The apostle Paul said, in Philippians 3:7-8: "I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ." To consider oneself Christian is meaningless unless you have a relationship with the One for whom the Christian Church is named.