersonal, since we must rely on faith. It seems like God does not interfere with our personal lifes, though I know that he does, at least with some.

All of this has me a bit confused. So what is a Christian? How does the Bible define a Christian?
 
As far as I know there is no definition of Christian in the bible other than the people that followed Christ or His disciples were called Christians. Now the bible does tell us what a disciple of Jesus, child of God, saint, born again person, and those that have eternal life are....which are all the same thing.

Would you like to know about this instead ?
 
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Galatians 3:26-29
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Ephesians 3:6
That the gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.

To be a Christian or "Christ like" is to be a child of God, by faith in Jesus. And so as a child of God you are an heir to the promises of God, that were given to Abraham.
Christians are apart of the body of Christ and partakers in the promises of God
 
Galatians 3:26-29
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Ephesians 3:6
That the gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.

To be a Christian or "Christ like" is to be a child of God, by faith in Jesus. And so as a child of God you are an heir to the promises of God, that were given to Abraham.
Christians are apart of the body of Christ and partakers in the promises of God
As far as I know there is no definition of Christian in the bible other than the people that followed Christ or His disciples were called Christians. Now the bible does tell us what a disciple of Jesus, child of God, saint, born again person, and those that have eternal life are....which are all the same thing.

Would you like to know about this instead ?
Thank you both for the information. I thought about that, that it was that simple. But I cannot get over the thought that it is just so much more than that. For example, many people talk about being a "living sacrifice to God". What does that mean? What should I be doing in my daily life? I know that praying and reading the Bible are part of that. But what else?
 
Thank you both for the information. I thought about that, that it was that simple. But I cannot get over the thought that it is just so much more than that. For example, many people talk about being a "living sacrifice to God". What does that mean? What should I be doing in my daily life? I know that praying and reading the Bible are part of that. But what else?
Being a "living sacrifice" to God means completely submitting your will to God. You die to self...."...It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me..."Galatians 2:20. It is called a living sacrifice because though you are dead(to self), you are alive in Christ and the Holy Spirit empowers you to..."WILL and to DO for His good pleasure"Philippians 2:13. You give up your rights to do your own will...to do things your way...your right to react in the flesh in any way. There is a reason why Paul and the other apostles called themselves bondservants of Christ.

In practical application it means saying..."God, I am willing to do anything you want, anything that you tell me to do, and I will do it." It means learning what God wants you to do and actually DOING it. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, DECEIVING yourselves", James 1:23.
 
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Becoming a Christian is different then behaving as a Disciple of Christ that occurs subsequent to salvation.
This is a very important distinction that, once its truly revealed to you, will allow you to enjoy you Salvation as you should.

So, Becoming a Christian is a one time operation of the Holy Spirit where He "seals you unto the day of redemption" by performing a "born again" new birth experience within your Spirit man, that is referred to as being "Redeemed". "Quickened", "Justified", "Saved".
This means that God has accepted you into his eternal family, by esteeming your faith> as "Righteousness", and this is known as receiving the "gift of righteousness", or having "the imputed righteousness of Christ" as your continual position "in Christ" that cant be undone by your behavior, as it was not given to you based on your behavior.....but rather its a "free gift".
You can study this, if interested in .... Romans 3:21-28.
God accepts you, based on what Christ did for you, that you receive by faith.
He has no other way to accept or justify you.
This "pardon", this "justification" whereby God holds Jesus accountable for your lifetime of sinning, past, present, future, is known as "Salvation".
Salvation, is where God takes the righteousness of Christ and gives it to you for eternity and takes your sins and allows the death of Christ to pay for them all.
This is a continuing pardon, or it would not help you., as you will continue to be a human and fall.
The Eternal Power of the Blood of Jesus is a continual continuing pardon.

Following this, you are to behave as a Disciple of Christ.
This means you are to represent God and Christ, by your behavior, as this is what the NTestament refers to as your "reasonable service" or "presenting your body a living sacrifice".
All Christians are involved in this "walk of faith", to various degrees.
These various degrees of a "Christian" include everything from having dead faith and being totally backslidden, to being completely involved in 24-7 ministry, to even being martyr'd for Christ.
All are Gods, all are kept by God.... as he purchased them with the Blood of Christ.
 
Being a "living sacrifice" to God means completely submitting your will to God. You die to self...."...It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me..."Galatians 2:20. It is called a living sacrifice because though you are dead(to self), you are alive in Christ and the Holy Spirit empowers you to..."WILL and to DO for His good pleasure"Philippians 2:13. You give up your rights to do your own will...to do things your way...your right to react in the flesh in any way. There is a reason why Paul and the other apostles called themselves bondservants of Christ.

