What Makes Someone A Christian?

Being a pastor you get accused and labeled a lot of things. Mostly by people you don't know, sometimes by people who have misunderstood, misquoted, or misheard something you said. Regardless, some of these labels I never thought would be attached with my name. Such as...

Cory doesn't preach the fUlL gOsPeL...
He's a heretic...
He's a false teacher...
He's one of those greasy grace guys...

and most recently...
Cory is not a Christian anymore.

Insert triggered meme...

Not a Christian anymore? What do people even mean when they say these things about people they don't know...

The irony are the accusations themselves. Because anyone, at anytime, including myself, can act like the spirit of anti-christ while accusing others. Especially people you don't really know.

So let's clear the air. Because being labeled a Christian is based on one simple belief = Jesus is Lord. That's it!

Being a Christian is not determined by whether or not you...
Doubt
Speak in tongues
Serve in your church
Go on missions trips
Take care of orphans and widows
Give generously
Have a daily quiet time
Struggle with the same habitual sin
Drink
Forgive

Being a Christian is not determined by whether or not you're...
Divorced
Gay or affirming
Pro women in leadership roles
Pro-life or Pro-choice
Baptized or what you even believe about baptism

Being a Christian is not determined by whether or not you...
Believe in eternal conscious torment
Believe in a literal devil
Believe in a wrathful God
Believe in inerrancy
Believe in KJV only
Believe in the Trinity
Believe in Creation
Believe in Science

Being a Christian is not determined by your understanding of...
Theology
Christology
Sanctification
Eschatology
Atonement theory
Pneumatology
Ecclesiology

Again, the only thing that determines if you're a Christian or not is your belief in Jesus.

Now the proof of that belief is an interesting conversation because the proof will always be love…ALWAYS. For they will know you are a Christian by your love for one another (John 13:35). Love - even if they disagree with your theology. Love - even if they label you without knowing you. Unity is not about agreement - it's about willing to lay your life down for someone else whether they agree with you or not. That's beauty. That's what will change the world.

I wonder what would happen if the church as a whole lived the message God gave to Peter in Acts 10:28 … “But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.”?