An evangelical Christian is a follower of the Christian faith who believes in the authority of the Bible and the personal salvation of Jesus Christ. Evangelicals are Protestant Christians who believe that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, and that it can only be received by accepting his sacrifice for our sins.
In other words, an evangelical Christian believes that God loves all people but offers a special relationship with Jesus as the path to eternal life.
The term comes from the Greek word euangelion, which means “good news” and was first used in the book of Acts in reference to the life and ministry of Jesus.
In recent years, some people have begun to use the term “evangelical” as a synonym for “fundamentalist,” but there are many differences between these two groups. Evangelicals do not agree on everything, but they generally emphasize five points:
A belief in the absolute authority of Scripture.
The necessity of making a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior.
The need for personal evangelism (spreading the Gospel).
A belief in God’s provision for salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead.
A belief in the physical return of Jesus Christ.
Evangelicals differ from other Christian groups in their beliefs about how people are saved; they often stress personal conversion over social justice issues, such as poverty or racism. Their emphasis on individual salvation may be why they are sometimes called “born-again Christians.”
