Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Pretty simple isn’t it? Believe in Jesus and you will go to heaven. Which Jesus was he speaking of though? Can you believe in a Jesus that is not the one who made this statement? Is there a different Jesus? Paul said that there were other faiths that believed in a Jesus or a gospel that wasn’t the true Jesus or the true Gospel. He said, “For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully” (2 Corinthians 11:4). The concept is explained further by Paul, when he wrote, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another, only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:6-9).

What does all this mean? It means that what we believe about Jesus and the gospel is important. The details are important. Just because someone or some group claims to Christian, does not mean they are Christians. If they do not believe in Jesus and the gospel as defined by the Bible, they do not believe in Jesus. In fact, the above verse says that that person is “accursed.”

The gospel is the salvation message of the Bible. We are saved by the grace of God and we accept that saving grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). We cannot earn it; we can only accept it “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:9). That faith is in the person of Jesus Christ (John 3:16) and His work (Romans 10:9). If we truly live by faith, then we will be both obedient to Christ and maintain a personal relationship with Him. “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23). If a person does not have a personal relationship with Christ, then Jesus will not allow that person into heaven.

We accept the gospel by faith in the person of Jesus and in His work, as defined by the Bible. The work of Christ was that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless/perfect life, died on the cross, and was raised from the dead. We must believe in the virgin birth for without it there is no salvation. Paul said “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). We must believe He lived a sinless life. “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). We must believe in His death for salvation. “…Christ died for our sins…” (1 Corinthians 15:3). We must believe that He was raised from the dead, because “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

We must believe in the work of Christ and we must believe in the person of Christ as defined by the Bible. Jesus was fully man and fully God. Jesus has a physical resurrected body that can be touched. “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 22:39). Jesus is fully God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is the creator of all things. “For by Him all things were created” (Colossians 1:16). Jesus is the Christ/Messiah and the Son of God. “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:16-17).

A true Christian is one who is a Christian based on how the Bible defines one. A biblical Christian is one who accepts the true person of Jesus Christ and His saving work. I wrote this article out of concern for what opinions are being shared in response to Mit Romney, a Mormon, running for president. I have heard liberals and conservatives alike put Mormonism on the same level as other Christian denominations. However, Mormonism is not another Christian denomination. In fact, it is not Christian at all. Mormonism does not fit the biblical definition of a Christian. There are other groups that claim to be Christian as well, that are not either. I have listed basic beliefs of the Christian in comparison with some of these groups below. You can see that these other groups are not Christians. They believe in a different Jesus and a different gospel

The means to salvation

Christian: Salvation is provided for by the work of Christ, which is the virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead. We accept that salvation through putting our trust in Christ and His work.

Mormon/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: Salvation is received by faith in Christ and baptism by immersion. It is earned through obedience to the teaching of the Mormon Church, good works, and obedience to the commandments of God. There are three levels of salvation/heaven. The highest level of salvation is to become a god on your own planet to rule and physically populate.

Jehovah's Witnesses: Salvation is earned through obedience to God and joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Society.

Christian Science: Salvation is not needed because we are perfect spiritual beings and do not have physical bodies. The physical world does not exist; it is just our imagination.

Jesus

Christian: He is the Son of God, Christ/Messiah, the Creator, fully man, and fully God

Mormon/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: Jesus was the spirit brother of Lucifer, the devil. He was a man who became a god. He was born from a sexual relationship between the physical god the father and Mary.

Jehovah's Witnesses: He is Michael the Archangel, who divested himself of his angelic nature to become a perfect man. He is a god, but not the God.

Christian Science: He is not the Christ, but a divine ideal that is present in all of us. Jesus did not exist in the flesh.