What Sets Us Apart?

Read Galatians 2:11-21

What sets us apart as Christians? What makes us a Christian?

Some say those who know and believes in the Christian doctrine are Christians. But even the demon knows the Apostle’s creed. They believe in the doctrine, but they are not Christians.

Others might say those who live in righteousness and a good life are Christians. However, there are people who are good to others—help the poor and the orphan, kind to their neighbor, cares for others—but they are not believers at all.

Or maybe those who always pray and read the Bible are the true Christians? Knowing God or being loving to others are all necessary signs of being a Christian. But these are still insufficient.

What makes us a Christian is not our works, but the works of Jesus Christ. What sets us apart? Grace—the undeserved favor of God. Romans 5:15 says, “If many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for many.” We are Christians because of Jesus Christ. His grace is that quality that produces gifts for guilty sinners in salvation.

A genuine Christian knows that his salvation is not because of what he has done. He knows that apart from the grace of God, he will not experience eternal life. He knows that his every breath is not of his own doing, but all by the grace of God through Jesus Christ.