In practical application it means saying..."God, I am willing to do anything you want, anything that you tell me to do, and I will do it." It means learning what God wants you to do and actually DOING it. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, DECEIVING yourselves", James 1:23.
Hmm... So what you are saying is that submitting ourselves to God's will is acting the way that the Bible tells us to act, as opposed to our own way? For example, if someone calls us an insulting name, instead of insulting them back, we should forgive them, as the Bible says? Is that all there is to it?
 
Becoming a Christian is different then behaving as a Disciple of Christ that occurs subsequent to salvation.
This is a very important distinction that, once its truly revealed to you, will allow you to enjoy you Salvation as you should.

So, Becoming a Christian is a one time operation of the Holy Spirit where He "seals you unto the day of redemption" by performing a "born again" new birth experience within your Spirit man, that is referred to as being "Redeemed". "Quickened", "Justified", "Saved".
This means that God has accepted you into his eternal family, by esteeming your faith> as "Righteousness", and this is known as receiving the "gift of righteousness", or having "the imputed righteousness of Christ" as your continual position "in Christ" that cant be undone by your behavior, as it was not given to you based on your behavior.....but rather its a "free gift".
You can study this, if interested in .... Romans 3:21-28.
God accepts you, based on what Christ did for you, that you receive by faith.
He has no other way to accept or justify you.
This "pardon", this "justification" whereby God holds Jesus accountable for your lifetime of sinning, past, present, future, is known as "Salvation".
Salvation, is where God takes the righteousness of Christ and gives it to you for eternity and takes your sins and allows the death of Christ to pay for them all.
This is a continuing pardon, or it would not help you., as you will continue to be a human and fall.
The Eternal Power of the Blood of Jesus is a continual continuing pardon.

Following this, you are to behave as a Disciple of Christ.
This means you are to represent God and Christ, by your behavior, as this is what the NTestament refers to as your "reasonable service" or "presenting your body a living sacrifice".
All Christians are involved in this "walk of faith", to various degrees.
These various degrees of a "Christian" include everything from having dead faith and being totally backslidden, to being completely involved in 24-7 ministry, to even being martyr'd for Christ.
All are Gods, all are kept by God.... as he purchased them with the Blood of Christ.
I wish I could like that post twice. Thank you for all the important information! I believe that I am on the right track.
 
Hmm... So what you are saying is that submitting ourselves to God's will is acting the way that the Bible tells us to act, as opposed to our own way? For example, if someone calls us an insulting name, instead of insulting them back, we should forgive them, as the Bible says? Is that all there is to it?

Yes, that is what I am saying but that is not all there is to it either. I know you are going to ask "what else is there then?" next. And I will do my best to continue to explain(with God's) help, so you understand. In all honesty though Juk, I can only do so much in this area, I can't make you see, hear or understand....only the Holy Spirit can. He will make you understand(as He did for me), so seek Him for the answers. He REALLY is the best teacher and will only tell you the truth so you don't get confused with different viewpoints, opinions or even error that people give.
 
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Yes, that is what I am saying but that is not all there is to it either. I know you are going to ask "what else is there then?" next. And I will do my best to continue to explain(with God's) help, so you understand. In all honesty though Juk, I can only do so much in this area, I can't make you see, hear or understand....only the Holy Spirit can. He will make you understand(as He did for me), so seek Him for the answers. He REALLY is the best teacher and will only tell you the truth so you don't get confused with different viewpoints, opinions or even error that people give.
I still do want to hear what you have to say though.
 
God is FAR from impersonal! After all, He sent His Son to die for you in your place because He desires to rescue you from the punishment your sin will guarantee you without Him.

He is our "Abba"---Daddy. He is that intimate and personal!

Galatians 4:6-7 (MSG)
Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.
 
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God is FAR from impersonal! After all, He sent His Son to die for you in your place because He desires to rescue you from the punishment your sin will guarantee you without Him.

He is our "Abba"---Daddy. He is that intimate and personal!

Galatians 4:6-7 (MSG)
Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.
We are slave children. Lol! Just playing [emoji14]
 
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It is in the bible not sure where exactly but a good description is we are ambassadors for Christ.

There are lots of other names for christians that The bible describes which can give you a picture of what we meant to be.
 
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I will list a few here, feel free to add any you come across

Disciples
Children of God
Co-heirs with Jesus
Saints
The redeemed
Those washed in the blood of the Lamb
Spirit-filled
Born again
Clean
Brothers and Sisters
Beloved
Sheep
Lambs
The faithful
Blessed
Abrahams seed
 
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Thank you all for all of your responses. Now, please tell me, what do I have to do?

Romans 10:9-10
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
 
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Romans 10:9-10
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
So I have to go around declaring to people that I am a Christian?
 
So I have to go around declaring to people that I am a Christian?

Make your sincere declaration with your mouth and your salvation is sealed. Your life and your words will continue, with your conscious choice and unconscious behaviour, to reflect just WHOSE you are!
 
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