Who is a christian? What is Christianity

The world today

In today’s world Christianity is considered to be the largest religion. Here in Kenya, statistics put the figure at 80% the population that is Christian. In a story carried out in by the daily nation on Africa insight a column it reported that Kenya is the most evangelical African nation with 56% of us being born again, South Africa has 34% and Nigeria 26%. The continent itself has witnessed a mega growth of the church as recorded by the world Christian encyclopedia. For instance in 1970 17,000,000 Africans were born again, while in 2009 the number rose to 400,000,000 which constitute 19% of the continents population. It is however plain truth that while everyone wants to call himself a Christian, the real meaning seems to have been lost on who really a Christian is in the first place.

In Antioch

I am challenged to go to the bible to investigate on this matter. I do so because our age is so enlightened that it is almost a crime to be ignorant of something so fundamental. And so who is a Christian and what is Christianity? To begin with, the first time people who carried that title were in Antioch as recorded in Acts of the Apostles by Luke. Ac 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Mathew Henry’s commentary observes; Paul and Barnabas continuing there so long, being exceedingly followed, and meeting with no opposition, Christian assemblies made a greater figure there than anywhere, and became more considerable, which was the reason of their being called Christians first there. Hitherto those who gave up their names to Christ were called disciples, learners, scholars, trained up under him, in order to their being employed by him; but henceforward they were called Christians. They studied to do honor to their Master, and showed that they were not ashamed to own their relation to him, but gloried in it; they now owed their dependence upon Christ and their receivings from him; through him they themselves had the anointing.

No Christian without Christ-the anointed

In the wilderness of my searching, I therefore come to an early finding that there is no Christian without Christ-the anointed one. This Christian must then hold its origin in relation to the Christ. It leads me then to ask one question can anyone be a Christian if he has not been born again? My answer is NO. John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Now the kingdom of God is the kingdom of Christ and every Christian’s destination is a citizenship in this kingdom. John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again. It therefore comes from Christ himself that for you to become a Christian, you must be born again. Therefore if someone says that he is a Christian; ask him if he is born again if he says no. Then tell him point blank-you are not a Christian.

Obligation to submit to the laws of Christ

Christians laid upon themselves, and all that should ever profess that name, a strong and lasting obligation to submit to the laws of Christ, to follow the example of Christ, and to devote themselves entirely to the honor of Christ--to be to him for a name and a praise. Are we Christians? Then we ought to think, and speak, and act, in everything as becomes Christians, and to do nothing to the reproach of that worthy name by which we are called; And as we must look upon ourselves as Christians, and carry ourselves accordingly, so we must look upon others as Christians, and carry ourselves towards them accordingly. A Christian, though not in everything of our mind, should be loved and respected for his sake whose name he bears, because he belongs to Christ. (Mathew Henry’s Commentary)

Salvation a heavenly mystery

The two quoted texts are quite rich in terms of the basics defining Christians. The gospel starts with a dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a searcher of truth. As the conversation goes on Nicodemus sounds awestruck at the revelations that Jesus makes to him. Jesus graciously reveals to him that as mysterious as origin and destination of the wind that blows is so is the regenerate man. That then means that salvation which is the key to becoming a Christian is a heavenly mystery. It becomes obvious that Jesus has to be lifted up as the serpent on the wilderness. Eternity to human being is also anchored in believing in Jesus Christ. John 3: 8 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. The Christ who appeared for the salvation of the world also is its judgment. John 3: 36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
The text in Acts is equally powerful; it brings out God’s plan of salvation to the gentiles as the story of Cornelius is brought up and there drives home the point of God not leaving anyone outside his plan for salvation. In fact afterwards, it is clear that God would allow the church to be his representative on earth and not Israelites anymore.

Christianity

Mt 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The foundation of Christianity is Christ himself.1Co 1:2 to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called-out saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.1Co 8: 6 there is to us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we by Him. Christianity is about reconciliation of man to his maker and a Christian has found this relationship in which the creation has found a home in the hands of the creator.

Practical Christianity

Practical Christianity is the manifestation of a new life; a spiritual (as distinct from intellectual and moral) life; a supernatural (as distinct from natural) life; it is a life of holiness and peace; a life of union and communion with God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; it is eternal life, beginning with regeneration and culminating in the resurrection. It lays hold of the inmost centre of man’s personality, emancipates him from the dominion of sin, and brings him into vital union with God in Christ; from this centre it acts as a purifying, ennobling, and regulating force upon all the faculties of man—the emotions, the will, and the intellect—and transforms even the body into a temple of the Holy Spirit (Phillip Krapf)