Being a Christian

Day forty-four

As always I was looking forward to the Sabbath.  I enjoy taking the sacrament and focusing on the Lord to start my week off.  So I expressed a deep gratitude for these opportunities in my prayer this morning and asked that the Spirit would be with me and all those that attended church services.  I prayed that we might love and support each other in our journey here on earth and that we would feel His love for us today.

Today I finish up the Articles of Faith with a study of Article of Faith 13:

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.  If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Elder Mark E. Peterson taught:  "Honesty, truth, virtue, and kindness are hallmarks of true Christianity.  If we lack them, we can hardly say that we follow Christ..."

The phrase 'hallmarks of true Christianity' got me thinking:  What does it mean to be a Christian?  And why is there a code of conduct for a Christian?

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Joseph B. Wirthlin states: "...two characteristics identify Christians: (1) they profess belief in a Savior, and (2) they act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings."

(1) belief in a Savior

The Bible Dictionary describes Christians as:  A name first given to believers in Jesus Christ at Antioch in Syria, about A.D. 43 (Acts 11:26).  It was perhaps given contemptuously, but was accepted by followers of Christ as a fit title (1 Pet 4:16).

So all those that believe in Christ as their Savior can use the title Christian.  No where could I find a rule that states that the term Christian is attached to just one church.  In fact, all churches that believe in Christ have a right to call themselves Christian.  It is the belief in Christ and not the belief in any specific creeds or traditional doctrines that define a Christian.

Why is there a code of conduct for a Christian?

(2) act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings

Once a person accepts the title of Christian there is an expectation of action.  These actions are based on the example of Jesus Christ.  We are not only to believe in Christ, but we are expected to become more like him.  Just saying the words "I believe" is not enough, we are supposed to work at being Christ-like.

To quote Elder Mark E. Peterson again: "Professions of piety, without the works of piety, are sheer hypocrisy and are dead..."

I know that for me the thought of being a hypocrite makes me ill.  I have a hard time with Christians that say one thing, but their behavior expresses something totally contradictory.  I understand that we are all hypocrites to some extent, but I think that we can minimize our chances of hypocrisy by becoming more Christ-like.  It should be by our actions and our words that others know that we are Christians.

As a Christian I appreciate the direction given in Article of Faith 13. It lists some of the Christlike attributes we should be striving for: honesty, truth, chastity, benevolence, virtue, and doing good to all men.  It also helps us to know what we should believe in, hope for, and endure through.  And it lets us know what we are to seek for; anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy. 

My study session today has inspired me to be a better Christian and to be thankful for all those that call themselves Christians.  I find myself thinking that even with the wide variety of beliefs among the various Christian churches, it is better to take a person's claim to be a Christian at their word and by their actions and let the Lord be the judge.