What is a Christian?

The simplistic answer to this question is that a Christian is a believer and follower of Jesus the Christ. This is a comforting but rather broad statement. Some clarification is in order. The Christian believes in the Triune God; that is, one God in three Divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit---the Trinity. He believes that God is pure love and all merciful. The Christian believes that humanity, while created for God, was separated from God through a free choice for sin, and is in need of a healer. That healer is Jesus, who lived a teaching, guiding life and died a redeeming death on a cross. Christians are a people of the Resurrection, believing that Jesus rose from the dead, to conquer the death of sin eternally. All basic Christian doctrines are contingent upon each other and cannot be fully authentic if taken separately.
What are the outward signs of a Christian? A Christian is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. A Christian follows Christ according to the plan laid down in a book called the Holy Bible. A Christian is confident in God’s forgiveness of sin when confessed with true sorrow. A Christian keeps in contact with God on a daily basis through prayers of praise, petition, thanksgiving and contrition for sin.
A Christian should be identifiable by his lifestyle. Many Faith Forum writers have illustrated details of a Christian life. An Episcopal priest recently wrote about loving others through simple things, as simple as driving courteously. Unconditional love is central to the Christian faith.
A young pastor I know who shepherds a local Christian Fellowship, always shows a passion for the Word of God, and a willingness to read and share it without reservation. Christians are called to share the message of Christ. This is something which is politically incorrect in today’s world, but it is our commission.
A couple of other writers in our local papers religious forum have dispelled myths about Christians. The pastor of the Nazarene church often illustrates that a Christian does not have to be uptight, but can enjoy the good things in life—like motorcycle riding and traditional holidays. The pastor of the Assembly of God has shown numerous times that Christians do not avoid intellectual questions of science or philosophy but see these as gifts from God. A Christian rejoices in the study of God’s Creation.
Some folk are confused by the Christian concept of sin. Although Christians strive to live in a way that shows unconditional love, they accept that sin is a damaging reality in our lives. A Christian must be honest about this and while not condemning others for their lifestyle, cannot be anything but objective in avoiding a sinful lifestyle, as directed in the Word of God.
Now a Catholic Christian is all of the above, and in addition, believes that the Bible shows clearly that Christ established a church with a sacred priesthood and a sacramental system. Central to the Catholic faith is a belief that Christ, the night before he died, gave us a commission to commemorate his death and resurrection, (the Mass) and gave us a gratuitous gift for our spiritual sustenance—his Flesh and Blood under the appearance of bread and wine, to be administered by a priesthood until the end of time.