The message of the cross is the message. (Photo: Ihar)
So you’re chatting with a friend, and she says, “Well, I’m a Christian, and I’m Baptist.”
Or, “I’m Catholic.”
Or, “I’m Episcopalian.”
Or, “I’m Emergent.”
Or, “I’m…”
Forget all that for a moment (perhaps forever). What does “Christian” mean? Step back and start off with the basics:
“Do you believe that Jesus died then came back to life?”
In Christianity, we often take that one for granted. I’m consistently amazed at how many people call themselves Christians but deny these basic beliefs.
So here’s the (not James) blunt version: you’re not a Christian if you don’t believe that…
- Jesus died.
- Then Jesus came back to life.
Nice and simple, and I wish it were more obvious. That’s why I’m trying to keep this ridiculously straight forward here.
If you don’t believe those two things, in order, you are not a Christian. Don’t be offended if I say that. And don’t be offended if I hold onto those like crazy.
I don’t think believing these alone make you a Christian – there’s more to it. But if you do, you’re way, way ahead of everyone else. And certainly not far off from joining the ranks of the Jesus Freaks.
So as a bondChristian, your job is to make those two points inescapably clear. Those who say they’re Christian can’t back down when you (or anyone else) start pressing those two criteria. A lot of other stuff is debatable – in Christianity, these aren’t.
It’s a crazy radical belief – I don’t deny that. But it’s the foundation for all things Christian. The rest of Christianity makes no sense without Jesus dying and coming back to life. That’s why it’s important to stay very clear on it.
“[I]f Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” -1 Corinthians 15:14
Yes, I’m confident God could somehow reveal Himself to islanders off the coast of Africa without talking specifically about Jesus dying and coming back to life. Also, I’m sure many of the Old Testament believers didn’t know the specifics of how Jesus would save the world. But…
But this is the New Testament. We know. And we have the Bible. Or at least we’ve had the opportunity. You and I actively denying that Jesus died and came back to life is much different from the naive islanders or believers before Jesus.
Believing that Jesus died then came back to life is crucial for you and me and everyone we share with.
If you haven’t believed this in the past, you’re not hopelessly lost – you can still choose to believe right now. That’s the beauty of it all.
Also, if you or someone you’re sharing with doesn’t believe this, telling them probably isn’t going to change anything, especially if they’re just taking my word for it. That’s not necessarily the point of this article.
This article is here to get the conversation going, just like the question at the beginning. Because whether you believe or not, it’s a good idea to at least acknowledge your position.
“Do you believe Jesus died then came back to life?”
Serving Suggestions:
(1) Do you believe that? I’ve drawn a line (but didn’t make it up). Now choose which side you’re on.
(2) Are you emphasizing this as the starting point for Christianity? It doesn’t have to be a judgmental thing. It’s just a matter of finding where everyone stands. It’s the beginning of serving others on a whole new level.
Twitter Updates
I really don’t see how someone could credibly call themselves Christian and not believe that.
Yes, same here. I’m like, “What did you think ‘Christian’ meant?” Usually, though, the ones who think that are just the ones who’ve never seriously considered it before.
Usually it’s the cultural Christians… those who are Christians because they went to church with their family on Easter and Christmas. Also, this is hopefully for people who’ve considered themselves Christians their whole lives but haven’t come to terms with believing that a man actually died then came back to life.
Even for those of us who would automatically say we agree, I hope the weight of it sinks in. I mean, if you and I actually believe that – that a person came back to life – why are we bothering with all this other (mostly) nonsense that we arguing about instead of reaching people who don’t really understand this basic belief.
For me, it’s very convicting. Like… I believe it, but I don’t always accept the consequences of where that belief leads.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Since I came back to Jesus (and then the Church, as in Catholic). I’ve said I’m Christian before Catholic part. A lot of my friends have disagreed with me on the subject but honestly we all believe the same basics (or should). To put it simply, and maybe too much so, it’s like saying you’re an American before going into your family background.
Christ first. Not doctorine.
