What Are You Now?

I recently had a conversation about religion with someone who grew up Catholic. In the conversation I mentioned I grew up Catholic as well to which I was asked, “What are you now?”

That got me thinking about two conversations. The first where Jesus was asking his disciples about who the people were saying he was. Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” To which Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16)

The second conversation was between Paul and the church in Corinth where there was a lot of division amongst the believers. Paul speaking says, “For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Paul then asked a very important question, “Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1)

Christianity is not embodied in a particular church or denomination, it’s embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

With that in mind, I answered the question, “What are you now?” with the clearest description I could articulate, “I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I currently attend a Baptist church.” To which to person with whom I was speaking replied, “Amen”

Romans 10:8-10 is pretty clear, “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”