What Makes Someone a Christian?

A dictionary definition of a Christian would be something similar to “a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus.” While this is a good starting point, like many dictionary definitions, it falls somewhat short of really communicating the biblical truth of what it means to be a Christian. Like most religions, Christianity is defined differently by different people. The way Christianity has changed over the years can make it hard to decide what does or doesn’t make someone a Christian. The truth is, no matter what denomination or branch of Christianity you identify with, you can be a Christian if you believe in some core beliefs. Only God knows your heart, and He is the only one that can judge if you are genuine in your beliefs. Here are some of the ways it has been defined traditionally, and some of the modern alternatives.