To Be A Christian

 What does it mean to be a Christian? I've asked this question many times, and I think it needs to continue to be asked because we need to understand what the answer really is as it was originally meant. To be a Christian was to devote oneself to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. It meant that you were devoting yourself to living as Jesus Christ taught, and walking as He walked. To operate as He operated throughout His entire life.
    The Christians of the first and second centuries taught that if anyone is found not living as Jesus Christ taught, then they were not a Christian even if they professed with their lips what He taught. Even Paul was explicit when he told the Corinthians to expel the man sleeping with his father's wife, and to not associate with anyone who named himself a brother (in Christ) who operated from the responses of his malfunctioning flesh (Paul used the examples of whoring, avariciousness. idolatry, alcoholic, and so on). Both Jesus and Paul taught that if a brother had fallen into error, then another brother was to go to them and gently correct them. If the brother refused to be corrected, then they were to take one or two more for an intervention. If the brother still wouldn't be corrected, then they were to expel the person from their congregation. In the book of Acts, when Simon Magus, who had been baptized by Philip, offered money to Peter in order to be able to give someone the Holy Spirit, Peter rebuked and completely disowned him as a Christian regardless of his baptism. John was explicit in his first epistle that anyone who claims to make their home in Him is obligated to walk as He walked.
     Trying to follow the law of Moses, the ten commandments, adhere to six-day creationism, being anti-abortion, belonging to a particular political party, or supporting a particular secular leader do not make one a Christian. Going to church, praying a prayer, tithing, going to Bible school, becoming a pastor, preaching, or believing particular theologies do not make one a Christian. According to the ancient Christians themselves, what makes someone a Christian is devoting themselves to live as Jesus taught and walking as He walked. Period. Baptism was the initiation of one's discipleship, but it was not the end. To be a disciple meant, literally, to make one's home in Jesus Christ and to stay there, turning around and returning if you were found wandering off.
     Disciples of Jesus Christ are best when they are in community with others who are also genuine disciples and have the same goal of staying put in Jesus Christ. This being said, discipleship is, first and foremost, a personal choice and commitment. No one can do it for you. You are either in submission to the Spirit of Christ, or you are not. No one can be in submission to Him for you. It doesn't work that way. No one can walk as He walked for you. You are personally responsible to watch yourself as to whether or not you are operating from your own malfunctioning flesh or from the Spirit of Christ. A disciple of Jesus Christ must be a functioning disciple solo before they can really be a functioning disciple in community.
     If a person is not going to bother making their home in Him and staying put there, they shouldn't bother calling themselves a Christian. If a person is going to continue to operate from their own malfunctioning flesh without correction, then they shouldn't speak evil of Jesus Christ by calling themselves a follower of His. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ means representing Him and being Him for others around you.