What is a Christian?

[PuritanCovenanter]

Another brother and I were just getting into a discussion as to what a Christian was. Can someone be a Christian and claim to be a Christian (and is a member of a Christian Church) even if he knows he is not born again?

Here was a definition of Christian that I found on dictionary.com.

Christian

the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16).

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Here is what Wikipedia says about the term Christian.

The term Christian means "belonging to Christ" and is derived from the Greek noun ΧÏιστός Khristós which means "anointed one," which is itself a translation of the Hebrew word Moshiach (Hebrew: משיח, also written "Messiah"),

What does it mean to belong to Christ. Would it not have the understanding of being one of the elect, redeemed by his blood?

 

[Scott Bushey]

Randy,
Again, the distinction needs to be made between the visible and invisible church.

Please define disciple using the bible.

 

[Steve Owen]

I believe the most frequent description of a Christian in the NT is Believer.
Perhaps someone would also like to define believer using the Bible.

Martin

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

Originally posted by Martin Marprelate
I believe the most frequent description of a Christian in the NT is Believer.
Perhaps someone would also like to define believer using the Bible.

Martin

Where is Christian described as "Believer" frequently in the NT?

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Well I do see quite a few references to believer in the NT. I bet they are considered synonomous by many historians and teachers. But I will look into it a bit more closer. I think Martin made a good point. In the early church you were persecuted for being a disciple or believer in Jesus the Christ. Non-believers were not persecuted. Neither were non Christians. It was something you believed that made you what you were and that is why they were persecuted.

 

[Scott Bushey]

Originally posted by puritancovenanter
Well I do see quite a few references to believer in the NT. I bet they are considered synonomous by many historians and teachers. But I will look into it a bit more closer. I think Martin made a good point. In the early church you were persecuted for being a disciple or believer in Jesus the Christ. Non-believers were not persecuted. Neither were non Christians. It was something you believed that made you what you were and that is why they were persecuted.

Agreed. However, disciple (according to the bible) does not equal regeneration or conversion.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Originally posted by Scott Bushey

Originally posted by puritancovenanter
Well I do see quite a few references to believer in the NT. I bet they are considered synonomous by many historians and teachers. But I will look into it a bit more closer. I think Martin made a good point. In the early church you were persecuted for being a disciple or believer in Jesus the Christ. Non-believers were not persecuted. Neither were non Christians. It was something you believed that made you what you were and that is why they were persecuted.

Agreed. However, disciple (according to the bible) does not equal regeneration or conversion.

Regeneration and sanctification don't equal each other either but sanctification obviously should have regeneration as it's precursor and they are intimately tied together.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[Scott Bushey]

Originally posted by puritancovenanter

Originally posted by Scott Bushey

Originally posted by puritancovenanter
Well I do see quite a few references to believer in the NT. I bet they are considered synonomous by many historians and teachers. But I will look into it a bit more closer. I think Martin made a good point. In the early church you were persecuted for being a disciple or believer in Jesus the Christ. Non-believers were not persecuted. Neither were non Christians. It was something you believed that made you what you were and that is why they were persecuted.

Agreed. However, disciple (according to the bible) does not equal regeneration or conversion.

Regeneration and sanctification don't equal each other either but sanctification obviously should have regeneration as it's precursor and they are intimately tied together.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

I'm not following you Randy. How is this statement relative? Expound a tad.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Okay

Being called a christian should have something to do with a person being owned by Christ. So I understand that belief has a lot to do with it. They may not be the same thing but they are tied together.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[Scott Bushey]

Originally posted by puritancovenanter
Okay

Being called a christian should have something to do with a person being owned by Christ. So I understand that belief has a lot to do with it. They may not be the same thing but they are tied together.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

You say, "should have". Are you basing that upon scripture or your opinion?

Was Judas seen as a Christian? Demas? Annanias and Saphira? Prior to Judas turning in Christ, If you had the opportunity to have asked Peter, "Peter, is Judas a Christian", what do you think he would have said?

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Originally posted by Scott Bushey

Originally posted by puritancovenanter
Okay

Being called a christian should have something to do with a person being owned by Christ. So I understand that belief has a lot to do with it. They may not be the same thing but they are tied together.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

You say, "should have". Are you basing that upon scripture or your opinion?

Was Judas seen as a Christian? Demas? Annanias and Saphira? Prior to Judas turning in Christ, If you had the opportunity to have asked Peter, "Peter, is Judas a Christian", what do you think he would have said?

I am using 'should have' in the same way that good theologians should have good theology.

Jesus knew who Judas was all along. His profession would have been a lie any ways. So would have been an assumption on Judas Part that he belonged to Christ. Judas was not a true follower nor disciple of the Christ. A disciple follows the teachings of his teacher. He didn't follow the teachings of Christ. I may pose as a Doctor of Medicine and be called such even if I don't possess the true pedigree for one. Get my point. The Term Christian has the understanding that you adhere to the doctrines of Christ concerning belief (i.e. being born from above) and that you belong to him.

This verse is applicable to what the name of Christ should be attachted to. Even us.

2Ti 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[Steve Owen]

Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia

Originally posted by Martin Marprelate
I believe the most frequent description of a Christian in the NT is Believer.
Perhaps someone would also like to define believer using the Bible.

