what is a Christian?

i've been thinking all weekend about this topic (well off and on), and i was wondering what do people think about Christians? i think that some people have misconceptions/misunderstandings about Christianity, or a partly true picture (but not complete). and i was wondering what you can tell me about your impression of Christianity and/or Christians? i know before i became a Christian, i thought they were just there to convert people to what they believe, that they tended to have a "i am holier than thou" attitude, and it felt that they were exclusive because there is only "one way" to get to heaven.

i just wanted to clarify what Christianity is by sharing what it means to be a follower of Christ (and if you have questions, i'd love for you to e-mail or post them to me). i think that God has really used the pastor's message at my church to just focus on the fundamentals, because i think that even as a Christian i have lost sight of the fundamentals and can give the impression to others that "i'm more moral" or whatever, when in reality i'm not. so, here i go:

God created the world and everything in it. when God created man and woman, He made them very different from all other creation. man and woman were the only creation that were created in the image of God. God's desire was for man and woman to worship Him, to give the honor and respect that is due God, to obey to Him, to praise Him for all the good things that He gives us, and in sum just to have a relationship with Him. God also gave man and woman free will, and because of the first man and woman's choice to disobey God, we have ALL fallen short in the perfect relationship with God that He intended. and this is what is known as "sin". so, "sin" just doesn't encompass the bad/wrong things, but it's anything that strays away from the perfection of God and His perfect plans and will for our lives. for me, i know i sin so many times, every day. some things include lying, being lazy and not working as hard or with as much integrity as i ought, being selfish, getting angry and taking it out on others, not asking God for help in my life, not talking to God and maintaining a relationship with Him, etc. we could never rid ourselves of sin, no matter how many good things we try to do because the sin that we had done, continue to do, and will do, remains. so, because of the sin that we have in our lives, it makes us imperfect, and God in His perfection, can't be surrounded by imperfection. more than that, God is perfectly just, so He needs to punish the sin that we have in our lives no matter how little or big, needs to be punished. that punishment is death and hell (which is the eternal separation between us and our creator, God). and because we have ALL fallen short and sinned, we all deserve to die.

but there is STILL HOPE that we can be saved from eternal separation from God. God had a plan that could pull us out of the depths of hell, and it is not by our own doing that we can be saved from this judgment. God sent Jesus Christ, who was God in human form. Jesus Christ is the only person who had (and ever will have) a perfect life--a perfect relationship with God, perfect obedience to God, perfect worship of God, etc. because of Christ's perfection, He was not under the punishment of sin, so HE DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE. but in God's redeeming plan for humanity, Christ died on the cross and took our punishment for ALL of our sins and died for us. Christ took our place in facing God's punishment and wrath when He died. if we repent and turn away from our sinful ways and place our faith in Christ, we no longer have to face death, but we can look forward to eternal life heaven if we have faith in Christ and what He has done for us. (and as a side note, Christ rose up three days later and came back to life, showing that death had no hold on Him and that power of God raised Him from the dead and that will raise those that have repented and believed from the dead as well..)

so in a nutshell, as Christians, we believe that God loves us, we KNOW WE ARE SINNERS and DESERVE to die. we have admitted and repented from our old sinful ways and we believe that Christ was God in flesh that died for our sins (and in turn our deserved punishment), rose to life again and is now in heaven, so that we can have eternal life in heaven because we are forgiven by God for our sins by Christ's death.

to close, i just wanted to respond to some of the impressions i had before i became a Christian:
1) Christians think they're holier than non-believers. we are by no means better, holier, more perfect than anybody else on this earth. in truth, we know that are sorely imperfect, and in need of a Savior, who is Christ. the only difference is that we have faith in Christ, and because of this we have security to know that we will not face death, but have eternal life. i am sad to say that there might be Christians out there that have that attitude that they are better or more holy than others and look down upon non-believers, which i believe is the wrong attitude. i believe this is the wrong attitude because it is not by being saved by Christ that makes us better, it only makes us forgiven, not better.

writing what i believe in, and getting back to the fundamentals of my faith has been very humbling, and reminds me how grateful i am for the gift of being saved through Christ. i long so much to share this saving faith with you so that you too might know eternal life.

2) there is only one way to get to heaven. yes, this is true. there is nothing that we could ever do to erase or cleanse us from our sins against God, so death is inescapable. there is nothing that we can do to get closer to heaven except to believe that Christ was God in flesh and perfect and died for us. i find a lot of freedom in knowing that it's by my faith that i am saved, and not by anything i do (or can do).

to end, i just wanted to let you know that i just wanted to share my faith with you out of love, and so that you might know how to get to heaven and to know God. i long so much for you to know God and the truth. it has completely rocked and changed my life, FOR THE GOOD, and i just want you to know the HEALING, POWER, MIRACLE, and so much more of God and Jesus. He loves you more than you could ever know (and more than I could know)! :)

if you have questions/comments, please let me know!