Louie Giglio - What Does It Mean to be Christian?
Maybe you’re joining from somewhere around the world. I’m pumped! Today, we are starting a new collection of talks called «Believer,» and if you will, I would like to invite you to shift into teaching mode rather than preaching mode. I want to build a foundation today around a really important question, and that question is: What does it mean to be a Christian? You might think, «Surely that’s not what you’re going to speak on today because we all got up and got to church at a Christian church, so we’re all kind of on board with that already.» However, I suspect that there’s somebody in each of these gatherings and definitely someone tuning in from somewhere around the globe right now who really would like a good answer to that question: What does it mean to be a Christian?
In surveys and polls taken by Pew Research and another by the Public Religion Research Institute, 65 to 70 percent of adults in America identify as Christian. That’s a crazy statistic—six to seven out of every ten adults in this country would check a box and say Christian. But what do we mean when we say that? Are we talking about a religious preference, so if you give me some options, I’m going to go with Christian? Are we talking about a geographical identity, or are we discussing a cultural identity? Are we talking about a moral affiliation? I mean, what is Christian? I know for a lot of us, we’re like, «Well, I don’t know. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. I’m a Christian, duh. I like Chick-fil-A, alright, so I’m a Christian.» But what does it mean to be Christian?
So, I want to build a foundation today, and I want to start with Jesus because that would be a good place to start. Jesus really centered this idea of being Christian around the word «believe.» This is a big idea for Jesus, and we see this in John chapter 3. I want to read a little bit of this text. I was inspired to dive into this by a conversation I had with someone a few weeks ago, but I was really amped about it coming back from Passion Camp. We had such an amazing week filled with fun, but there was no fluff; the morning sessions were about big questions like the one we’re going to ask in a minute: Is Jesus the only way to salvation? Is the scripture trustworthy? If God is so good, why is life filled with so much pain? These were the morning sessions, and it was incredible because middle schoolers and high schoolers are asking these questions. They’re leaning in and loving that they’re getting handles and answers to the big things in life.
We’re going to see one of these big ideas come to life in this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a rich religious leader who was intrigued by the person of Jesus and the teachings of Jesus. He came to Him inquiring about the path that Jesus was offering, and Jesus responds in verse 10, and you’re going to see this word we’re looking for: belief. He says, «You are Israel’s teacher, Nicodemus, and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth; we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony. I’ve spoken to you of earthly things and you do not—here comes the word for the first time—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.» Jesus is identifying Himself in an exclusive way, and He’s already giving us the tension we’re going to unpack today, which is exclusive inclusivity. You might think, «Oh my gosh, that sounds like a huge oxymoron.» It is! But Jesus is talking to someone who isn’t yet a follower, and He’s saying He has gone into heaven and understands the things of heaven because He comes from heaven, and He’s the only one in that category. «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 desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up that everyone—notice how wide that door is—who believes in Him, in Jesus, may have eternal life. Everyone who what? Who believes in Him! My niece Ainsley was teaching on this and discussing this idea of the inclusiveness of God—everyone—and the exclusiveness of Jesus, that He is the one. These ideas coexist in the heart and mind of Jesus, and we see it really clearly in verse 16: «For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever—here comes our word again—whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.»
«For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.» «Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not"—here’s the word again—"believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.» Do you see that tension, right? It’s the inclusive nature of God—whoever—and the exclusive claims of Christ that He is the one and only. You might respond, «Louie, it’s not very popular right now to believe in anything that is exclusive; everything has to be inclusive now in the new world.» But think about it: even if someone were to say today, upon hearing these words of Jesus, «That’s great for Jesus, but I believe all roads lead to heaven,» it sounds like the most inclusive statement you could possibly make.
But listen to it again: «I believe all roads lead to heaven.» Okay, what if I then follow Jesus, who said that He was the one and only Son of God, and later adds in this same gospel—this same eyewitness account in John’s gospel—He said, «I am,» Jesus spoke about Himself, «I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.»
That’s Jesus speaking; that’s not a preacher talking. So if I have a very inclusive view that says all roads lead to heaven, but then I have a guy in my story stating, «I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Me,» then he now gets excluded from my very inclusive view that all roads lead to heaven. So saying all roads lead to heaven actually excludes anyone who would believe that only a few roads lead to heaven or certainly would exclude anyone who would believe that only one road leads to heaven. There’s exclusivity everywhere in life, and there certainly is in this idea of believing.