Martin

Where is Christian described as "Believer" frequently in the NT?

Acts 2:44; 4:32; 10:45; 15:5; 21:25; Gal 6:10; 1Thes 1:7; 1Tim 4:12; 6:2. I don't think this list is exhaustive.

The word faithful or believing also appears in such verses as Eph 1:2; Col 1:2 etc.

Other synonyms for Christians are saints and the called (eg. Rom 1:6 ).

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

I'm not asking for synonyms. None of those verses say "Christians are the same thing as believers." You mis-represented your position. You have to prove conclusively that "Christian" has these synonyms, not just assume it within your worldview.

 

[Larry Hughes]

Yes, Jesus, God the Son, omniscient Creator of all things knew who Judas was all along. But did Peter a mere man, James a mere man, John a mere man, &etc"¦ know all along? This is the relevant question for we don´t have the omniscient luxury. From the eternal perspective a Christian, a true Christian, is one who rests entirely in Jesus Christ´s work, life, crucifixion, resurrection alone. Many will "œfollow the teachings of Christ" for moral repair and even call themselves Christians but are not. Jesus Himself said, "œYou search the Scriptures and think that by them you have eternal life, but it are these that continually bear witness of ME." The term Christian has the understanding that you are resting ONLY in the work of Christ for you. Judas despaired of any hope and did not have faith. Was his despair over sin? No, his lack of goodness, that is what he despaired over and this is what any of us despair over, not the sin itself or the much of it, but rather our lack of "œgood works". That´s what the fallen will desires, to be good in and of itself and when it is evident it is not we despair.

Peter did the same thing, he betrayed Christ, as did all Apostles. What was the difference? God´s election to be sure, but on the human level what was the difference between Peter and Judas for both betrayed and both despaired? Judas despaired because he could see no hope beyond his own "œgood works", thus no inherent goodness within - he could see no hope and as such despair became its own end"¦hence he killed himself. Peter despaired of his own goodness to but he saw past that and a hope of forgiveness and righteousness in Christ alone. Thus Peter despaired rightly of his "œgood works" but rather than die there looked forward in faith/trust to the hope found in Jesus. Hence, Peter wept bitterly but hoped (expected) greatly at the same time.

Never forget that looking at Judas you are looking at him well after the record and not Judas alive in the present, as you must people today. By their actions alone Judas and Peter look the same, the faith makes the difference. Peter´s betrayal was NO less sinful than was Judas´s, don´t make that mistake. It is faith that defines a true Christian. This faith cannot by men be measured flawlessly for many can imitate good works even better than true Christians. If one measures a professing Christian by works as if to determine them to be so one will both have gross hypocrites within your midst and, this is the worse part, you will actually in reality turn away some of Christ´s true children of true faith who are weak yet really resting in Christ alone.

Ldh

 

[wsw201]

Originally posted by puritancovenanter
Another brother and I were just getting into a discussion as to what a Christian was. Can someone be a Christian and claim to be a Christian (and is a member of a Christian Church) even if he knows he is not born again?

Here was a definition of Christian that I found on dictionary.com.

Christian

the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16).

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by puritancovenanter]

I would define a Christian as one who professes the true religion and their children.

 

[Herald]

Paul regularly uses the word "hagios" (saints) to describe believers. John uses the word "beloved." Would not our standing before God be of more import than what we are called?

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:25-26

In fact, my Concordance could only find two other uses of the term, one by Agrippa and the other by Paul. It appears that the initial use of the term was by those outside the Church and the Church adopted the terminology.

The distinction between the visible and invisible Church is an important one but, fundamentally, it is not practical for us to distinguish between those in the pews next to us and questioning whether they are Christians. I frankly have a problem with the measure that a person "feel" like they were born again to say whether they are Christians or not but that's a different topic.

This issue, in my opinion, is one of authority and who has it to say a person is a Christian or not - I believe that authority is given to the Elders of God's Church. We are so egalitarian that, as in the movie The Apostle, we can baptize ourselves into a role of authority and proclaim a person a Christian or not a Christian. If a person has been baptized into the Church by the authority of its local overseers then the person is a Christian in the strictest sense until he is put out of the Church. We play fast and loose with Biblical authority when we take that authority upon ourselves contrary to the Word of God and, by personal fiat, proclaim someone not to be a Christian. I would add that there are those here and elsewhere that call some heretics with the same lack of authority.

Granted, there is a level of complexity here because there are adulterating Churches with Elders who have no love of Christ. Let's assume Pres. Clinton walked into your Church and said: "Hey I've been baptized and would like to worship with you today and participate in the Lord's Supper." He's been baptized into a local Church so, in the strictest sense, he's a Christian but his Elders have never had the backbone or love of Christ to discipline him. Based on their failings, your local elders are not beholden to just allow him into the fold. They would need to interview him to see if he truly trusts in the Gospel but it wouldn't be up to me, a sheep, to stand up and decree "He is no Christian". It is up to the Elders (Matt 18) to put somebody out of the Church and not me.

In the eternal sense, God certainly know who are His but that's in His Secret will and we are not privy to such things. It is useful to know that God is the author and finisher of our salvation but, in the local Church, we are also bound by what God says concerning Church authority vested in His ministers.