What Does It Truly Mean to be Christian?

Those who put themselves in His hands will become perfect. That is, perfect in love, joy, beauty, wisdom and immortality. If a conversion to Christianity makes no significant improvement in a person's outward actions we must suspect that his/her conversion is not significant or near complete. It may perhaps be useful to use this as a test whenever one is striving to climb the spiritual staircase. That is, if there is little advancement in overt behavior, spiritual advancement is suspect.

I suspect that our world is not made of simply Christians and non-Christians. I have always believed that there is a spectrum-like relation not unlike the light spectrum. Afterall isn't it true that there exists a significant number who are ceasing to be Christian? Likewise there are significant numbers who are slowly becoming Christians though they do not call themselves that. I believe there are people who do not accept the complete Christian doctrine about Christ; yet they are strongly attracted by Him that they indeed are His in a much deeper sense than they themselves discern. There are people in other religions who are being led by God's influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity; thus they belong to Christ without knowing it. Evidence of this, I would argue could be Muhatma Gandhi. It should be noted that there exists significant numbers who are confused (in mind) and possess a bunch of inconsistencies all meshed together. Therefore, it is useless to make judgments about Christians and non-Christians; I contest that it is because it is a somewhat vague idea as far as we understand it.

Therefore what does it really mean to be Christian, then? I think it is as simple as becoming Christ-like. Now although that sounds simply it is impossible without His help and if I may add, our death. Now how far we move along this path to perfection will vary significantly among us. Yet I believe for most the significant work will indeed be finished after death.