Christ-follower. Jesus is my homeboy. I don't believe in religion but in relationship. I have faith, not religion. Follower of YHWH. I don't know. Some sort of Theist.
These are just a few of the labels I have seen self-proclaimed Christians give themselves (yes, even "I don't know). There is such a stigma towards the word "Christian" these days that many are unwilling to associate themselves with the title. There are a few reasons this has become the norm.
Due to the negative press Christians often give themselves, some who want to save face, represent God well, or avoid being stereotyped will label themselves as Christians without using the specific term. Because the world tends to see believers as hypocritical, right-wing fanatics, NRA spokesmen, narcissists, who push their system of unprovable faith on others. As one of my dear friends has mockingly sung, "It's all about me, Jesus" instead of "It's all about you, Jesus."
The emergent church movement has really capitalized on the tactic of changing labels. If we can better reach people and avoid looking like the stereotype, then call yourself whatever you need to in order to get the message across. In their view, if I say I am a fallen truth seeker radically changed by the one who saves instead of "I am a Christian," I will have a more profound impact on those around me.
Those who hold to a more postmodern paradigm also tend to avoid being labeled as a Christian. Because Christianity stands for moral absolutes, believing in the divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God, and clinging to miracles and prophecies, those who hold to a liberal and/or historically critical approach sometimes use other labels to avoid being thrown in with the mix. The main problem this group has is that they are really operating from a different worldview, often believing things or not believing things that destroy the integrity of Christian doctrine. Without the inspired Word of God, the entire religion would be absolutely pointless. Instead of dealing with these contradictions, however, many just stick a different label on themselves and make due with patchwork religion.
Others have a big problem with organized religion. Either through study, where they have seen organized religion cause major problems (Crusades, Witch-trials, etc.) or negative personal experience in a church, Christian school or at home, some have decided to retain what they see as the heart of Christianity without being associated with the organization of the system. I have seen many who, if you pressed them, would sound like Christians with their beliefs, but label themselves as seekers of love or truth. Less radical people will just drop the organization all together, but sill refer to themselves as Christ-followers, etc. because they have relationship but do not want a religion.
Still others are not really Christians at all but for some reason they still identify with Christianity enough to keep a spiritual label of some sort. I see this a lot with applications like Facebook and MySpace. The walk and the talk in no way matches their "follower of Christ" or other labels, but they cannot fully let go of the Christian faith. To be fair, I am sure there are many who would fit this description who truly are believers, but their lives are not in accordance with their beliefs. And, as harsh as it may sound, some will label themselves differently so they can feel more free to live the way they want. A Christian should not be a drunkard, but if I am simply a lover of Jesus, he'll take me no matter what flaws I have.
I believe there is another group who has not really thought about this topic at all, and many of the Christians in this category just like to be called anything that shows they are a Christian. To these, Christ-follower, seeker of the Truth, Christian, and lover of Jesus are the same thing. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, of course, but in a world where words convey meaning, people have to be careful about what they say. Telling a random person on the street you are a Christian will almost certainly carry different stigmas than claiming to be a seeker of Truth or saying Jesus is your homeboy.
The bottom line is that while there are a variety of different terms and phrases one can use to be associated with the Christian faith, one should be careful when deciding what to use. The word Christian, for example, is not a bad word. It may carry negativity for some, but it carries hope for others. The etymology of Christian is not Christ-follower, as many believe, but literally means "anointed one" or "Messiah." In Acts 11:26; 26:28 and I Peter 4:16, the word does describe disciples of Jesus Christ, but when you call yourself a Christian you are really saying Christ is the Messiah. Christ is the way, the truth, the life. I am a follower of the one who was prophesied and promised in Genesis 3:15.
It is not bad to use some of the other labels for Christianity out there, but if a Christian wants a label that says it all, that relays truth, depth, relationship and hope, then he or she should proudly bear the name of Christian and be willing to tell others about what it means. It is an amazing thing that the word Christian is, in itself, a Gospel presentation. If you can explain what it really means to those around you, then you are really telling the story of Christ and what he did.
2 comments:
Many Christians and self-proclaimed Christians do bring negative press upon themselves. Inevitably, this also does the same to the name of Christ. Paul encourages us to “prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). Those who have been redeemed at greatest cost (by the precious bloodshed of our Lord Jesus Christ) ought to live lives radically different from all who are apart from Christ and dead in their sins. This different manner of living is not something Christians have to do in order to impress others or gain God’s favor. Instead, it is something that believers cannot keep from doing because it is the natural consequence of knowing Christ.
When a word begins to mean anything and everything, it soon means nothing at all. This is why ‘religion’ and ‘Christianity’ have such vague or negative connotations. Again the words of Paul: “These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Col. 2:23). Placing the emphasis on a relationship with Christ that is life-transformational is more necessary than wearing a particular label. Many who claim religion or Christianity have no relationship with Christ, as evidenced by the routine actions of their daily lives. Much has been done in the name of Christ that was anything but Christian. May God give grace to those who, proclaiming themselves to be Christians, are not. May He equally give grace to those who, being Christians, are not living as though they were. But may we never use the sins or failures of others as an excuse to neglect “so great a salvation” and calling: to be the body of Christ in the world around us.
Instead of focusing on redefining terms in order to avoid stigma or to be more winsome in presenting Christ, we should pursue being continually redefined ourselves (transformed) by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Manipulating or blurring definitions and terminology often is a cloaked attempt to justify some behavior we wish to keep. Radical surrender to the reality of belonging to Christ will produce “sermons in shoes,” proclaiming with great clarity the gospel of Christ through lives lovingly conformed to the Savior by the application of God’s word through His Holy Spirit. We should be known as bond-slaves of Christ - those who will dare to lose ourselves in Christ and become so identified with Him in his death, burial, and resurrection that we cannot help but be known as ‘Christian’ by the way we live.
Regarding the etymology of “Christian,” are you sure that you don’t mean Christ instead of Christian? In Greek “Christ” means “the fulfiller of Israelite expectation of a deliverer, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ;” while “Christian” means “one who is associated with Christ, Christ-partisan, Christian.”
Thanks for your thought-provoking blog. I look forward to your future posts!
“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:27
I agree that the word Christian does also mean Christ-follower, what I was trying to say is the word Christian means so much more and specifically it has to do with proclaiming Jesus is the Messiah!
Also, I am uncertain of what you are trying to say in your response. It is hard to determine if you are in agreement and adding onto what I have written or if you disagree and believe I am trying to redefine terms. (Paragraph 3)
Overall, I agree with what you have written. My argument, however, is that just because a word "begins to mean anything and everything, it soon means nothing at all" doesn't mean it is a bad word or that we should change our label.
What I am suggesting is that we should not redefine, but define what the word is and be proud to be the ones to proclaim, with our very identity, that Christ is the Messiah.
I am not just a Christ-follower, but, like you said, I am a walking Gospel. My very life should proclaim Jesus is the Christ, and I should use words that don't make that message more confusing than it ought to be.
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