What Does a Christian Do?

What is a Christian, and what does a Christian do?  

As important as this question is, it starts with a question before it: What advantage is it to be a Christian?  

In this life, the Christian experiences God's love, forgiveness, and guidance through his Word and the Holy Spirit. Christians are afforded peace and hope, freedom from fear and worry, and direction for a life that pleases God. (Romans 8:14-17) The Christian also enjoys the blessings of a supportive community of fellow believers and their God-given gifts (Romans 12:3-8). And most significantly, Christians have the hope of salvation through faith, the assurance of eternal life in the presence of God, where there is no more sin, pain, or suffering but great joy as we worship the Lord forever (Romans 8:38-39). 

Being a Christian is of the greatest advantage, but a single event, action, or moment doesn't give us the full enjoyment and blessing of this advantage. Instead, the Christian lives a specific lifestyle as directed by God, and it is by this life that the Christian truly walks in the blessings of the Lord.  

What is a Christian, and what does a Christian do?  

A Christian is a disciple of Jesus Christ, and Jesus said his disciples hear his voice and follow him (John 10:27-29). Christians follow Jesus, abiding in him daily (Luke 11:3, Hebrews 3:13, Acts 17:11).  

Through a study often called "The Commands of Christ," we see imperatives from Jesus about what he commanded his disciples to do. The study also offers examples of people following those commands. By these commands, we know what Christians should do, and we get a picture of what Christians are. The study includes one more instruction that Jesus didn't explicitly command during his earthy ministry, but it's also an important aspect of Christianity, so it's included in the study.

All of the Commands of Christ are an act of worship, which followed the command to worship the Lord our God in Matthew 4:10. What follows is the traditional study called “The Commands of Christ.”

Repent and Believe. The command is found in Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15. Examples include Luke 7:36-50 and Luke 19:1-10.  

Be Baptized. The command is found in Matthew 28:19. Examples include Acts 8:26-39 and Acts 16:25-34.  

Pray. The command is found in Matthew 6:9-13. Examples include Matthew 6:5-15 and Luke 11:5-13. 

Make Disciples. The command is found in Matthew 28:18-20. Examples include John 4:4-42 and Mark 5:1-20. 

Persevere. The command is found in Matthew 10:22. An example is found in Acts 5:27-42. 

Love. The command is found in Matthew 22:37-39. And example is found in Luke 10:25-37. 

Eat the Lord's Supper. The command is found in Matthew 26:26-28. Examples include Luke 22:7-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. 

Give. The command is found in Matthew 6:1-4. An example is found in Mark 12:41-44. 

Gather to Worship. The command is found in Hebrews 10:24-25. An example is found in Acts 2:36-47.