Key Scripture:
“And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26
Many people use the word Christian, but it is important for us to understand from Scripture what that truly means. In this devotional, we want to think carefully about who a Christian is, how the life of Christ becomes visible in a believer, and how we grow to bear more fruit by the Spirit of God. This matters because in our time, it is possible for a person to know Christian language, attend church, and even admire Jesus, yet still not understand the seriousness and beauty of the Christian life.
A Christian is more than someone who says he believes in Jesus. A Christian is also more than someone who follows religious practices or identifies with Christianity as a faith tradition. In the New Testament, the Christian life is a life that has come under the rule of Jesus Christ and is being shaped by His Spirit. It is not merely a name we carry. It is a life we are called to live. Christianity is the outward expression of the life of Christ in a person through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This helps us draw an important line between a believer, a disciple, and a Christian. A believer is one who has believed the gospel and put faith in Jesus Christ. A disciple is one who follows Christ, learns from Him, and submits to His teaching. A Christian is one whose union with Christ becomes visible in daily life. These things are closely connected, but Acts 11:26 helps us see something important. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. That title was given because people observed something in them. Their lives, conduct, speech, and devotion showed a clear relationship to Christ. The name Christian was not first about a label they chose for themselves. It was a recognition that these people were marked by Christ.
That is an important truth for us today. Jesus does not call us only to claim Him in words. He calls us to abide in Him so that His life may be seen in us. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” Fruit is the visible evidence of life. In the same way, spiritual fruit is the evidence that the life of Christ is truly at work in a believer. This is why the Christian life cannot be reduced to church attendance, outward activity, or a verbal confession. A Christian is called to bear fruit.
When Scripture speaks of fruit, it is not first speaking about public success or outward achievements. Galatians 5:22 to 23 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. These are not personality traits that some people naturally have more than others. They are the result of the Holy Spirit producing the character of Christ in us. This is why the life of a Christian is spiritual. It is not merely self-improvement. It is not a person trying to imitate Jesus by natural strength. It is the Spirit of God working in a surrendered life.
This is why surrender is so important. No one becomes a fruitful Christian by holding tightly to self and asking Christ to stay on the edges of life. If Christ is Lord, then He must be Lord over the heart, the mind, the desires, the habits, and the direction of life. Romans 12:1 calls us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. Surrender means that we stop resisting the work of God in us. We yield to His Word. We accept His correction. We allow Him to deal with our pride, our selfishness, our double-mindedness, and whatever does not reflect His character.
This can be uncomfortable, but it is necessary. Jesus said in John 15:2 that every branch that bears fruit, the Father prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Pruning is not rejection. It is loving care. God removes what hinders growth. Sometimes He deals with wrong attitudes. Sometimes He exposes hidden sin. Sometimes He teaches us through correction, waiting, and discipline. All of this is part of His work in making us more like Christ.
So how does a believer grow into a Christian life that truly bears fruit? First, we must abide in Christ. We do not bear fruit by trying to appear spiritual. We bear fruit by remaining close to the Lord through His Word, through prayer, through obedience, and through fellowship with Him. Second, we must walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” This means we must stop depending on natural strength and learn to yield daily to the Spirit of God. Third, we must be willing to obey what God shows us. Growth does not come by hearing truth only. It comes by responding to it.
We should also remember that Jesus said believers are the light of the world. In Matthew 5:16, He says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” This means the Christian life is meant to be visible. Not for self-display, but for the glory of God. Our actions matter. Our words matter. The way we respond to people matters. The way we live in private matters. A Christian should increasingly reflect Christ not only in worship, but also in conduct, humility, truthfulness, purity, patience, and love.
This is why heaven is not impressed by empty profession. What God desires is reality. He is not looking for people who only know how to speak like believers. He is looking for people in whom the life of His Son is being formed. The Christian that heaven approves is not the one who appears impressive before men, but the one who is yielded, sincere, teachable, and fruitful. It is possible to be still growing and yet be real. What matters is that Christ is truly at work in the life.
So as you reflect on this, do not settle for carrying the name Christian without pursuing the life of Christ. Ask the Lord to make your walk real. Ask Him to help you abide in Him, walk by His Spirit, and bear fruit that honors His name. Ask Him to search your heart and remove what hinders growth. True Christianity is not a performance. It is the life of Christ formed in us and expressed through us by the Spirit of God.
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for calling us to Yourself. Help me not to be content with only a name or outward profession. Teach me to abide in You, to walk by Your Spirit, and to bear fruit that brings glory to God. Search my heart and remove what does not reflect Your life. Form Your character in me and help me to live as one who truly belongs to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.