If anyone’s not tracking yet, let me help you a little bit. Let’s start with inclusivity: Everyone in Georgia who wants to can own a car. Anyone! Look how big that is! We’ll circle the big, wide inclusive ones: anyone can own a car in Georgia. Can anyone own a car in Georgia? It’s like, no, we’re all Lisa now, bro, but you can if you want to! You can own a car in Georgia!
Now, that’s a scary thought, especially out on these streets. Some of you know what I’m talking аbout: «No! Who let them own a car?» Right? These people that move here from other places and can’t drive! I don’t know where they came from, Alabama somewhere! So anyone—that’s the inclusive part of the state of Georgia—can own a car in Georgia. However—oh now we’re going to get a little exclusive—if you wish to operate it on a public road, you must—oh my goodness, we don’t like that word—you must have it registered with the state, and oh, there’s something else you’ve got to do: obtain a Georgia license plate. Really? I thought anyone could own a car! You can, but you must register it with the state, and you must get a license plate, which must—here’s another must—we’re getting a lot of must in here—must be affixed to the rear of the vehicle.
And something else: it is required to be renewed each year prior to your birth date. So in other words, you can’t say when you’re pulled over by the cops, «Hey, I have a license plate; it’s at home in the kitchen.» No, it has to be on the back of the car, and it has to be renewed every year. This is in my mind because our birthdays—Shelly’s and mine—are right now, and we’re doing this renewal thing prior to your birthday by mail, online, at a tag office, or at your local kiosk, unless your vehicle is a 2019 model year or older, in which case you— and you know these 2019 cars; I mean, they’re not worth much, right? And their exhaust is terrible. I’m like, «It’s 2019!» But I’ve got to go get an emissions test, in which you must pass an emissions inspection on my 2019 car that has 7,000 miles on it. I’m pretty sure it’s okay, but thank you, State of Georgia, before obtaining a valid decal.
So now I’ve got to get a valid decal. It’s not enough that I have a tag, and you can do that at the tag office or by mail or online, or as they showed me where I got my emissions test, they were showing me where the options were to get a decal at the kiosk. You could get it at the tag kiosk. Is that the disco Kroger, the murder Kroger, the Howell Mill Kroger, or the Ansley Mall Kroger? The orange machine? If you’re not from Atlanta, welcome to the A! The decal is required and is affixed to the license plate, in which case all people—oh, here we go! Thank you! Let’s get back in with the program here—all people are free to operate a vehicle in the state of Georgia, given that you are 16 years of age or older, have a valid Georgia driver’s license, and abide by the established rules and regulations as set forth by the state of Georgia. I.e., driving on the right side of the center lane, coming to a full stop at all stop signs, driving with your headlamps on after dark, etc., etc., etc.
Anyone can own a car in the state of Georgia. Very inclusive in our driving here! Now, it’s different state to state. Alabama: anyone can drive; it doesn’t matter how old you are, and you don’t really need a license plate. But in Georgia, anyone can drive. It’s inclusive, but there’s a lot of exclusivity with it. We all just happily live in that tension, and I want us to happily live in that tension with Jesus today.
For God so loved—look how big this is—the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever—whoever—believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Inclusive—whoever! The whole world is exclusive—He’s the one and only, and the belief is in Him.
So when you ask the question, «What is a Christian or what does it mean to be Christian?» Jesus begins with this idea of belief. But I want you to look at it with me just for a minute. This word «belief» right here—whoever believes in Him—what does that word mean? You’ve got to dig into the language that Jesus was speaking, and when you do, you understand that this word «believe» means to believe, but it also means to entrust. So what Jesus is saying is whoever entrusts—what and trusts your present and your future and trusts your physical and your spiritual, entrust time and eternity with Jesus.
So it’s more than, «I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia.» It’s more than, «My parents were Christians.» It’s more than, «I mentally believe that there’s someone named Jesus.» No, this word «believe» in the language Jesus was speaking implies that I am actually entrusting it to God through Christ—myself and my eternity.
That’s what we were talking about a few weeks ago when Paul was writing in 2 Timothy, saying, «Because I know whom I have believed.» There’s our word again, and it’s the same word as from John 3:16, the word «pisteuo.» It’s the same word from John 3:16, as in 2 Timothy 1:12: «I know whom I have believed,» not just mentally, and he spells it out and «Am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.»
In other words, somewhere down under, «Christian» means I have actually put my hope of now and forever in the person and the work of Jesus. I’m entrusting my eternity with Him; therefore, it is a major decision in my life. It’s not something I’m born into; it’s something that I walk into because I came through the doors of a church. It’s not something that I’m a part of because I culturally live in a certain geographical part of the world. No, I have made a decision to bank on Jesus now and forever.
