What Does Being a Christian Really Mean?

An article in the local paper caught my attention today. It was a story picked up from the associated press and was entitled "Survey:Americans Mix and Match Religions". Four thousand people were surveyed who claimed to be Christians but also expressed a belief in New Age and Eastern mysticism, Casting spells, Astrology and Reincarnation. I think this article is critical in understanding the times in which we live, and in being able to answer the question "What does this mean?"

In our contempoary post-modern culture in the United States of America, language is less and less important. More specifically, the importance of words having real substantive meaning is becoming non-existent. With the advent of text-messaging and twitter a premium has been placed on shortcuts and expediency. Combine that with a mindset that the meaning of words change based on the situation, that the original intent and context have no bearing on word usage, and we are faced with a tenuous situation. We see this fleshed out in common terminology like 'abortion', 'politically correct' and 'progressive'. In this country we attempt to change reality by substituting abortion for murder or infanticide, which would be more appropriate and accurate. We say people are progressive when progress means moving to what is better and we only mean they promote change. We say people should be politically correct when any action is either correct or incorrect whether in politics or any other arena.

This is absolutely crucial when looking at the survey. When anyone today claims to be a Christian (or asks us if we are a Christian), the first question we must ask is "What do you mean by Christian". We must remember that instead of everyone considering the original context and meaning of the word Christian, in this culture what is probably assumed is "Do you consider yourself a Christian as you choose to define what a Christian is at this particular moment and in this situation." In that sense a Christian could be anything that pops into a persons head.

Acts 11:26b says "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." The term Christian originally meant a disciple of Jesus Christ the Messiah, a follower of Christ, one who belonged to Christ, one who followed the teaching of Jesus of Nazereth, one who followed those teachings so closely he became a 'little Christ'. The disciples of Christ (Christians) had another unique quality that becomes clear in this context (See Acts 11:19) "Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to the Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus." We learn elsewhere is the book of Acts that Stephen was stoned to death. In fact, in Hebrews 11 we are told of other things those earlier in the faith dealt with: jeers and flogging, imprisoned in chains, stoned, sawed in two, put to death by the sword, left destitute, persecuted and mistreated. So, if we are to be correct in things and combat this post-modern tendency to make of a word whatever we wish, the next time we are asked if we are a Christian perhaps we can remember the only legitamite meaning of the word and say that we are disciples of Jesus Christ, ready to face persecution and death for the sake of His Name.

If this is in fact the case, then we cannot associate with any other faith, religion, belief, etc. because Jesus Himself said in John 14:6-7 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Truth by definition is exclusive, so when Jesus says He is THE way and that NO ONE comes to God except through Him, then any other way is false. Therefore a follower of Jesus cannot hold any other view in addition to the one offered by Jesus.

Notice I have not spoken of denominations or the state of salvation of any of the survey participants. This is intentional. No one knows another's heart and the issue of salvation and devotion to the Lord is not denominational. What I am saying is that more and more as we move farther into post-modernity true believers in Jesus must be increasingly careful to notice how words are used and demand that the terms be defined in any discussion. Christian means only one thing in truth, namely a disciple of Jesus Christ. One may make the word situational and change the meaning in any way he wishes, but he will not be a Christian in the true sense of the word.