Talk

What Does It Mean to be Christian?

Louie Giglio

July 17, 2022

Instead of getting caught up in the exclusivity of the claims of Christ, why don’t we just live out the beauty of Christ?

Louie Giglio launches into this collection with a powerful message about what it means to be Christian. Believing in Christ is inclusive to everyone, though he identifies how our lives should identify Christ when we choose to follow Him. As followers of the Way, we entrust Jesus to lead us, and people who don’t know Him will follow close behind.

Key Takeaway

People are going to think what they think about Christ because of what they think about Christians, so it matters who and what a Christian is and how a Christian lives.

Polls show that 65% of adults identify as Christian. What do they mean when they say that? A religious preference? A geographical or cultural identity? A moral affiliation?

Jesus centered the word "Christian" around the word "believe".

Christianity is exclusive inclusivity. Our society shuns anything exclusive in an effort to be inclusive about everything, but it doesn't work. We are well acquainted with this oxymoron.

For example, we live this all the time in the state of Georgia:

Inclusive: Anyone can own a car in Georgia. Anyone.

Exclusive: In order to drive the car you have to register the car with the state, get a license plate, put it on the back of the car, renew the plate every year, pass an emissions test, get a valid decal, be 16 yrs or older with a drivers license, and follow the traffic laws.

In John 3, we find Nicodemis, a religious leader, having a conversation with Jesus. In John 3:10-15, Jesus is offering exclusive inclusivity. He understands the things of Heaven because He comes from Heaven- He's the only one in that category. He opens it up to everyone (inclusive) to believe that He is the One (exclusive).

In John 3:16-18, the exclusive inclusivity is held in both harmony and tension. The inclusive nature of God, open to whoever, and the exclusive claims of Christ, He is the one and only. Our society hates exclusivity, but Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So, ironically, Jesus gets excluded from society's inclusive view that all roads lead to Heaven.

Inclusive: The whole world is invited to believe

Exclusive: Jesus is the one and only.

For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His ONE AND ONLY Son, that WHOEVER believes IN HIM shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Believe, pisteuo in Greek, means to entrust. Entrust what? To entrust your present, your future, your physical, your spiritual, your time, and your eternity with Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:12 says that I have put my hope and my eternity in the work and person of Jesus.

In Acts 4:32, the believers are starting to come together. In Acts 9:1-2, Saul is threatening the disciples. Disciples are people who have the proper teaching, but the teaching has moved them to proper living. They live out the things that they are learning. It's knowing and living. Saul wanted to take out those that are following the Way. These believers who were disciples are known as followers of The Way, not a way.

Saul gets saved on his way to murder the people of The Way. The gospel started to spread outside of Jerusalem to the Jews after Stephen was martyred for his faith. In Acts 11, we see that the Greeks are now hearing the gospel, believing and turning to the Lord. Barnabas and Saul stayed for a year to disciple. The gospel continues to spread and the disciples are birth called "Christians" at Antioch.

Believers -> Disciple-> Follower of The Way-> Christians

What was going on in Antioch? Everything...it was pandemonium. It was a pagan city in modern Turkey, which was northern Syria at the time. But in this city that was completely against the things of God were Christians everywhere. Christian means "little Christ". Christ means "anointed", so there were "little anointed ones" living a different life that invited conversation.

They took on the name and identity of Jesus. They didn't check a preference box. Everyone is invited on the grace way, but it requires being on the narrow road. A Christian is a person who identifies with a person. They are not looking into the options of systems, they are looking into the eyes of a Savior

What does it mean to be a Christian?

To wholeheartedly and exclusively trust in the person and claims of Jesus Christ, activating a new birth that results in a lifestyle that mirrors His values, teaching, and ways so that others can see and know Him.

Can't I just say I believe in God? No! A Christian is so much more than that. It's showing the people a different way. Everyone believes what they want to believe, they don't need permission to do that. The real question is are we willing to let people know what we believe? To show them life in action and then let them think about it? People are going to think what they think about Christ because of what they think about Christians, so it matters who and what a Christian is and how a Christian lives.

“

"Instead of getting caught up in the exclusivity of the claims of Christ, why don't we just live out the beauty of Christ?"

”

Louie Giglio

Discussion Questions

Why do so many adults identify as Christian?
Can you explain the dichotomy between exclusivity and inclusivity that Louie Giglio taught on? What is the problem with all roads leading to Heaven?
What is happening in John 3? What are the exclusive claims of Jesus in John 3:10-15?
Read John 3:16-18. What are in inclusive parts and the exclusive parts? How do we hold these in tension together?
What is the Greek word for "believe" and what does it mean?
How does 2 Timothy 1:12 support this idea of belief? What is he putting his hope in?
What is the definition of a disciple?
What is the progression of the different names people used to identify those who had placed their faith in Jesus?
It was in Antioch that Christians received that name. What does Christian literally mean?
Why does it matter so much who and what Christians are and how they live their lives?

Scripture References

18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.

20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

“You are Israel’s teacher,”

said Jesus,

“and do you not understand these things?

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest

2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Louie Giglio

Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of the Passion Movement, comprised of Passion Conferences, Passion City Church, Passion Publishing and sixstepsrecords, and the founder of Passion Institute.