I’ve studied His teachings; I’ve seen His death, burial, and resurrection, and I’m banking on His ability to be the way, the truth, and the life—the way for me to come to life in a relationship with the Almighty God. That’s how the earliest followers were known in Acts chapter 4. We see a little glimpse of these people of God, and they’re called «believers.» Acts 4:32 says, «All the believers were one in heart and mind.» So I believe Nicodemus came to the place where he believed, and now there are other people who believe, and collectively, we are the believers.
But then we see a new layer. We’ve gone from belief, and now there’s a new layer coming. We see this layer in Acts as well, but also in chapter 9. So we see believers, but then look what happens when Saul is on his way to persecute these believers: «Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.» Now all these believers are called disciples, and we’ve got a new term that we’re building on. What is a disciple? Well, if you look up this word, it is someone who has proper teaching, but the proper teaching moves them to proper living. That’s what this word «disciple» actually means when you break it down—not just that I understand all the tenets of the teaching, but that the teaching is actually moving me to action and moving me to live out the things that I’m learning.
That’s what a disciple is. A disciple doesn’t just have information; a disciple is now actually taking the information and allowing that to be a guide, if you will, for how they make decisions in life, and they are making those decisions in life. So it’s knowing and living—that’s what this word «disciple» is.
So Saul is on his way, breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. «He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus so that if he found any there who belonged to—do you see it? —to the Way (the capital W-A-Y), if he found any who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.» This term pops up frequently throughout Acts if you want to go and look at it later—chapter 19, verses 9, 23; chapter 22, verse 4; 24, verses 14 and 22—the followers of the Way.
So people were beginning to recognize about these disciples who knew things and were living them out—who had entrusted their present and their eternity with the person and the claims of Christ—they were beginning to say about them, «They’re the people of the Way; they’re the followers of the Way.» Isn’t that interesting? That’s how they were known—not followers of a way, but followers of the Way, the one who said, «I am the Way.» That’s the one we’re following.
And so they were known as followers of the Way. We’ve got belief, we’ve got disciple, we’ve got the Way. But then everything sort of shifts a little bit later in Acts—in chapter 11. Saul gets saved on his way to persecute the people of the Way, so that’s kind of cool, and now he’s in the story as a follower of the Way. And now the gospel is spreading outside of Jerusalem all over the known world, and it spread to this town called Antioch. That’s where we are in chapter 11, verse 19.
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen—that’s Stephen dying for his faith in Jerusalem—when that happened, people just shot out in every direction. It was actually the catalyst, if you will, that God used to take the story of the Way along the way further down the way: the death of this follower of the Way named Stephen. And so people now were traveling as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch telling the message only to Jews.
So this story is traveling, but it’s only traveling within one people group, and that’s the Jewish people group. But God doesn’t want it to stay in the Jewish people group; He wants it to make it to every people group. So that’s now happening, and we see it in the next verse: «Some of them—verse 20—however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene (Cyprus, the little island in the Mediterranean; Cyrene, on the northern part of Africa)—they went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also.» Uh-oh! Hello! Now more people are getting to hear this message, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Isn’t that amazing?
So now in Antioch, things are breaking loose—not just Jewish people hearing the story of Jesus, but Greeks are now also hearing the story of Jesus, and it’s such big news that in the church in Jerusalem, they’re like, «Man, we better figure out what’s going on.» News of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He—Barnabas—was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples—there we are—the ones who have the information about the teachings of Jesus but now have put it into practice and are actually living it out in their lifestyle of Jesus, the disciples.
Oh man, this is so beautiful! We’re called Christians first at Antioch. In other words, when Jesus was raised from the dead and appeared to His followers in that locked upper room they were in, they saw Him and realized He’s alive from the dead, and they entrusted their lives to Him—they weren’t called Christians. He didn’t say, «Well, congratulations everyone, you’re all now Christians.» When the Holy Spirit came and filled the believers with great power and conviction, they preached the story of Jesus, and three thousand people were added to the church that day. It wasn’t like they came forward, the three thousand of them, and said, «Now you’re a Christian.» No, they were like, «Are you entrusting your now and forever into the ways of Christ and the claims of Christ?»
