Introduction: Not Just a Word
Ask someone today, “What is a Christian?” and you’ll hear many answers—some rooted in truth, others in tradition or cultural assumption. Some may say a Christian is someone who goes to church, others that it’s someone who lives by certain moral values. But the Bible is not vague about what this name means.
The term “Christian” appears only three times in the New Testament—Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16. It was not a name believers gave themselves; it was a name given by divine providence and adopted by the world to describe those who followed Christ. “And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26, NASB). This name was born not out of social custom but out of observable transformation. It marked those who were distinct—disciples in word, conduct, and sacrifice.
Peter wrote, “If anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:16, NASB). To wear the name “Christian” was to identify with Christ so deeply that even persecution could not separate the believer from that name. Paul, while defending his faith before Agrippa, heard the king respond, “In a short time you are going to persuade me to make a Christian of myself” (Acts 26:28, NASB). The name carried weight. It still does.
The title “Christian” is not casual; it is costly. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23, NASB). It’s not about labels. It’s about life. Not about appearances. It’s about allegiance. To be a Christian is to belong wholly to Christ—body, mind, and soul.
The world may use the term broadly, but Scripture uses it precisely. A Christian is not just someone who believes God exists. A Christian is someone who belongs to Christ, follows Christ, obeys Christ, and reflects Christ. As Paul said, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21, NASB).
Let us not reduce the word “Christian” to a cultural identifier. Let us understand what God intended when He gave us this name. It is not a name we should wear lightly. It is a name we must live up to.
Let’s explore what it means—truly means—to wear the name “Christian.”
I. A Christian Is a Priest
All Christians are priests—not in the Old Testament sense, but in the spiritual sense of offering up lives to God. Peter said, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…” (1 Peter 2:9, NASB). Paul echoed the idea in Romans: “I urge you, brothers and sisters… to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1, NASB).
Every Christian is called to serve, to worship, and to offer their whole self to God—not just on Sundays, but every day.
II. In Faith, a Believer
A Christian is a believer, but not in name only. True belief shows in obedience. “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life…” (John 3:36, NASB).
Moses at the rock is a cautionary example. God told him to speak, but he struck instead. His disobedience—even though he believed—had consequences (Numbers 20:7–12). Faith must lead to obedience. Anything less is unbelief masked in ritual.
III. In Knowledge, a Disciple
Jesus said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples” (John 8:31, NASB). A disciple is a learner, a student of the Word. Timothy was told to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God… accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, NASB).
Many today wear the name “Christian” but do not know what Jesus taught. Spiritual ignorance is one of the church’s greatest dangers. To be a Christian is to hunger for the Word and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.
IV. In Character, He Is Holy
Christians are called to be holy. “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15, NASB). We often recoil from the word “holy,” as if it were out of reach. But holiness is not perfection—it’s separation. It means being set apart for God.
We are told, “Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, NASB). If we are not striving toward holiness, we are not truly following Jesus.
V. In Illumination, a Light
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16, NASB). We do not generate light; we reflect the light of Christ.
A Christian in the world is like the moon reflecting the sun. We show the world what Jesus is like—not with words alone, but with life.
VI. In Relationship, a Child
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12, NASB). A Christian is not merely a servant—we are sons and daughters of God.
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God” (Romans 8:14, NASB). That relationship brings comfort, responsibility, and joy. “See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are” (1 John 3:1, NASB).
VII. In Expectation, He Is an Heir
A Christian lives for more than this world. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… who has caused us to be born again to a living hope… to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4, NASB).
We are heirs of eternal life. A Christian looks beyond what is seen to what is eternal. We live with hope, anchored in the promises of God.
Conclusion: Can You Rightly Wear the Name?
What is a Christian? A priest offering spiritual sacrifices. A believer whose faith produces obedience. A disciple who learns the Word. A holy one striving to be like Christ. A light in a dark world. A child of the Father. An heir of a heavenly inheritance.
These aren’t poetic titles—they are spiritual realities. They are the markers of a life surrendered to Christ. They are what the Bible calls us to become. As Paul instructed the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NASB).
Jesus Himself warned, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21, NASB). Words are not enough. Appearances are not enough. We must walk in the way of Christ, daily shaped by His truth.
If you wear the name “Christian,” wear it in truth. Let it define who you are—not just on paper, but in practice. Let it guide your thoughts, direct your decisions, and shape your character. “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27, NASB).
And if you have not yet taken that name, the invitation remains open. Jesus calls you to follow Him—not just into a new identity, but into a new life. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB).
The name “Christian” is not something we inherit by culture. It is not something we assume by habit. It is a name we receive through faith, obedience, and transformation.
So ask yourself—am I truly living as a Christian, or merely claiming the name?
If the answer reveals a gap, then today is the day to close it. Take hold of Christ. Be born again by His gospel. And live in a way that glorifies the name you wear.
“Let everyone who names the name of the Lord keep away from wickedness” (2 Timothy 2:19, NASB).
To wear His name is to walk in His steps. Let’s be sure we wear it well.
Because when this life ends—and it will—there will be only one name that matters. Not your family name. Not even the reputation you built for yourself—unless that reputation consistently reflected Christ. Not the titles you earned or the achievements you displayed. What will matter is whether your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life. And that book holds only the names of those who truly belong to Christ.
So live in such a way that when heaven reads your name, it echoes back the name of Christ.
Live as a Christian—and let heaven know you by no other name.
The Simple Gospel 