About 20 years ago, 78% of US citizens identified themselves as Christians. Today that number is just over 60%. But what does it mean to be a Christian? The men of Antioch saw the lives of others being completely tranformed where they put away their old characters and started a new life. They were changed and it was obvious to those that knew the men that converted. They were called Christians first at Antioch. Notice they did not call themselves Christians. Also notice that God did not call them Christians.
When Paul was given opportunity to plead his case before King Agrippa, he expounded upon the old testament prophets and his own testimony of how his life was tranformed, being born of Christ . "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds"
Notice that Paul did not say "I would to God that you would become a "Christian." He was being called a "Christian" by an unbeliever.
Then we have Peter discussing the reproach and sufferings that we should count as joy with patience saying that if any man suffer "as a Christian," let him not be ashamed. The term Christian was a reproachful term given to the saints by the unbelievers. If it were not so, then there would be no reason for Peter to tell them to not be ashamed, in the very context of suffering reproach joined with persecution.
Those are the only 3 places in the words of God that the word "Christian'" is found.
We are told that the word Christian means to be a follower of Christ or a believer of Christ or to be like Christ, but none of those modern definitions match the context where the word is actually used in scripture. And why did not the saints call themselves Christians? Why was it deemed to be reproachful, so much so that God anointed Peter to tell them to suffer that reproach and persecution with patience and not be ashamed?
Could it be that the unbelievers were using a word that was reproachful to them? I would suggest that's the only logical conclusion. But why would the word christianos be a reproach?
It's a compound word that comes from two root words "Christos" meaning Christ or anointed one and "Ianos" which has a couple of meanings. The most commonly known definition is "follower of" yet there's another, more significant (and dare I say reproachful) definition. Ianos is the name of the Greek god Janus. He was believed to be the god of final endings and new beginnings. The month January is named after Janus and New Year's Eve and New Year's day was the highest celebration of Janus where men would look back at their sins from the year that was ending and they would have a celebration of revelry which usually included debauchery, drunkeness and fornication, because they would expect that at the beginning of the year, Janus would forgive them and they would make a new years resolution (promise) to their god to not sin anymore. And the cycle was perpetual. Yeah, that's where the New Year's celebration originated.
Seeing that the men of Antioch were known for worshipping Janus (the god of final endings and new beginnings) it is only reasonable to conclude that when they saw these men come to a final ending of their old lives and start a new beginning, being new creatures in Christ, that they attributed this change to the god that they believed was responsible for their change, as we know that they weren't converted to the faith because the saints were called Christians, they didn't call themselves Christians.
I don't know when people began to label themselves Christians, but it's not found in the Bible. What I do know is that most people that call themselves Christians have never been born again, having the Spirit of Christ in them, having put off the old man and have taken on the new man, which is Christ Jesus.
What does God call his people that believe in Jesus Christ?
Saints, brethren, servants, believers, the church, beloved, peculiar, washed, regenerated, elect, friends, ambassadors, faithful, etc. God never one time labeled his people "Christians."
What did the saints call themselves or each other? Saints, brethren, servants, believers, elect, but oddly enough they did not call themselves or ceach other Christians.
Definitions of words do change as languages change and most people don't even pickup a dictionary to even know what the words they use actually mean, let alone study out the etymology of the words. Some people make up their own definitions also.
Here, on this "Christian" website, there are some words that are in the Bible that are forbidden to be published on this site. So by their own identification as a Christian site, they do not allow some of God's words here, so it can't mean that they are followers of Christ, since Jesus Christ, himself said that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
But for the sake of the common use of the term, what does it mean to be a Christian?
I feel more comfortable being identified as a "CHRIST" ian than I feel about "CHRIST" mas being spelled with an "X". "X-mas".
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." (Romans 1:16)
I am not ashamed to be called a "Christian" even if the name did not originate from within. However, the name came about, I am okay with being called a "Christian". Great to be called a "saint". I hope that God will say to me "WELL DONE THOUGH GOOD A FAITHFUL SERVANT. ENTER IN." I am not ashamed to be called "Christian". Better to be called "Christian" than "Lutheran".
