The Radiant Mission
The Radiant Mission
141. What Does it Mean to Be a Christian?
What does it truly mean to be a Christian? It's a deceptively simple question that quickly cuts to the heart of faith. Many people identify as Christians while missing the essence of what following Jesus entails.
The Coffee Talk series tackles this fundamental question by stripping away cultural Christianity to reveal authentic faith. The word "Christian" itself means "follower of Christ" – not just someone who intellectually agrees with certain doctrines or attends religious services. True Christianity begins with believing Jesus is God's Son who died and rose again, but extends far beyond mental assent into daily surrender and obedience. It's about direction rather than perfection.
When someone genuinely follows Jesus, they experience spiritual rebirth. This isn't mere behavior modification but heart transformation where the Holy Spirit creates something entirely new within. A Christian repents of sin, pursues holiness, and walks by the Spirit rather than fleshly desires. They become connected to other believers as part of Christ's body, serving and growing together in community. Most importantly, authentic faith produces visible fruit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control developing over time.
Whether you've been a believer for years or are still searching, this episode invites you to examine what following Jesus truly means. Is your faith producing fruit or just words? Are you living as though Jesus is Lord or merely a helpful addition to your life? Join us for an honest conversation about moving beyond religious culture into genuine relationship with Christ. Share this episode with someone looking to deepen their faith journey, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube for more encouragement!
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The Hello and welcome to the Radiant Mission Podcast. My name is Rebecca Toomey and we are currently in a series called Coffee Talk, where we are diving into big spiritual questions over a warm cup of coffee or tea and a whole lot of honesty. So today's question is one that seems simple on the surface, but it gets really real really fast. What does it mean to be a Christian? Is it just about going to church, praying a prayer, saying you believe in God, or is there something deeper? Whether you've been a believer for years or you are still searching right now, this episode is for you. Let's break it down. We are going to go back to the heart of the gospel for this one down. We are going to go back to the heart of the gospel for this one. So let's start with.
Speaker 1:A Christian believes in Jesus and follows him. The word Christian comes from the Greek Christianos, which means follower of Christ. But here's the thing you can believe in God go to church and still not be following Jesus. John 14, 6,. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Being a Christian starts with believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for your sins and he rose again. But it doesn't end there. It means you follow him, you let him lead you and you obey his word. You say yes, even when it's hard. It's not about perfection, it's about direction. And just a little fun fact I have mentioned this in episodes in the past the original followers of Jesus were called the way, the way to God, following Jesus, right, and so sometimes you'll hear on this podcast, we actually use the term believers a lot, because the word Christian can get muddied. That's why I wanted to have this conversation today, to talk about what it truly means to be a Christian, because there are a lot of people out there that will say they are Christians but are not following Jesus. So be aware of that. Let's talk a little bit more about what it means to be a Christian.
Speaker 1:A Christian has been born again, and this phrase can feel outdated or misunderstood, but it's directly from Jesus, from his own words, john 3, 3,. Truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. Kingdom of God unless they are born again. To be born again means that something inside of you has changed. It's not about behavior modification. It's about a transformation of your heart. You become a new creation. Second Corinthians, 517,. If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone and the new is here. You might look the same on the outside as we do, but everything's different on the inside.
Speaker 1:Next, a Christian repents of sin and pursues holiness. Here's where things get real. Being a Christian doesn't mean you are perfect. It doesn't mean that you don't stay in sin. Acts 3.19 says repent then and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out. Repentance isn't just feeling sorry, it's turning away from your sin and towards God.
Speaker 1:True faith produces a desire to be holy, to obey, to let go of sin, because you found something better in Jesus. Grace isn't a license to keep sinning. It's the power to walk free. And next, a Christian walks by the Spirit and not by the flesh. When you become a Christian, you receive the Holy Spirit and he changes everything. Galatians 5.16,. So I say walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. You're no longer ruled by your own nature. You're led by God's Spirit. He convicts you, comforts you, guides you, empowers you. It doesn't mean that life gets easier, but it does mean that you will never walk alone.
Speaker 1:Number five a Christian belongs to the body of Christ. Christianity is not a solo journey. In 1 Corinthians 12 27,. Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. God designed us for community, for encouragement, accountability and spiritual growth. And being a Christian means loving the church, loving those around us, the other believers that are in our community, even when it's messy. It means serving others, using your gifts and building up the body of Christ. I personally am a huge fan of small groups. I think it is a wonderful way for us to commune with one another and grow together in the body of Christ.
Speaker 1:Number six a Christian bears fruit. You can say you're a Christian, but your life will eventually show it. Matthew 7, 16,. By their fruit you will recognize them and, of course, the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control they're evidence of a heart changed by God. You're not saved by works. You are saved for good works. And again, this doesn't mean that these things suddenly become easy. I myself struggle with patience and self-control many times, but with God by my side and prayer and my family praying for me. The Lord is walking beside me, helping me with these things.
Speaker 1:So, as we close today, what does it mean to be a Christian? You believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. You've been born again by the Holy Spirit. You turn from sin and walk in obedience. You're growing in holiness and bearing fruit. You're connected to the body of Christ and you are following Jesus every single day.
Speaker 1:And if you are on this journey right now or you're not quite there and you would like to be I would love to invite you to invite Jesus into your heart. There is a very simple prayer that you can pray and it goes something like this Dear Lord, I come to you today. I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I now invite you into my heart and my life to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for your love and the gift of eternal life, amen.
Speaker 1:Now let's close with a few reflection questions today. Have I truly been born again or have I just been around church culture? Is my faith producing fruit or just words? What sin do I need to repent of and surrender to Jesus? Am I living like Jesus is my Lord or just my helper? Now, if this episode challenged you or encouraged you, be sure to share it with a friend or someone that is looking to go deeper in their faith walk, and if you're just beginning your journey with Jesus, know that you are loved, seen and called. Thank you for tuning in and for being on this journey with us. If you'd like to stay connected outside of the podcast, join me on Instagram at the Radiant Mission, facebook at the Radiant Mission Podcast, or YouTube by searching for my name Rebecca Toomey, t-w-o-m-e-y. And today I am going to close with Romans 10.9. If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Wishing you a radiant week, I'll see you next time. Bye everyone.
