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A 2020 study by the Pew Research Center indicated that 65% of American adults claim to be Christians. One hundred forty million Americans claim to be Protestant Christians and another 70 million declare themselves Catholic. But since 67% of Americans say they seldom, if ever, attend church and only 18% attend weekly, it's fair to ask "What marks a Christian?"
Some might reply that belief qualifies one as a Christian. James, Jesus' half-brother, strongly disagrees. James 2:19 reads, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder." Some wrongly think they are Christian because they believe in God and grew up in the United States, a "Christian nation." Others point to church involvement as evidence of Christianity, but critics point to the number of people who attend church for social connection and societal approval, not for reasons of faith.
So what marks a Christian?
A number of characteristics are indicative of faith, but a good starting point is the one Jesus gives in John 13:34-35 (NIV), "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." In John 15:12, Jesus clarifies the kind of love He has in mind: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."
For Jesus, love is concrete, expressed in actions. For Jesus, love is proactive, taking the initiative to do what is right for humanity. Romans 5:8 asserts, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." And for Jesus, love is unlimited; Jesus pays the ultimate price because of His love for mankind.
Since we must love as Jesus loved, think about how Jesus dealt with difficult people and situations.
For example, Jesus' closest friends, the apostles, disappointed him by arguing about who among them was the most important as they arrived for the Last Supper. So Jesus washed their feet, including the feet of Judas, his betrayer. Then Jesus told the Apostles, "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:34-35). When hurt by your friends, double-down on service and treat them as you wish you had been treated.
One of Jesus' first appearances after his resurrection was to Peter (1 Corinthians 15:5), who had disloyally denied any connection to Christ. In doing so, Jesus modeled the instruction he gave his disciples in Matthew 18:15: "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you..." Jesus later walks beside the Sea of Galilee with Peter, reassuring his friend that the mistake was forgiven and that Peter still had a role in Jesus' plans for the Kingdom (John 21:15f).
Jesus was the victim of racial prejudice when he tried to spend the night in a Samaritan village. Because Jesus, a Jew, was headed toward Jerusalem, the Samaritans refused him lodging. "When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village" (Luke 9:54-56). Despite the hostility of the Samaritans, Jesus responded with patience and grace.
When confronted by the messy lives of notorious sinners, Jesus reached out in love instead of reacting with judgment or avoidance. When Jesus saw need, he gave. When criticized, Jesus responded with truth, not anger.
Considering Jesus' example, "love each other as I have loved you" sets the bar high! The earliest Christians, however, gave it their best shot. Aristides described Christians to the Roman Emperor, Hadrian: "They love one another. They never fail to help widows, they save orphans from those who would hate them. If they have something, they freely give to the man who has nothing. If they see a stranger, they take him home and are happy, as though he was a real brother. They don't consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God."
So if challenged to prove you are a Christian, do you love like Jesus loves?
Mark Wilmoth
Pinehurst Christian Church
Marietta