What does it mean to you, to be a Christian?

In a world where there are many interpretations and expressions of religions, faiths, and subsets of each, there is a fundamental question that each of us faces around the concept of Christianity; What is Christianity?

How do I want to live as a Christian? Or if you do not identify as Christian; who are these Christians, what experiences inform the concept, how do these experiences intersect with experiences with non-believers or those of other faiths and religious backgrounds?

Faith is for many a statement of identity.

If our identity is based in Christian belief; shouldn’t we then be able to clearly state the characteristics and tenants of what it is to be a Christian. In the United States for a very long time, we’ve enjoyed religious freedom. And until recently, I had never doubted that would always be the case, but what if that changed? What if tomorrow it became illegal to be a Catholic, or Lutheran, or Muslim? Recently several religions were dropped as recognized by the Federal Government, which may cause them other obvious tax and legal standing issues. What if your faith had been on that list? What if being a Christian, or your version of Christian became illegal.

God gives us the free will to choose! But those with earthly societal power, can and have always held religion as a playing card in a very, very stacked deck. 

Despite what the powerful do, God who is more powerful gives you and I the free will to choose. What do you choose?

When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans (~AD 56-57), Christianity was illegal and it would not become legal until the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, long after Paul’s beheading in approximately 67 AD.  Judaism was recognized by Rome as a legal religion; at first Christianity was seen as a sect of Judaism with some protections. We know that protection did not last, that Christians were thrown to the lions and leaders, like Paul, lost their lives because of their faith.  As I ponder the nature of my Christianity, I who has enjoyed religious freedom, would I be so steadfast should my life like Paul’s be on the line? The underlined words from Paul hold more weight considering:

 I am not ashamed of the Good News. It is the power of God. It is the way He saves men from the punishment of their sins if they put their trust in Him. It is for the Jew first and for all other people also.  The Good News tells us we are made right with God by faith in Him. Then, by faith we live that new life through Him. The Holy Writings say, “A man right with God lives by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 NLV

Sadly, I’ve met many who no longer respect the greater notion of Christianity.

Citing the acts of those who claim to be Christian, but who’s deeds don’t live the faith. Identifying as Christian means that we should live with as rightly as we possibly can with our God. For me being a Christian fundamentally starts with, “Christ is my savior, with Him I am loved, protected, and saved,” but it also means, though my earthly works never will change the grace of this God, that I feel I have a responsibility to live as “rightly” as possible.  My ideas of rightly may be different that yours and that I think are good things to discuss and debate.

How do we get back to being “a human right with God” and who “lives by faith”? 

What does that look like? Perhaps more importantly what doesn’t it look like?

And in today’s world how do you define Christianity?