What does it mean to be a Christian? Does it mean simply that you go to church? Perhaps that you prayed a prayer telling Jesus you believe in him? Does it mean that you need to live a perfect life to be worthy of God? Or perhaps it means enjoying the freedom of a loving Creator.

What does it mean to be a Christian?

At its core, it is very simple: Romans 10:9–10 “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

But surely, there is more to it than that? Why bother to live for Jesus, or to seek to bring him glory and honour in this world, if that is all there is to look forward to in the Christian life? If heaven is the only purpose?

What is the purpose of the earthly Christian life? Matthew 28:19–20 “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

Teach more people to give their lives to Jesus and to follow him. Our role is to fill heaven with people who love and live for Jesus!

How? Matthew 22:37–39 “Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Where do we go when faced with these two words: “Love” and “command”?

For some Christians, “Love”—in their human understanding—is what they cling to. They say things like “My God is so loving, of course he is fine with your lifestyle. He just wants you to be happy.” And so, they reinvent God and reinterpret Scripture to suite their understanding of Love.

For other Christians, “command” is the word that settles in their hearts. They work hard to make themselves worthy of salvation. They exhaust themselves and they look down on others. They may even make up additional rules—much like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day—to make people even more “holy.”

But truly, what does Jesus give us? Does he tell us to love—however we define that word—or does he tell us to obey his commandments—whatever obedience looks like?

In fact, he tells us to love: first loving God through complete surrender and submission, and second, loving our neighbour as our own self. We love God and his ways first, then we direct his love toward the other.

But this in itself is obeying two of God’s greatest what? Commandments.

And this is the crux of the matter: salvation is by grace through faith, due to the love of God for us, so we may not boast. We cannot earn it, so instead it was freely given.

But we are saved by grace so that we may do works. As James says in Scripture: “faith without works is dead.” If our faith does not compel us to “pick up your cross and follow me,” then it is not alive in you.

But Christ invites you and me into something so much greater than just waiting idly by, hoping to reach heaven. He offers us eternal life—but that begins now! His Holy Spirit has been given as a guarantor of our eternity, and gives us access to the Kingdom and eternal life TODAY!

This is the truest form of humanity: to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, who is the picture of humanity in the uncorrupted image of God. Just as Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit and in full communion with the Heavenly Father, so Christians are invited to join in the family of God, calling him “Abba, Father,” and abiding in Christ as Christ abides in his Father.

John 15:8–12 ESV

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Love and Command—they are not separate, but go hand-in-hand. God’s commands are not cruel and do not depend on our ability; rather, upon our submission to his work in us through the Spirit, enacted by his work on the cross and the victory over death won at his resurrection. Likewise, God’s love is not permissive or subject to the mere shadows of love understood by fallen humanity. No, in fact, the love of God is one that calls the first to be last, that leaves the 99 for the 1, that understands that John 15:13 “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” And which tells us that Hebrews 12:6 “the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.””

Love and Command. They lead us into a fruitful life now and forever more. They give us peace, knowing that they depend on the work already done by our Great Saviour, Jesus Christ. Yet, they call us to sacrifice what we feel and believe to be right for what Scripture pronounces, and they call us to give ourselves over to humility toward God and others and so, to bask in God’s love and enjoy the intimacy of the Truest of friends who sticks closer than a brother: Our Lord, Jesus.