«Yes, great! You’re a believer.» And now there’s a bunch of believers, and as believers, we’re processing the things Jesus taught us, but we’re letting the things Jesus taught us actually show us how to live our lives. We’re disciples of Christ, and then people are looking at us and going, «Oh man, those crazy people over there—they’re part of the Way!»
«What? The Way? The Way? The Way of Jesus! They’re part of the Jesus Way—the Way, the Truth, and the Life! The Way—they’re part of that.» But here now, all of a sudden, it clicks, and we don’t know who or where or how or when, but someone said, «You guys are Christians,» and it stuck! It stuck right in Antioch.
«What was going on in Antioch?» Everything! It was pandemonium in Antioch. It’s in Turkey, but it would be in northern Syria at this time, and it was a pagan city filled with every kind of wickedness, inside the temple and outside the temple. It was a metroplex that you would go to if Stephen had been murdered and you were a follower of the Way and just wanted to blend in. But now blending in, the gospel is beginning to spread, and it’s jumping over people groups now, so it’s not just Jewish people who know about it but Greeks are hearing the story of Jesus.
And Barnabas and Saul are there for a whole year teaching Bible studies everywhere, and now people are popping up all over Antioch and in the marketplace and in the streets, and people are looking at them and saying, «Man, you guys are—whoa! You’re Christians!» A word that is two words put together, which means «Christ,» obviously, and the ending means «little.» So it’s as if you’re calling somebody a little Christ. The city now has little Christs everywhere. Not people who eventually are going to grow up and be Christ, but God’s got anointed ones everywhere now.
And the first place they ever called them «Christians» was in Antioch. They took on the name and the identity of Jesus. They did not check a box that said, «What is your preference for your religion? I’ll go with Christian.» No, they took on the name.
I’m looking around; it’s a pretty young crowd at 11:45. So maybe somebody online can raise a hand. Does anybody remember the '70s? Hello? Back in the day, there was a band in the '70s called the Grateful Dead, which is a weird name for a band—just think it through sometime today when you have a few moments, you know? And they kind of had a psychedelic rock vibe aided by some outside influences.
Anyone testify? Can I get an amen from anybody from the '70s that’s sober and can remember? And the Grateful Dead would play all across America, and some people would just drop life and go with them. They called them Deadheads, and they didn’t care: «Oh, you’re a Deadhead?» They’d go, «Yeah! I’m not just identifying with a musical genre; I’m identifying with the Grateful Dead. I don’t mind being called a Deadhead. In fact, I’d like to be in the band!»
The Open is finishing right now! Some of you are watching that on your phones. It’s okay; you can still be a believer! Back in the day, again just going back in time, before Tiger, there was a guy named Arnold Palmer. Anyone ever heard of him? You’re like, «Yes! I have that with my lunch all the time! I love an Arnold Palmer! I get half lemonade, half iced tea! In fact, I’m going to have one today now that you mention it! I’m going to have an Arnold Palmer as soon as I get out of here.»
Well, Arnold Palmer actually is a guy, kind of like the shoes I have on; they’re Stan Smiths, and people are like, «Yeah, I like those shoes.» No, it’s actually a guy—a dude, a tennis player. His face—that’s him! It’s not a style; it’s a guy! And Arnold Palmer was so famous as a champion that when he would tee off on the first tee, the whole throng of the patrons would go with him, and they called him—anybody from that era? Arnie’s Army. People loved it! They’d say, «Yeah, that’s me! Me and Arnie; I’m in Arnie’s Army! I’ve identified with him!»
It’s true through life you meet some people in faith, and their particular view of theology is that they are Calvinists—that’s a theologian, if you didn’t know—and they have identified their entire belief system with a theologian named John Calvin. «I am a Calvinist.» I’ve identified with a person. This is Braves country, by the way. All you Mets fans, be on notice—you’re in Braves country! We’ve identified, most of us, the saved ones of us—we’ve identified with the Braves!
You see how that works? I’m not denying the existence of other teams; I’m just telling you that I personally have identified with this team. And that’s what happened when belief—entrusting—grows into discipleship, which is the one I’m trusting in. That’s not just for some future by-and-by. The one I’m trusting in is informing everything I think and do.
I know it sounds exclusive, and it is, except that it’s inclusive in that anyone can come. But anyone who comes has to come through the narrow way. But everyone can get on the narrow way. Anyone who wants to can get on the narrow way, but it is a narrow way. But every nation, tribe, people, and tongue are invited to the grace way. Very different than the works way or the cloudy, hazy way or, «I don’t even know how it works» that way. This is a very, very different way—the grace way! But everybody on the planet can come on the grace way.
