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What is a Christian?

by T. Austin-Sparks

First published as a booklet by “Witness and Testimony Literature” in August 1944.

Among non-Christian peoples, a turning to Christ is often referred to as ‘accepting Christianity’, and in what are called Christian countries conversion is frequently referred to as ‘becoming religious’. Such expressions, with their associated ideas, are altogether inadequate and indeed fundamentally false. To be a true Christian is not to accept a creed or statement of doctrine, to observe certain rites and ordinances, attend certain services and functions, and conform more or less diligently to a prescribed manner of life. A Christian is not a person who is religious, either more or less. A Christian is not a person who has taken on a lot of ‘dos’ and ‘do nots’. God is not going to deal with us on these grounds. Neither is He going to judge men on the basis of the number or nature of their sins. He has one basis of judgment…. any other basis would be unfair, because everyone, by his or her birth, upbringing, advantages, temperament, and so on, would be either favoured or otherwise. That one basis of judgment is, and will be: What are we doing with God’s Son, Jesus Christ?

Chapter 1

Chapter 2