What is a Christian?

This entry is part 2 of 1 in the series Christianity
  • What is a Christian?

To most of the world, the word “Christian” brings to mind images of men in funny hats, and a bunch of rules. But is that an accurate assessment?

TL;DR – A Christian is someone who believes that the man, Jesus, born about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, Israel, is the risen son of the living God, Jehovah, and the creator of all that is.

The Biblical “IF THEN” of Christianity:

{Romans 10:9-10} “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

{10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

That is it. That is all that it takes to become a Christian. IF you confess (profess) that Jesus is Lord (sovereign, king, master, boss) AND believe that he died, and rose again, THEN you are a Christian. You are saved from the wrath to come.

“Christianity is what we say it is”

When your theology, belief system, faith, or world view is built on human tradition, it changes from generation to generation based on current social mores.

But… if there IS a God… an “uncaused cause” who created this universe… then the whims of men are hopelessly deficient when it comes to ascertaining his intent, or message, and our purpose in his creation.

Read the Manual

Any complex system is best understood by reading the manual.

I am neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic. Nominally a Baptist, I prefer the term “Bible Christian,” because the scripture is my sole authority in faith and final authority in life.

But what is “scripture,” and how can we determine if it is real?

On the Scriptures

I am a biblical literalist and King James (a.k.a. authorized version) “onlyist.” In another article, I will make the case for why I hold this position. But I will not preach at you about it. I know and respect several Godly people who see things differently

“In the Beginning…” I am a young earth creationist. That means I accept Genesis as actual, factual history, which began in 4004 B.C. (Gregorian).

As a matter of fact, it IS “written in stone.”

{Exodus 20:11} “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

{Mark 10:6} “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.”

{Romans 5:12} “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

{1 Timothy 2:13} “For Adam was first formed, then Eve.”


“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.” Satan, “the god of this world,” is our enemy. He does not ‘rule from hell’ as popular culture has insinuated. He still inhabits the heavenly realm. But he and all his angels will very shortly be cast down to Earth.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”

{Genesis 3:1-5} “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? {2} And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: {3} But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. {4} And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: {5} For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

{Job 1:6-7} Ҧ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. {7} And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

{Isaiah 14:12-15} “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart,

  • I will ascend into heaven
  • I will exalt my throne above the stars of God
  • I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north
  • I will ascend above the heights of the clouds
  • I will be like the most High.

{15} Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

{Ezekiel 28:12-15} “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. {13} Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. {14} Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. {15} Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

{1 Peter 5:8-9} “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: {9} Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

Make sure you’re not following the wrong lion!


“[Jesus] said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?” This is the most important question you will ever answer.

The man, Jesus, who was born a little over 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, Israel (4 B.C. Gregorian), Is the creator, Jehovah God, come in the flesh. “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” And “the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” The very son of God.

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

{Matthew 16:15-17} “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? {16} And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. {17} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

{1 Corinthians 12:3} “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”

{1 John 5:5} “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

{Romans 10:9-10} “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Romans 10:9-10 presents the two requirements for salvation, and is beautifully illustrated by the account of the two malefactors that were crucified the same day as Jesus:

{Luke 23:39-43} “¶ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. {40} But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? {41} And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. {42} And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. {43} And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

IF {confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead},
THEN {Thou shalt be saved};


“I am the resurrection and the life…” The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is one of the central tenets of Christianity. After he died on the cross to reconcile man to God, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended back to heaven 40 days later.

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

{Romans 1:3-4} “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
{4} And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

{1 Corinthians 15:12-17} “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? {13} But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: {14} And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. {15} Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. {16} For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: {17} And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

{Revelation 2:11} “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”

{Revelation 20:6} “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”


“And there was a war in heaven…” Revelation 12 tells of a coming war in heaven. Satan, and the third part of the heavenly realm that follow him will be cast down to earth.

The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time.

{Revelation 12:7-12} “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

{8} And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

{9} And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

{10} And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

{11} And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

{12} Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”


“…and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Jesus will return soon to gather his saints (all believers). Those who are dead will be resurrected, after which, those still living will be caught up right behind them. And it will not be a “secret.”

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet

{Matthew 24:29-31} “¶ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: {30} And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. {31} And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

{1 Corinthians 15:51-52} “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, {52} In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

{1 Thessalonians 4:14-18} “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. {15} For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. {16} For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: {17} Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. {18} Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

{Revelation 11:15} “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”


Only two resurrections remain the first resurrection is for those who believe. The second resurrection is for those who do not believe.

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

{Revelation 20:4-6} “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. {5} But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. {6} Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

{Revelation 20:11-15} “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. {12} And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. {13} And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. {14} And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. {15} And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”


“There were Giants in the earth in those days…” I hold the angel view of Genesis 6 (and elsewhere).

His angels he charged with folly..

{Genesis 6:4} “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

{Job 4:18} “Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:”
(do a word study on “folly” in the King James Bible)

{2 Peter 2:4-10} “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; {5} And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; … … {9} The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: {10} But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”

{Jude 1:6-8} “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. {7} Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. {8} Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.”

{Mark 12:25} “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

(Note that he is speaking of the angels in heaven… NOT the angels that left their first estate)


As Jesus said “My kingdom is not of this world...” I am thankful beyond words that God allowed me to be born in the Southern United States. Even so, I am a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.

This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through…

{Ephesians 2:19} “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

{Galatians 3:27-29} “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. {28} There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. {29} And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

{Hebrews 11:13-16}} These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. {14} For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. {15} And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. {16} But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

Ron Jones
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