What is a Christian?

The answer may seem obvious, but how we answer that question has profound implications for discipleship, church membership, accountability, and church discipline.

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers continues laying the foundation for a biblical understanding of church discipline by examining what Scripture teaches about the identity of a Christian. A Christian is more than someone who agrees with certain beliefs. A Christian is someone who has been made new by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Drawing from passages throughout the New Testament, this teaching explores three essential aspects of the Christian life: a new condition, a new community, and a new calling. Christians are new creations in Christ, members of God's family, and people who have been called to live lives that reflect the holiness and glory of God.

Understanding this new identity helps us understand why accountability, encouragement, correction, and spiritual growth are normal parts of the Christian life and the life of the church.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.