Who Is a Christian?
Text: Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 3:27
Series: Restoration Sermons
Date:
Speaker: Ed Rangel
Location: Waupaca Church of Christ
Bible Version: NASB 1995
Sermon Type: Expository
Learning Objectives
By the close of this lesson the hearer should be able to:
- Identify common false ideas of who is a Christian.
- Define a Christian from the New Testament — a new creature, dead and risen with Christ, in His body.
- Examine whether he himself has become a Christian on the Lord's terms.
Thesis
A Christian is not merely a good person, a religious person, an Old Testament saint, or a church member, but one who has become a new creature in Christ — dead to sin and risen to new life through faith and baptism, a citizen of the kingdom and a member of the body of Christ.
Burden
The word "Christian" is thrown around so loosely that it has nearly lost its meaning — applied to nations, to decent neighbors, to anyone vaguely religious. But the New Testament uses the word precisely, and only three times, always of an individual who belongs to Christ (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16). Getting the definition right is not a word-game; eternity hangs on it, because a man may be everything the world calls a Christian and still not be one in the sense that saves. This outline clears away the counterfeits first, then draws the true portrait. The burden is to make sure that when God reads the word "Christian" over your life, it is true.
Introduction
The confusion of ancient Babel is still with us: men cannot agree what the word "Christian" means. But Scripture is clear — "Christian" belongs to an individual, not to a nation; there are no "Christian nations" in the New Testament sense (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16). This outline answers the question in two strokes: first, who are not Christians; then, who is.
I. Who Are Not Christians
- Not all "good people."
- Morality is an obligation of the Christian, but morality does not make one a Christian.
- Nicodemus was a good man — yet Jesus told him he must be "born again... of water and the Spirit" (John 3:3-5).
- Cornelius was a good man, devout and generous — yet he had to send for Peter to hear "words by which you will be saved" (Acts 11:14; 10:1-6). Goodness did not save him; the gospel did.
- Not merely religious persons.
- Even the heathen can be religious — Paul found the Athenians "very religious" (Acts 17:22).
- There are different kinds of religion, and some are worthless (James 1:26). Being religious is not the same as being a Christian.
- Not Old Testament characters.
- Abraham was not a Christian; Moses was not a Christian. They were faithful under another covenant, but the name and the new birth belong to the age of Christ.
- Not all church members.
- "Joining" a church does not make one a Christian, nor does merely "living in a church." One becomes a Christian on God's terms, and is then added by the Lord to His church (Acts 2:47) — the order matters.
II. Who Is a Christian (Romans 6:1-11)
- A new creature in Christ — "born anew" (John 3:3), living the new life (Col. 3:1-9; 2 Cor. 5:17).
- A "dead man."
- Crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20).
- Baptized into His death (Rom. 6:3).
- Dead to the old life in order to live a new one (Rom. 6:4).
- A "living man."
- Dead to sin, but alive to God (Rom. 6:11).
- Buried and raised with Christ in baptism (Col. 2:12).
- A citizen of the kingdom (Col. 1:13) — transferred into Christ's kingdom, bearing a citizen's responsibilities, a "taxpayer" who owes his King obedience and service.
- A member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:20) — members of one another (Rom. 12:5), with no denominational allegiance dividing the body.
- One who abides in Christ — he belongs to Christ (Rom. 14:8; 1 Cor. 6:19), and must "stay at home" in Him rather than wander.
- A "branch" in the true Vine — "I am the vine, you are the branches... apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
The portrait is unmistakable: a Christian is one who has died with Christ and risen with Him, clothed with Christ in baptism (Gal. 3:27), now living in His body and abiding in Him.
Application
Lay the two lists against your own life. It is possible to be a good neighbor, a religious person, a respecter of the Bible's heroes, and a name on a church roll — and still not be a Christian in the saving sense, because none of those is the new birth. Have you died with Christ and risen with Him? Were you baptized into His death, buried and raised to walk in newness of life? Do you abide in Him as a branch in the vine, belonging wholly to Him? If you cannot say yes, then whatever else you are, you are not yet what the New Testament calls a Christian — and that is the one thing you cannot afford to be without. The good news is that the door is open and the terms are clear.
Conclusion
A Christian is not made by being good, being religious, admiring the saints, or joining a church. A Christian is a new creature — dead with Christ, risen with Christ, clothed with Christ, abiding in Christ, a citizen of His kingdom and a member of His body. Be sure the word is true of you.
Invitation
If you would be a Christian in the only sense that saves, come the way the New Testament describes: believe that Jesus is the Christ, repent of your sins, confess Him before men, and be baptized into His death — for "all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3-4). Rise to walk in newness of life, and the Lord will add you to His body. Come while we sing.
Word Study
| English Term | Greek Term | Basic Meaning | Usage in This Sermon | Sermon Significance | Key Texts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian | Christianos | "belonging to Christ" | the name is built on ownership | the name is built on ownership; a Christian is not one who admires Christ but one who belongs to Him | Acts 11:26 |
| Clothed / put on | enduō | to put on as a garment | in baptism one is wrapped in Christ Himself, so that God sees the believer in Christ | in baptism one is wrapped in Christ Himself, so that God sees the believer in Christ; this is the moment the portrait of a Christian is completed | Gal. 3:27 |
Scripture Interlock Table
| Theme | Boles' Outline | Supporting Scripture |
|---|---|---|
| "Christian" belongs to individuals | Intro | Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16 |
| Good people not thereby Christians | I | John 3:3-5; Acts 11:14; 10:1-6 |
| Merely religious not Christians | I | Acts 17:22; James 1:26 |
| Saved are added to the church | I | Acts 2:47 |
| New creature, new life | II | John 3:3; Col. 3:1-9; 2 Cor. 5:17 |
| Dead with Christ in baptism | II | Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:3-4, 11 |
| Buried and raised | II | Col. 2:12 |
| Citizen of the kingdom | II | Col. 1:13 |
| Member of the body | II | 1 Cor. 12:20; Rom. 12:5 |
| Belongs to Christ; abides as a branch | II | Rom. 14:8; 1 Cor. 6:19; John 15:5 |
| Clothed with Christ | II / Invit. | Gal. 3:27 |
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Converted from H. Leo Boles, Outline 32. Doctrinal audit: core-framework (a Christian = a new creature, born of water and Spirit, baptized into Christ's death and raised to new life, member of His one body with no denominational allegiance; goodness/religion/church-membership do not of themselves make a Christian; the saved are added to the church by the Lord); no correction. The Nicodemus and Cornelius examples are kept as Boles' proof that moral, devout persons still needed the gospel. Style audit: OCR cleanup ("Rom. 6: r-rI"→6:1-11; "Uohn 3:5"→John 3:5). Supporting references (Acts 10:1-6; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:11; Acts 2:47) supplied; Boles' own citations retained as given.
