What is a Christian?

​Over 80% of the world’s population believes in God. However, the religions of the world take different pathways to reach Him/Her. God also has many names but all believe in Him/Her as the Creator of all things including humans. Some religions see God as a paternalistic Father and Judge of all mankind. Some religions struggle with the role of women in their religions; with the females taking on a lesser than male position in the religious hierarchy. Christianity in recent years is trying through the various denominations to put men and women more on an equal footing and some have farther to go than others. The problems most individuals in Christian churches grapple with are who God is and who they are in relation to the Creator.
 
The Bible’s Old Testament showed us a God of commandments, rules and regulations that people were expected to follow if they wanted to be considered part of God’s special people. We saw throughout the Old Testament that the people of Israel failed miserably to follow the direction God gave them to live as part of His family. God took a new approach in the New Testament by introducing us to a very special man, Jesus. God used a new approach by calling him His Son, who it was said, came in a virgin birth. He gave wise lessons on how people should live according to God’s plan. As well, He gave Jesus special spiritual powers to heal people and even raise individuals from death. To show the power of God, He allowed Jesus to die a horrible death on a cross and raised him to life once again after three days.
           
For the past 2,000 years the Christian churches have studied Jesus’ lessons and deified him because of the miracles he did while he was alive. Jesus’ teachings have become the model for how a person should live a Christian life, as part of God’s family. Following Jesus’ teaching has led to doing as Jesus did, as a spiritual servant of all mankind. Some churches emphasized service both inside and outside to the greater world to spread Jesus’ teachings. Ministry and evangelism brought the Christian teachings of Jesus to all nations. However, the message overlooked a major instruction Jesus gave to all people. He told a religious leader of his time that, to be a follower of God, he needed to be “born again.”
 
 What in the world was Jesus talking about when he said that? Today, we call that statement as becoming “Spiritually Awakened.” He wasn’t talking about dying and being born again but in this present life we must connect to God, as well as being God’s servant to everyone else. What does all this mean? When we are born as babies, God gives us a piece of His Spirit, which is with us all our life and returns back to God when we die. Our Spirit/Soul is not activated until we decide to invite God’s Spirit into our life. Since God gives us free will to choose our own path in life, it is up to us to make the connection with God to activate our Spirit/Soul to receive God’s instructions and guidance for our lives. Jesus referred to this process as standing at the “door” of our life and knocking. He said if we answer his knock, he would come in and join us in a meal. When we answer that knock on our spiritual door, God will come in and give us the wisdom to live a full and meaningful life.