--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What makes a Christian a Christian is not…" description: "\"What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but forgiveness.\" — Max Lucado" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg" --- # What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but… ![“What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but forgiveness.” quote by Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg) > “What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but forgiveness.” [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christian identity is defined by forgiveness rather than perfection, emphasizing grace over flawless behavior. **In simple terms:** Christianity is about forgiveness. Key Takeaway Practice forgiveness daily. Themes grace forgiveness imperfection identity Mood reflective encouraging Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - marriage counseling - conflict resolution - personal growth - church community Key Concepts theology humility Questions to Reflect On - How does forgiveness change personal relationships? - What prevents people from embracing imperfection? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can still dominate despite teachings on forgiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-christian/) [Christian Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-perfection-2825262/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Makes Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-christian-1212087/) [Not perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-perfect/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-forgiveness-2939970/) ## Related quotes > [“Regardless of what you’ve done, it’s not too late. Regardless of how far you’ve fallen, it’s not too late. 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When the Greeks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenda-creasy-dean/part-of-our-skittishness-about-christian-perfection-is-linguistic/) [Kenda Creasy Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenda-creasy-dean/) > [Christian perfection consists in three things: praying heroically, working heroically, and suffering heroically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mary-claret/christian-perfection-consists-in-three-things-praying-heroically/) [Anthony Mary Claret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mary-claret/) > [God takes that which is nothing and makes something out of it. 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Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-chapman/) > [Standing in a garage no more makes you a car than standing in a church makes you a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/standing-in-a-garage-no-more-makes-you-a-car-than-standing-in-a/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Sitting in church makes you no more of a Christian than sitting in a garage makes you a car...but it's good to park the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarahi-gonzalez/sitting-in-church-makes-you-no-more-of-a-christian-than-sitting-in-a/) [Sarahi Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarahi-gonzalez/) > [What makes you a Christian is whether or not you really are in accord with biblical theology and whether you know Jesus Christ as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-martin/what-makes-you-a-christian-is-whether-or-not-you-really-are-in-accord/) [Walter Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-martin/) > [For let us not underestimate the Christian: the Christian, false to the point of innocence, is far above the ape-regarding Christians, a well known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/for-let-us-not-underestimate-the-christian-the-christian-false-to-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [One might pray and not be a Christian, but one cannot be a Christian and not pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/one-might-pray-and-not-be-a-christian-but-one-cannot-be-a-christian/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [I had '80s and '90s Christian parents. Well, that's the most Christian you can get of the Christian. I think Jesus had more fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-bargatze/i-had-80s-and-90s-christian-parents-well-that-s-the-most-christian/) [Nate Bargatze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-bargatze/) ## More by Max Lucado > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/when-we-look-at-the-love-of-christ-we-make-a-wonderful-discovery-love/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [You will be at your best forever, Even now you have good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-will-be-at-your-best-forever-even-now-you-have-good-moments/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Ageing. We laugh about it, and we groan about it. We resist it, but we cant't stop it. And with the chuckles and wrinkles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/ageing-we-laugh-about-it-and-we-groan-about-it-we-resist-it-but-we/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“You’ve already learned, haven’t you, that a promise made is not always a promise kept? 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Chisel yesterday's victories in stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/write-today-s-worries-in-sand-chisel-yesterday-s-victories-in-stone/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Explore all 968 Max Lucado quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but forgiveness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Max Lucado" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-not-perfection-but-forgiveness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-not-perfection-but-forgiveness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/max-lucado-190_christian_what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-no_2729051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but forgiveness.” — Max Lucado", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Max Lucado", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What makes a Christian a Christian...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-not-perfection-but-forgiveness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/what-makes-a-christian-a-christian-is-not-perfection-but-forgiveness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```