{{2011_03_23_t1.jpg}} {{2011_03_23_t2.jpg}} {{2011_03_23_t3.jpg}} [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2011_03_23|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]] [[topics_collection_iii|| Topics Collection iii ]] ======What makes me a Christian? ...====== Wednesday, March 23, 2011. We need to come back to the phrase of Billy Graham which we started with yesterday. What is it that makes me a Christian? Is it the place of birth, like for the human who was born in a garage? But he is not a motor car! If we are born in a church, that does not make us a Christian! {{2011_03_23.jpg }} **Christian through faith ...** It is faith which makes us a Christian. If we believe in Jesus, if he is our saviour, then we are a Christian. We are saves by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing else. For some people the above statements might appear quite trivial. They are taken from the apostle Paul, from his letter to the church in Rome ("Romans"), from statements which you find in several places of the New Testament. . Yet, it is not completely trivial when you look into many countries on this planet today. Christianity has become a part of the culture, but faith has been lost. People have been born into Christianity, but they have never been told that the New Testament clearly states that only faith will bring you near to God! Only faith saves. {{ 2011_03_23_2.jpg}} **What to do now? ...** We might continue the discussion and start to argue about church history or about the correct way to deal with faith, baptism and various acts which are carried out by Christian communities all over the globe. But that cannot be the key point, it is just distracting. The key point is: how is my faith doing? Have I come to faith already? What faith is it that opens the door to the Lord and is the door open for me today? I think that everyone of us needs to ask these questions on the particular personal background. The things which are clear and those which are unclear can vary significantly. We can support each other in this process. We can share our experiences and insight, and we can look into the questions which someone asks. Christians often meet in small groups, often in some type of house group once a week. This is an ideal place to ask questions, read some part of the bible and discuss what is stated there. It is a great opportunity to find a personal approach to the texts, to talk about faith, about the experiences of a Christian life, about prayer and about who God is! [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_iii|... more texts]]