What is a Christian?


I remember being taught that "Christian" meant "little Christ;" someone who lives as Christ would.

This is not what I hear any church preaching or teaching today.

I hear that to be a Christian we need to define wrong/right, choose sides, and live lives of constant repentance.

I'm not sure that's what Christ lived or taught.

I shall be re-reading the Gospels over the next few months. I'm pretty sure, though, I will find that Christ did not focus of sin, repentance, or punishment.  I'm fairly certain Jesus did not promote the fear of hell.

My belief is still that we, as Christians, missed Jesus' message altogether. I believe His message was that we all had it wrong from the first time we offered sacrifices to "cover" our sins, I believe His message was that God loves all His children in all of creation; the end.  I believe that, when it was obvious that even His closest Disciples weren't getting the message, He had to sacrifice Himself so that everyone could (hopefully) stop focusing on guilt, shame, and the cycle of repentance. I believe that when we continue to preach that God seeks to punish us, we are wasting Jesus's message. life, and sacrifice,

So. What is a Christian?

According to the standardized message of church institutions, I am not a Christian.

According to what I understand of Christ, I think I am; I will love others unconditionally,

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