Recently, a friend of mine preached a sermon and made what seemed like an almost throwaway comment. He said that Romans 10:9 is a great definition of what it means to be a Christian:
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
In this short sentence, the apostle Paul tells us that two things are necessary for salvation: we must say that Jesus is Lord, and we must believe that God raised him from the dead.
Of course, this is a summary, and each of those words — Jesus, Lord, believe, heart, God, and raised — needs unpacking. But the basic message is wonderfully simple. Becoming a Christian means publicly declaring that Jesus is Lord — that he made the universe and is the one we now bow the knee to. And it means believing that his resurrection really happened — that he defeated death and that his death to pay for our sin was successful.
Who is Jesus?
He is the Lord. The gospel of Mark, to me, seems like a whole book devoted to two themes: who Jesus is and why he came. Mark shows us that Jesus is Lord, and that he came to die and rise again. Declaring this and believing it in our hearts is what makes someone a Christian.
It's not about which family you come from, what country you were born in, or what building you go to each week. It's about repentance and faith. It's about saying, "Jesus is Lord" and believing in him.
The bigger story
The gospel — this good news about Jesus — is part of a much bigger story that stretches back through time and history. It's not just about the 33 years from his birth to his resurrection. It's the climax of a long story — a cosmic struggle that comes to a head at the cross. And the main character, Jesus, is eternal, infinitely complex, and more wonderful than we first imagined.
Becoming a Christian means stepping into a story that's much older and much bigger than we realise. The stakes are higher, and the rewards are greater than just our own personal salvation. It is personal — but it's also part of a vast painting, a plan that spans all of time and eternity.
A question to sit with
So here's a bit of self-diagnosis:
- Am I willing to say, "Jesus is Lord"?
- Do I believe that he is the risen Saviour?
That's the core of it. And if you can say yes — then you're a Christian. So now what?
In short
- A Christian is someone who declares that Jesus is Lord
- And believes in his death and resurrection
- It's about repentance and faith — not background or birthplace