Sadly, in this cultural moment, the word Christian has become largely meaningless.

With Biblical truth constantly being redefined or completely ignored, it is difficult to understand what it means to be a Christ follower.

Being a Christian, is far more than identifying with a particular denomination or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means one has embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind and salvation. Consider the following truths found in the Bible.

God is the Sovereign Creator. Modern thought said man is the product of evolution. But Scripture tells us we were created by a personal God to love, serve and enjoy endless fellowship with him. The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Christ who created everything.

John 1:3 said, “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” Since he has created everything, that means he also owns and rules everything.

Psalm 103:19 said, “The lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” That means he has authority of our lives and we owe him absolute allegiance, obedience and worship.

God is holy. God is absolutely and perfectly holy. Isaiah 6:3 said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” The word “holy” means to be set apart, and God is definitely set apart from man.

Since he is holy, he cannot commit or approve of evil. James 1:13 said, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God himself cannot be tempted by evil, and he, himself, tempts no one.” God requires holiness of us as well. 1 Peter 1:16 said, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Mankind is sinful. According to scripture, everyone is guilty of sin. In 1 Kings 8:46, it said, “There is no man who does not sin.” That does not mean that we are incapable of performing acts of human kindness. But we are utterly incapable of understanding, loving or pleasing God on our own. Romans 3:10-12 makes this abundantly clear.

Sin demands a penalty. God’s holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by death. Romans 6:23 said the “wages of sin is death.” That’s why changing our patterns of behavior can’t solve our sin problem or eliminate its eternal consequences.

Jesus is lord and savior. Romans 10:9 said, “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.” Even though God’s justice demands death for sin, his love has provided a savior who paid the penalty and died for sinners. 1 Peter 3:18 said, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” Christ’s death satisfied the demands of God’s justice, and Christ’s perfect life satisfied the demands of God’s holiness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 said, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This then enabled him to forgive and save those who place their faith in him.

The character of saving faith. True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to him and making a conscious choice to turn from sin. In 1 Thessalonians 1:9, Paul spoke of this reality when he wrote the church at Thessalonica had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” We are also then to pursue Christ, in John 17:3 in the high priestly prayer Jesus prayed, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Part of repentance and part of pursuing Christ is obeying him. 1 John 2:3 said, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” It is not enough to just believe a certain set of facts about Jesus.

Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God, according to James 2:19, but they do not love and obey him. True saving faith always responds in obedience. Ephesians 2:10 said, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Tim Adams is the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church.Tim Adams is the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church.Tim Adams is the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church.