A conversation I had today reminded me of how precious it is to bear the name “Christian.” The talk was about another topic, but along the way the question of what we can legitimately call “Christian” came up.
This is a common, and very important, question these days. Is that a Christian church? What is the Christian view of this political issue? Is this really a Christian book? The adjective “Christian” seems to stick to pretty well everything these days. European nations have “Christian Democrat” political parties, and Canada has a “Christian Heritage Party.” There are Christian bookstores and a Christian movie industry. There are Christian schools and universities, Christian coffee shops, and, in light of media questions like “What would Jesus drive?”, seemingly there are Christian cars.
So: what does the term really mean? Does it simply mean “in the Christian tradition” or “in Christendom”? Or perhaps “of interest to Christians”? Or something more?
The term “Christian” first appears in history in the Bible itself: “And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). So this tells us the term has a great deal of meaning:
1) It was applied to disciples – that is, to those who followed Jesus the Christ, who had been born again by the power of the Spirit, who sought to imitate his example and be conformed to his image, who represented him in their preaching of the Gospel to the community around them.
2) It was (probably) applied by the unbelieving community. From that moment on, the name Christ was applied to those who loved him not just by the Lord who had saved them but also by an unbelieving world. It was a recognition of the value that the disciples publicly attached to their Lord in the way they preached him, and to their resemblance to his example.
So: the term relates to discipleship, and it has bearing on our relationship to those outside the Kingdom.
The practical implications are manifold:
1) We are entitled – indeed, expected – to be careful with the word’s application. Just because a group calls itself a “church” doesn’t mean it’s Christian, for instance. Does it preach the true Gospel of Christ? Does it make disciples who seek to glorify Christ in their lives and who rest on Christ alone for their righteousness? Are the teachings and worldview it presents to the unbelieving community distinctly biblical, or just generic spiritualistic moralism?
So an application, then, for us is: don’t take “Christian” at face value, just because something or someone says it is. Put it to the test (1 Thessalonians 5:21); measure it by the Gospel and the whole of Scripture.
2) We have a responsibility to live in such a manner that others outside our circle recognize Christ in our lives. We are the Body of Christ. He needs to be visible and unmistakable in our lives.
So: Is he? Most of us have unbelieving family members, who know we’re “Christian,” but do our lives and words make plain to them what that word really means? Does the sacrificial nature of the true Gospel and the exclusivity of the true Christ shine through in our relationships with others, who are prone to attach superficial and moralistic meanings to their understanding of “Christian”?
I guess this whole missive is just another take on knowing the Gospel and living it. And that’s the essence of the whole Christian life, after all. It’s what makes that life “Christian” in the first place.
The word means something. Let’s make sure we know that, and others do too.