Yes, I mean, I think doctrine is part of understanding Christ (without it, we’re just holding some mystical belief). But it’s about understanding which are more important. It’s pretty pointless to me to even worry about other issues if the matter of Jesus dying and coming back to life isn’t settled first.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Its the gospel, plain and simple. I agree with you. It starts here, and it ends here. In its context, every part of scriputre is predictive of the work of Christ, preparatory for the work of Christ, reflective of the work of Christ, and/or resultant of the work of Christ. And this is the death and resurrection, the gospel.
Great post Marshall, thanks.
It is quite amazing how everything else in one way or another weaves back to this. It’s almost like God planned this from the beginning. :>)
-Marshall Jones Jr.
amen! Sometimes things get a little too complicated. The whole reality of Christ actually dying and rising again (and everything that goes with it – the miracles in the BIble, our own bodily resurrection, etc.) only really became *real* to me very recently. It’s eye opening how *really* believing that – with your head AND your heart – affects every single dark corner of your life. Great post
Like I said, we definitely take it for granted. Do we really believe this – that someone died and came back to life? If we really do, I think our lives would look much different than they actually do. I think everything else gets less complicated after we swallow this first part.
It’s a work in progress learning to realize this at least in my life.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Yes, I believe it.
Great post, Marshall.
Amen… so do I. I certainly don’t respect people enough who’ve made that decision.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Often, the “I believe it” versus the “I understand it” confounds me, because I’m an “understand it” kinda guy.
I do believe it, and sometimes I have to work harder than I would like to convince myself of that. Make sense? I’ve never seen the empty tomb, I’ve never seen Jesus walking around, I’ve never touched His scars, and I never saw Him fall under the cross. I didn’t see Him rise up into the sky, and sometimes, quite honestly, I subconsciously say to myself “Do I really even believe that?”
Yet, I know in my heart that I could never deny it, because I do believe it. My eternity is staked on it. I may look foolish sometimes, and I definitely don’t have all the answers. I can’t explain it, even to myself, and I don’t know how to flip the switch to help all the atheists also believe it. My trust is in Jesus Christ crucified and risen, even as screwed up as I am. Even in the times when I don’t feel so freaking spiritually “victorious”, whatever that is, I’m determined that I trust in Jesus Christ crucified and risen.
I hear you, man. I’ve working on a post for a while now about “realizing”… which I define similarly to how “belief” probably should be defined. Because yes, that’s the hard part, especially considering were pretty much guaranteed to not understand everything.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
amen, brother, amen. you totally nailed it on this one.
Thanks, bro. It’s a good one to keep in mind.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Perfect.
There is a line and you stand on one side or the other. Now the tough part comes when you do decide to stand on the side of the line that is belief (even if lacking understanding). What comes next? What else is absolutely essential to being a Christian?
I view it as cake and icing. Belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus is part of the cake, an essential part of being a Christian. Whether you believe in a literal 7 day creation, or interpret it a little more figuratively is part of the icing (in my opinion). So see right here, we are already getting into opinions, and this is where I start to struggle. What else is required to stand on the side of the line that says, “Christian”?
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Yeah, that’s exactly why I started this series… to try and sort this out a bit. I only have up to the second part so far, but I’m looking forward to adding to it.
One of the biggest “secondary” beliefs that changed my thinking on all the others was the virgin birth. I totally believe that Mary, Jesus’s mother, had never had sex with a man prior to Jesus’s conception… and I think that’s pretty fundamental to Christian thought in general. But it’s not absolutely necessary. And I’m convinced of that because when I first accepted Jesus into my heart, I was only five years old. I didn’t even understand virginity. But I have no doubt that I actually did become a “Christian” in that moment.
From there, you’re right… it blows the doors right open because it reveals how gracious we can be with people who don’t believe the same things we do.
It means the rest of those beliefs, the “secondary” ones, only matter insofar as they help us know God more fully and help us minister to others. They might distance us from God if we mess them up, but they won’t disconnect us completely.
God’s cool like that, you know?
-Marshall Jones Jr.
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