Ask the Pastor with J.D. Greear

Greatest Hits: Who or (What) Is a Christian?


Listen Later

Pastor J.D. answers a question about what it really means to be a Christian.

Show Notes:

  • Everyone has a different assumption of what it means to be a Christian. In the Western world, a lot of people have the assumption that if you’re not a Jew, not a Muslim, and not an atheist, you must be a Christian.
  • Some people think it means a certain amount of “religiosity”—a certain amount of church attendance, a desire to live by the Golden Rule, to do good to others, etc. The problem there is, “how much is enough?” At what point do you become good enough to be a Christian?
  • There are two defining marks of a Christian to point out:
    • First, a Christian is born again. To be born again means that you’ve come to a point where you recognize that your sin has separated you from God and there’s nothing you can do that would ever make you good enough to be accepted by God. Then Jesus, in your place, lived a life you were supposed to live, died a death you were condemned to die, and was then resurrected from the dead. He wants to take away the penalty of your sin by applying his death on the cross to your account and put the new life of his Spirit into you.
    • Second, a Christian is a disciple of Jesus—which means you follow him, do what he did, live like he did, and obey his commandments. You devote your life to him. That’s what it means to make him Lord of your life.
    • Jesus came to seek and save the lost, which means we should live our lives as disciple-making disciples.

      Find Pastor J.D. on TwitterInstagram, and Facebook.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Ask the Pastor with J.D. GreearBy J.D. Greear

      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8

      4.8

      622 ratings


      More shows like Ask the Pastor with J.D. Greear

      View all
      Messages by Desiring God by Desiring God

      Messages by Desiring God

      1,638 Listeners

      TGC Podcast by The Gospel Coalition

      TGC Podcast

      1,114 Listeners

      Focus on the Family with Jim Daly by Focus on the Family

      Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

      4,786 Listeners

      The Briefing with Albert Mohler by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

      The Briefing with Albert Mohler

      8,527 Listeners

      The Church of Eleven22 by The Church of Eleven22

      The Church of Eleven22

      899 Listeners

      The Summit Church by The Summit Church

      The Summit Church

      519 Listeners

      Ask Pastor John by Desiring God

      Ask Pastor John

      3,896 Listeners

      Summit Life with J.D. Greear by J.D. Greear Ministries

      Summit Life with J.D. Greear

      1,288 Listeners

      The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast by Art of Leadership Network

      The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

      2,253 Listeners

      Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast by Life.Church

      Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

      10,694 Listeners

      Knowing Faith by Kyle Worley, JT English, Jen Wilkin

      Knowing Faith

      2,280 Listeners

      The Crossway Podcast by Crossway

      The Crossway Podcast

      624 Listeners

      The Paul Tripp Podcast by Paul David Tripp

      The Paul Tripp Podcast

      743 Listeners

      The Family Discipleship Podcast by Cassie Bryant, Chelsea Griffin, Adam Griffin

      The Family Discipleship Podcast

      549 Listeners

      The Overcomers with Matt Chandler by Matt Chandler

      The Overcomers with Matt Chandler

      322 Listeners