It is extremely exclusive because He’s the one and only Son of the Almighty God. But it’s extremely inclusive that whosoever will may come and drink freely of the water of life! But then it amps up to one more level: a Christian—I have identified not with a religion, but I’ve identified with a person.
So I’m not looking at the options of systems; I’m looking into the eyes of a Savior, and I’m saying, «I identify with Jesus. Call me a little Christ if you will!» So what does it mean to be Christian? It could mean a lot of things, but let’s just land here: It means to wholeheartedly and exclusively trust in the person and the claims of Jesus Christ.
In other words, I can’t entrust my present and my eternity to Jesus and also put a little deposit over here in another bank account just in case. I either trust Christ and what He did on the cross for me, or I don’t trust that Christ did enough on the cross for me. If I don’t trust that He did enough on the cross for me, and I put a little deposit with Him, but then I put a little deposit here, a little here, and a little here, and I cover my bases with a little here, here, and I sell short and I go long on these other accounts just in case the market moves a different direction, then I’m not entrusting Christ.
Because Christ said He was the firm foundation, and He said, «It is finished.» So if I don’t believe it is finished, then I don’t believe Christ. And what am I entrusting to? I’m just hedging a bet. I bet there are people in this gathering that are hedging your bet with Christ just in case! «I’m going to put a little down on JC just in case.»
But there are others who have come to a conclusion. You say, «I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to keep what I have entrusted to Him against that day.» What day? The coming day of the Lord—I’ve entrusted to Him so wholeheartedly.
What does it mean to be Christian? It’s someone who could say, «I’ve wholeheartedly and exclusively trusted in the person and the claims of Jesus Christ,» activating a new birth that results—you’re like, «Whoa! This is getting a little complicated. Can we just say, 'I believe in God; I’m a Christian'?» No! A Christian is way more than that!
Activating a new birth that results in a lifestyle—hello! —that mirrors Jesus' values, teaching, and ways so that others may see and know Him. These Christians moving through Antioch were multiplying. Why? Because they checked the box on the census? No! Because they were showing the city a different way!
It’s like that hack when you’re going to that place that your friends have out in the country, and they say, «Yeah, the map’s going to tell you to keep going straight right when you come to the backside of this town, but don’t do that! You’re going to see on the right a house with a big red mailbox, and past that, there’s a little market on the corner. Take a right right there.»
«Oh no, no! The map’s going to tell you to keep going on U.S. whatever, but turn right right there by the market, and then it’ll reroute you, and you’ll get here. That’s how you find it!»
And so if there’s tension in your thinking over this inclusive exclusivity today, don’t let there be tension in that. If there’s tension in your thinking, «Louis, why can’t you just believe in Jesus and then let everybody else believe whatever they want to believe?» Hello! No one needs our permission to believe whatever they want to believe! Everybody already believes whatever they want to believe! Nobody’s sending me a letter or email or calling me saying, «Okay, if I believe whatever I want to believe!»
Everyone on the planet believes whatever they want to believe! So that’s not really the tension point we need to get stuck on today. The point we need to think about today is: Are we willing to let people know what we believe?
The way that I have found—are we willing to let people know? «Listen! I’m telling you, you passed the red mailbox in the little market! You take a right right there! You’re going to be amazed at what happens! You’re going to be amazed at what you find! You’re going to be amazed at how good God is! Listen! Christ—He’s real! I’ll show you how to follow Him! I’ll show you how to know Him! I will reflect what He’s like, what He thinks to you so you can see it in action, and then you can tell me what you think!»
Because people are going to end up thinking most of 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. I have rarely met anyone—I mean literally, you can count on one hand in my entire lifetime—who told me, «I do not like Jesus! I am not down with Jesus!»
But man, people will tell you as fast as you ask them that they do not like Christians! And I’m like, «Why is it that people don’t have an issue with Jesus, but they do have an issue with us?» It’s either because they really don’t know Jesus and maybe they would have an issue with Jesus if they got to know Him because He’s going to get all up in their business, or maybe it’s because we don’t look as much like Him as we should. A Christian or a believer, to be a disciple, to be a part of the Way, is to wholeheartedly and exclusively trust in the person and the claims of Jesus Christ, activating a new birth that results in a lifestyle that mirrors His values, His teaching, and His ways so that others may see and know Him.
Does anybody want to be a Christian? It starts today with belief, and whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. But it doesn’t stay there, and next week we’re going to look at that lifestyle and what it means to show the world what Christ is really all about.