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Who is a Christian?

Anyone can call themselves a Christian. But calling yourself a Christian does not mean you are a Christian.

"So why do you call me 'Lord,' when you won't obey me?" (NLT) - Luke 6:46

A Christian is someone who has repented their sins and accepted Christ as their Lord and savior.

What does this mean?

Repent sins: To change your thoughts and actions. To turn away from sin, and believe in Christ as your Savior and Lord.

Accept Christ as your savior: Even though we desire to avoid sin, we are all sinners*. However, through the death and resurection of Jesus we have been saved and have eternal life. A Christian is a person who has accepted this as true.

Christ is God (our LORD): Christians want to learn more about what the Bible teaches, so they can better follow Christ and do God's will.

That's it! Pretty simple, isn't it?

Do you need to perfectly follow the Ten Commandments (or any of the other Biblical laws) in order to be saved?

No! (In any case, that's impossible for us to do.)

"...man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." (NIV) Romans 3:28

None of us can perfectly follow the law. So, it is a good thing that we can be saved without having to be perfect.

Do you need to do good deeds in order to be saved?

No!

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God--not by works, so no one can boast." (NIV) Ephesians 2:8-10

In other words, there is NOTHING you can do on your own. God freely gives you eternal life. All you have to do is accept it.

* "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (NIV) Romans 3:22