The essence of Christians

The essence of Christians centers on a shared identity rooted in Christ and a transformed way of living that distinguishes them from pagan society. This isn’t merely an intellectual agreement but a fundamental reorientation of existence.

Christians possess a special relationship with God through faith in Christ, which grants them honorific titles and eschatological hope[1]. More profoundly, this identity is grounded in Christ’s own election, whose experience as a rejected resident-alien on earth becomes the necessary pattern for Christians themselves[1]. This creates what might be called a christological-ecclesiastical unity—Christians don’t merely believe similar doctrines; they participate in Christ’s own reality and destiny.

This shared essence demands a distinctive way of life. Christians function as “elect exiles of Diaspora,” which creates a fundamental tension: they must resist anything compromising their exclusive allegiance to God while simultaneously living responsibly within their earthly communities[1]. They cannot simply withdraw from the world or adopt pagan values wholesale. Instead, Christians dedicate themselves to proper social behavior by following Christ’s steps, which itself constitutes spiritual sacrifice and proclamation of God’s excellencies[1].

The unity we mention operates on two levels. First, all Christians share the same foundation—faith in Christ and participation in his redemptive work. Second, this shared essence produces behavioral consistency: Christians shape their social behavior in the face of pagan rejection by following Christ’s example through “doing good”[1]. They live as children of God precisely by embodying values fundamentally opposed to pagan worldviews—prioritizing spiritual allegiance, moral transformation, and sacrificial service over the pursuit of wealth, status, and worldly pleasure that characterizes pagan society. The body of Christ functions as one because its members share not just doctrine but a transformed identity and purpose.

[1] Joyce Wai-Lan Sun, This Is True Grace: The Shaping of Social Behavioural Instructions by Theology in 1 Peter (Carlisle, Cumbria: Langham Monographs, 2016), 63, 65–66.