NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. "The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt

And they were called Christians.... 

What is a Christian?

For more then two thousand years, "Christians" have been part of the world's history both good and bad. It was Christians who fought to abolish slavery in America and "Christians" who participated in the Crusades. It is Christians who care for the sick and feed the poor yet those who profess to be "Christians" care little for their neighbor. While the world today has become openly hostile to Christianity, the biggest enemy of Christians are other "Christians".  Think about it, how many times have our Christian political leaders and Christian leaders of industry bent over backwards to reject the nature of our founding by removing God from the public square and stripping America of it's Judeo-Christian values?

If you ask the average person to describe a Christian, most will define a Christian as someone who believes in God and who performs "good deeds". Some describe a Christian as a person who wears a cross or who is religious. Most times our society will label a person as a Christian as long as they are not an atheist. Why the confusion? The answer is clear, Christians are defined by their actions or inactions, their words or their silence. It may be by appearance or due to plain ignorance. What is a Christian? It is one who follows Christ and his teachings found in the Bible. It's not defined by the church one attends but by a personal relationship with the Creator.

Our culture teaches that Jesus was all about love and peace. Looking through the guide book for Christians; the Bible, Jesus challenged those in authority by speaking out forcefully against what was wrong with society according to his teachings and held people accountable. He showed compassion by intervening when a women accused of adultery was about to be stoned but told her to go and sin no more. He chased money changers from the temple and questioned organized religion. He performed countless miracles yet mankind questioned his authenticity. He was branded a rebel and a heretic. He was despised and rejected by man. He was hated so much that he was scourged, beaten and ultimately put to death by crucifixion. 

Almost everyone today has heard of the phrase, "The Gospel" or good news but most have no idea of what it is exactly. This is the one tenant of Christianity that is the most significant, for without it, there is no purpose for Christianity. The Gospel is the salvation plan for a lost and dying world. It is the account of a loving God who sent his Son to become a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, to die on the cross, be buried and rise again. But why did he have to die? Jesus Christ is referred to as the savior, the lamb. Why does mankind need a "savior"? Every human faces the punishment of hell as the penalty of sin, yet by his sacrifice he forgave sin and created a pathway to heaven, not through works of man but through his shed blood. It is a free gift received by turning from sin or repentance and accepting the gift by believing in Christ. Its that simple.

The world says it can't be that simple. By doing good works, that's what a Christian is, right? That is partially right but it's how Christians are suppose to live after they receive salvation. If man can save himself, why would mankind need a savior and why would Christ have to die on the cross? If its all about good works, how many good works are necessary to get into the heaven? Having the belief that Christ is the only way is bigoted, there are many ways to heaven right? If someone believes there is another way, they obviously don't believe in Christianity. Wow, that is mean spirited! No, its the foundation of the faith. Its no different today then it was two thousand years ago. 

Now that its been established that the Gospel is one of the most important teachings of Christianity, why is it insulting or rude to share it with other people? That is exactly what Christians are commanded to do, preach the Gospel to every creature. It does not mean harass and force people to accept it, it means to share it. It is up to each individual. You mean it's not a private matter? How can a true follower of Christ not want to share the most valuable free gift in the universe? Faith is in indeed public for what a person does in private ultimately bleeds through to their public life. One can look no further then the American politician. “Every thinking man, when he thinks, realizes that the teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and entwined with our whole civic and social life that it would be literally impossible for us to figure ourselves what that life would be if these standards were removed. We would lose almost all the standards by which we now judge both public and private morals, all the standards which we, with more or less resolution, strive to raise ourselves.”  President Teddy Roosevelt

Faith played a significant role in the founding of America and our form of government. Our Judeo-Christian values define our Liberty and the three braches of government. Our rights as human beings are not given by government but are unalienable rights endowed by our Creator. James Madison who was the fourth President of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 based our three branches of government on the book of Isaiah; "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us", Isaiah 33:22.  Fifty of the fifty five founding fathers were Christians, some were preachers, many were church leaders and founders of Bible societies. It is without question that our founding is intertwined with faith. "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." John Quincy Adams.

Christianity cannot exist without it's Judeo underpinnings. Jesus Christ and his apostles were Jewish. The early Christians were Jewish followers of Christ. The Old Testament of the Bible was preserved by the Jewish people. Yet there are people who profess to be "Christians" who are hostile to the Jewish people and the state of Israel. How can Christians reject the Jew but profess love for a Jewish Savior? Even worse, some Christians blame Jews for the death of Christ. Looking at history, the son of God was sent willingly to die for the salvation of man. The death of Christ was the most important event in history as it is the basis of man's salvation. So without his death, there would be no pathway to heaven. It was mankind who put Christ to death. It was Pontius Pilate who washed his hands of murder, the Roman government, Christians who denied Christ, religious leaders and pagans. It was us.

The most talked about and understood tenant of Christianity is the "Golden Rule". It is the directive from God to love your neighbor. Yet it is actually second in importance. Christians are commanded to Love God first. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. Luke 27:10. This is a difficult struggle for many Christians. Its one thing to claim Christianity, its another thing entirely to live it. Its not easy. Are Christians human? Yes. Are we all sinners? Yes. So if Christians follow Christ, they will follow the teaching of Christ and will love their neighbor and their enemies. Remember that other common phrase, "what goes around, comes around"? It is actually a derivative of "For what ever a man sows, he will also reap. Galatians 6:7. So don't worry about your enemy, pray for them. "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for then which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Mathew 5:44.

The most controversial aspect of Christianity is when Christians adhere to morality. Its always expedient to take the easy path and go along to get along but that is not the path that Christ took. So when Christians stand against abortion because they believe its taking a life, why is it surprising? People of faith have always opposed adultery, promiscuity and homosexuality because they believe that sexual conduct has moral limits. So how can a rational person question why Christians oppose homosexual marriage? What would society say about Christ if he was walking the earth today?

Christians are defined not by religion but by their relationship with the Creator. They follow Christ and his teachings without being ashamed. Christians are sinners by nature no better then their neighbor, but they understand that to follow Christ means to live it daily. They understand that an important attribute of love is truth. To stand for truth is often controversial. Look to history as told in the Bible, look to the Founding Fathers, just watch the news. So the next time you ask, what is a Christian?, you know now its not just a name, its a verb.