Consider Yourself A Christian?

I have been thinking lately about what it means to be a Christian. I am sure you've heard many people say things like:

• Well, I'm a Christian, and I....


• I consider myself a Christian, but...


• You can be a Christian, and still...


• I might be a Christian, but I don't feel it's necessary to...

What do they mean? Are there really different levels of Christianity? Do we even have the ability to determine if we are Christians? I mean, what is the criteria? I decided to look into the matter. Here's what I found:

• The disciples were first called "Christians" about the time of Paul's conversion in a place called Antioch. (Acts 12:260


• It had become a widespread enough term by the time of Paul's Third Missionary Journey. (Acts 26:28- King Agrippa confesses that Paul had almost persuaded him to become a "Christian".)


• Peter referred to believer's as Christians when he spoke of those who "suffer as a Christian". (I Peter 4:16)

These biblical references still didn't answer the questions I had been considering, so I dug deeper. Well, as deep as Webster's Student Dictionary would let me: 1. Of or belonging to any of the religions that accept the divinity or the leadership of Christ. 2. Consisting chiefly of Christians, as a Christian nation. 3. Characteristic of Christian people; kindly. 4. A person who accepts or professes the teachings of Christ; a member of any Christian church.

So, again, I turned to the Bible. The second book of Timothy, to be exact. Verse 19 of chapter 2 says this, "The Lord knoweth them that are His." And that really is the point. Whether we or others consider us to be Christian doesn't matter. It's all about how He views us. I believe that heaven will be filled with people whom others thought would never end up there, and will be absent of some who professed Christ but didn't walk the talk. Where does your life leave you?