What does it mean to be a Christian?  The truth is, that question cannot be answered in a single reply.  There are several elements involved in being a Christian, beginning with being a child of God.  Who is a child of God?  In this dispensation, the child of God is one who has obeyed the gospel of Christ.

Romans 1:16 (ESV)
¹⁶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Paul reminded the brethren at Thessalonica that they had been called by the gospel (2 Thessalonica 2:14).  To be a Christian, one must accept this call.  What is involved in doing so?  On the day of Pentecost, Peter told the Jews at Jerusalem what they had to do after they inquired about it.

Acts 2:38 (ESV)
³⁸  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is a simple response to a simple question.  I know that most who read this blog have already obeyed the gospel of Christ, but for the benefit of those who have not, this is the clear teaching of God’s Word that must be followed to become a Christian.

What about believing in Jesus?  Peter did not say anything to these inquirers about believing.  That was because their belief in Jesus was necessarily implied by their question.  Peter knew they had already believed, and so there was no reason to tell them to do what they had already done.  We know, of course, from other passages that belief in Jesus is essential to becoming a child of God (Mark 16:16; John 3:16; 8:24).

Another step that must be taken to become a child of God, and, therefore, a Christian, is to acknowledge one’s new belief in Christ.  Paul wrote about this in his epistle to the saints in Rome.

Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)
⁹  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

The child of God is the one who hears the story about Jesus and the sacrifice that He made on the cross (Acts 2:37) and responds by believing, repenting, confessing and being baptized.  When one takes these steps, he is born again (John 3:3-5), becoming a child of God.  Now, he is in a position to live the life of a Christian.   The rest of this week we will consider what that life involves.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.