CHRISTIANITY DEFINED

CHRISTIANITY DEFINED

INTRODUCTION
Before we become anything in life, whether it be a doctor, lawyer, plumber or a factory worker, a
Pastor etc, we must know what the job is and what we must do to qualify to become one. In like manner,
before we can become a Christian, we must know what a true Christian is and how to become one
Luke 14:25-33.
There are many religious people in the world today and many different persuasions.
Jesus said it would be so and warned us to take heed Matt 24:4-5. It is one thing to be religious. It is
quite another thing to be a real Christian. As we trust in the Holy Spirit to define what real Christianity
is all about through the Scriptures, may our whole life be realigned to His truth in Jesus name.
1. BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY
Biblical Christianity relies on the Bible to understand true faith in Christ. Biblical Christianity bases
its doctrine ie Christ Commands, Christ teachings on the Bible alone.
Biblical Christianity adheres to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, as found in the Bible
a) The Trinity of God - One God that exists eternally in three persons 1 Pet 1:2, Gen 1:1-3,26.
b) Jesus Christ is fully God. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners, and He rose again.
Col 2:9, John 8:58, John 1:14, 1 Tim 2:5-6, John 10:30, Titus 2:13, Heb 9:11-15, 1 Cor 15:20-22
c) Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.
Eph. 1:7, Acts 4:12, Titus 2:11, 2 Cor 5:21, John 1:12
d) The sixty-six books of the Bible are God's Word, inspired, inerrant, and sufficient for living a godly
life in Christ. John 6:63, Job 23:12, Psalm 119:9, Isa. 55:11, 2 Tim 3:16-17, Matt. 4:4, Acts 17:11,
2 Tim 2:15, Isa 40:8
e) Jesus Christ is coming again to judge sin and rule the world.
Heb. 9:28, 1 Thess. 4:16-17, Rev. 1:7, 2 Peter 3:10, Matt. 24:44, John. 14:1-3, Acts 1:10-11
2. CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY
On the other hand, cultural Christians base their convictions on other things except the Bible.
a) Cultural Christianity is a religion that superficially identifies itself as Christianity but does not truly
adhere to faith in Christ and His teachings. Matt. 7:21-23
b) Cultural Christianity produces nominal believers who label themselves as Christians but who allow
worldly culture to define their conviction. Heb. 13:9
c) Cultural Christianity is more social than spiritual. It identifies with certain good works of Jesus but
rejects the spiritual aspects required to be a biblically defined Christian.
Rom. 16:17-18, 1 Cor 3:10-11, 2 Tim 4:2-4

d) To some, the Gospel is often presented as a costless addition to one’s life. Luke 14:25-33
*Some identifying marks of Cultural Christianity
*Just add Churchgoing to your hobbies. Add charitable giving to your list of good deeds.
2 Pet 3:16-17
*Accepting Jesus with no accompanying surrender to His Lordship and full obedience to His Word.
John 15:1-8
*Denying the inspiration of Scripture or parts of Scripture. 2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:21
*Downplaying true repentance as the first step toward knowing God. Matt. 4:17, Acts 2:38
*Focusing on Jesus' love and acceptance to the exclusion of His teaching on hell, obedience, and selfsacrifice. Matt 23:33, Mk. 9:43, Luke 12:5, 1 John 5:3, Rom 8:17, Matt 7:21-23
*Tolerating and celebrating ongoing sin while claiming to know God. Rom 1:32, 1 Cor 5:1-2, 1 John
3:9-10
*Redefining Scriptural truths to accommodate worldly culture. Numbers 23:19, Mal. 3:6
*Seeing Jesus to be primarily a social reformer, rather than God in the flesh who is the sacrifice for
our sin. Matt. 10:34
*Denying or minimizing Jesus' claim that He is the only way to God.
John 14:6, John 3:15-18, Acts 4:12
3. GOD IS NOT AUTHOR OF CONFUSION.
It is either you are for God or not. There is no middle ground in Christianity Rev 3:14-16.
*No belief that is at variance with the Word of God can ever be right.
*Christ did not teach thousands of different methods of salvation and ways of life.
There was no such thing as cultural Christianity in the days of the early Church.
There was no such thing as the Conservatives, Moderates, Liberals, Radicals etc
They were simply known as Christ’s followers, or Christ’s Disciples.
John 10:1-14, Acts 4:13, Acts 11:26, John 8:31
CONCLUSION
Christianity is a way of life, an opportunity to prepare for eternity with Christ. Our calling is more than
hearing the message of the Word of God. The value of the Bible does not consist in merely knowing
it, but in obeying it.
Knowing the true mind of Christ and His sacrificial love to save men from eternal destruction should
energize us to go all out to rescue those under the sphere of our influence before it is too late for them.
Acts. 24:14, John 13:17, Acts 26:18, Eph. 1:17-18.