#1 of 4: What is a "Christian"?
A sinner redeemed as a Saint to live for Christ
Every time when I hear people use the term "Christian" to describe people who practise the religion of Christianity, my spirit crunches with an intense sense of wrong. It is like saying president of a country is another job category; or a trip to the moon with a seat booked on a space shuttle is another vacation. What words can sufficiently describe "Christians", who are individuals that God, the divine and the infinite, chooses to live within, out of His tremendous love and grace? How can anyone not be in awe of being in such a state of divine mystery? Had Christians not taken this for granted, Christian life should be the most exciting that naturally attract others to God.
"Christian" is a term of a relationship of love,
(initiated by God the Father;
manifested in Christ the Son;
enlightened by the Spirit)
responded by those who receive Christ as Lord,
through the yielding our lives to follow Him as His disciples.
"Christian" = a follower of Christ Jesus as His disciple
Christian Life takes a REBIRTH (by the Spirit) to Start;
and moment by moment RENEWAL (by the Spirit) to Continue into Eternity.
#1: REBIRTH by the Spirit:
A supernatural transformation of nature
Since the fall of the human race (Genesis 3), each human is born with a sinful nature that is intrinsically incapable of doing good that can meet the requirements of God. Our sinful nature is so much a part of us that blinds us from realizing that we are sinners! Then, by the grace of God, a divine initiation takes place in one's life. Such divine encounter may be a very long process or it may be instantly, but by and large, when a sinner is transformed to become a Christian, it has the following three essential pivotal points:
[i] There comes the moment of epiphany of the in-the-face reality and agreement of one's sinfulness. Without identifying with my own shockingly dark side, and agreement from my heart with how much I deserved to be charged as guilty, there is no hunger for a new life. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who needs a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the 'righteous', but sinners." Mark 2:17
[ii] There is a personal encounter with Christ, with one's belief and faith, that His birth; His death on the cross and His resurrection can settle one's sins once and for all. There is a deep appreciation of the ultimate supremacy of Christ over ALL things (Colossians 1:15-23) ; and His act, so outrageously contrasting to His supreme status, of lowering Himself as human; and His ultimate humility of choosing to die the most humiliating death, then resurrected from it. All of these was done for my sake, out of His deep love for me, so that I now, through Christ, can have a way out from what I deserved, and be reconciled to God as the Father, and be restored as His beloved child.
[iii] There is a deliberate invitation for Christ to come to one's heart, yielding one's life completely over to the lordship and control of Christ, out of the person's response to the sacrificial love of Christ. It is only with the agreement of the depth of my own sinfulness; and the extreme love of Christ for me, that I willingly to live on with Christ as the sole reason and purpose of my life.
Then, the extreme supernatural make over of the nature happens. The sinful nature of man is transformed into a spiritual nature. The gift of the permanent indwelling of God the Spirit is given. A spiritual birth has taken place! God the divine lives in the heart of man as His temple! How can this not be a real big deal!!
Each time it happens to an individual, heaven and earth rejoice! 
The evident presence of the Holy Spirit is the trademark of all Christians,
certifying their authenticity and telling the counterfeits apart.
#2: RENEWAL by the Spirit:
Living by the Spirit in order to obey Christ's commands
The spiritual re-birth is just a seed and a new beginning. Such new life must journey on to finish well to bear good fruit that lasts for Christ. Such a life is characterized by Christ the Lord as the center purpose and focus. Choices, mindsets, thinking and decisions reflect a sincere motivation to seek obedience to Christ's commands. This is not to say that it is to the point of perfection, but it is for sure a conscious direction and sincere motivation. It is not for the fear of losing the benefit of eternal life, but instead, it is compelled by a deep sense of Christ's love (2 Corinthians 5:14).
BUT we can't do it by ourselves with our flesh, even in this new spiritual nature! It is completely futile, and will only produce frustration and defeat, when we live our Christian life solely relying on our own understanding; common sense; determination; method and effort.
The only way to live a life that is approved by God is by willfully yielding to the Spirit that is now in his new nature. By the strength enabled through the Spirit, life is transformed, moment by moment, as supernaturally as the spiritual birth.
Learning to talk to and hear from the Holy Spirit moment by moment is as critical to every Christian's spiritual life as learning to breath in air in our physical life.
The more we come to the realization of the futility of the flesh,
the more we yield to the Spirit for transformation,
the more fruit we bear, the more affirmation that we are His disciples.
the more we yield to the Spirit for transformation,
the more fruit we bear, the more affirmation that we are His disciples.
The only way to live a life that is approved by God is by willfully yielding to the Spirit that is now in his new nature. By the strength enabled through the Spirit, life is transformed, moment by moment, as supernaturally as the spiritual birth.
Learning to talk to and hear from the Holy Spirit moment by moment is as critical to every Christian's spiritual life as learning to breath in air in our physical life.
Why so? Because the will of the Father is ONLY known by the Spirit. Anyone who seeks to know and do God's will must go through the Spirit! To His children who seek with a pure and trusting heart, the Father reveals His will through the Spirit by providing wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9). The Spirit also provides comfort; guidance and strength to enable His children to do the will of the Father in all situations of this spiritual marathon!
A Christian who lives INDEPENDENT OF the Holy Spirit is like
Driving a car without engaging the engine:
IT WON'T GO ANYWHERE!
The identity of a Christian is in Christ and Christ ALONE!. When we live with this identity:
- We are set free from being self-absorb. Life situations, good or bad, are just different context in which Christ glorifies Himself through us.
- We are set free from people's rejections and approvals as we only need to please God, we are free to be who we are in Christ and we no longer need to live in the bondage of people-pleasing!
- We are set free from fear and insecurity as we claim Christ's promise that He will never leave us or forsake us.
- We have Christ's authority over the evil one and therefore can live a life of victory over the evil one.
Our identity in Christ gives us the privilege to be:
- A Royal Priest (1 Peter 2:9)
- A beloved child of our Heavenly Father (John 1:12, Romans 8:16)
- An Heir of God (Romans 8:17)
Do I live out a lifestyle worthy of my status as a heavenly Royalty?
Or
Do I live in a pit with dirt & filth, not realizing that I'm actually a heavenly Royalty?
Or
Do I live in a pit with dirt & filth, not realizing that I'm actually a heavenly Royalty?
