What is a Christian?

[Jonaitis]

Please give me a good thoughtful and prayerful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

 

[timothyu]

At which period of time? When it was first used? What it became at the hands of the Roman Gentiles? What it means today?

 

[Tree of Life]

A sinner saved by Jesus Christ.

 

[YanKee Gal]

Book of Acts. After they were imprisoned for preaching the gospel an angel of the Lord came and loosed their chains with an earthquake. The jailer went to see if they were all there and they said they were. The jailer was convicted and said come to my house. And he and his house believed upon the Lord Jesus and were saved, and each baptized. They became Christians.

 

[Jonaitis]

At which period of time? When it was first used? What it became at the hands of the Roman Gentiles? What it means today?

If you have multiple angles to look at this, please explain.

 

[step_by_step]

Someone who believes that Jesus Christ is the son of God and walks in the light with Him, leaving their sins behind and working to bring others to Christ as He commanded.

 

[Jonaitis]

Book of Acts. After they were imprisoned for preaching the gospel an angel of the Lord came and loosed their chains with an earthquake. The jailer went to see if they were all there and they said they were. The jailer was convicted and said come to my house. And he and his house believed upon the Lord Jesus and were saved, and each baptized. They became Christians.

So then, what is it be a Christian?

 

[eleos1954]

Please give me a good thoughtful and prayerful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

1 Peter 2:21

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

 

[Basil the Great]

Please give me a good thoughtful and prayerful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

It might depend upon whether you mean anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus or only those who keep his commandments.....

 

[timothyu]

The original meaning was descriptive of the people who actually followed the ways of Jesus and what he taught, hence the ways of the Kingdom and not the world of man. This is what set them aside and Christian was used more as a name of mockery of these outsiders, like slang used in the last century to identify those of certain nations or colours. Kinda like when a group of Jesus followers 50 years ago were called 'freaks' and they gladly adopted the name. Likewise the Christians.

Once the religion was created and the institution replaced following Jesus as a daily way of living thus turning it into ceremony, Christian took on a new meaning. Followers now of a religion, not a way of life as Jesus originally intended. Today it covers such a broad range of theology there is a vague reference more to Jesus (if at all) than what He taught, the modern human having too many of their own ideas based on the will of man rather then the will of God..

 

[Dave-W]

Please give me a good thoughtful and prayerful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

Gentile followers of the Jewish Messiah.

Acts 11:26
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Antioch was a mostly gentile congregation.

 

[YanKee Gal]

So then, what is it be a Christian?

It says for us it is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

 

[Call me Nic]

Gentile followers of the Jewish Messiah.

Acts 11:26
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Antioch was a mostly gentile congregation.

Peter included himself as apart of the house of God, who were to suffer “as Christians.” So Peter called himself a Christian, and yet he was a Hebrew. (1 Peter 4:16).

 

[Jonaitis]

Gentile followers of the Jewish Messiah.

This has always bothered me, that there are Jewish believers who prefer to call themselves by another name. I do like the term Messianic, but when people use it to divide themselves from the Church it really makes me disdain the term. The apostles taught that there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile in Christ, such a division doesn't exist. We are one people, of one body, of one Lord, with one baptism, indwelled with one Spirit, and one inheritance.

But, Dave, I will consider what you have brought up. How about the first letter of Peter that was written to...

"...those who are the elect exiles of the Dispersion..." - (v. 1)

He says in that same book,

"Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." - (v. 4:16)

What are your thoughts?

 

[Jonaitis]

Peter included himself as apart of the house of God, who were to suffer “as Christians.” So Peter called himself a Christian, and yet he was a Hebrew. (1 Peter 4:16).

Beat me to it!

 

[timothyu]

The apostles taught that there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile in Christ, such a division doesn't exist. We are one people, of one body, of one Lord, with one baptism, indwelled with one Spirit, and one inheritance.

Actually that was Paul that taught that and there was already a division. Between his movement and that of the Nazarenes. As the religion developed at the hand of the Gentiles, it was only natural to follow Paul and set aside the original Nazarene movement in favour of the Gentile. Too bad as so much of the original meaning of what it meant to be a follower of Jesus was lost.

 

[Jonaitis]

Actually that was Paul that taught that and there was already a division. Between his movement and that of the Nazarenes. As the religion developed at the hand of the Gentiles, it was only natural to follow Paul and set aside the original Nazarene movement in favour of the Gentile. Too bad as so much of the original meaning of what it meant to be a follower of Jesus was lost.

Was Paul not an apostle, sent from Christ?

 

[timothyu]

That has always been debatable, but is irrelevant to what is a Christian. There are so many definitions that have sprung from the original meaning, including Paul's..

 

[Dave-W]

The apostles taught that there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile in Christ, such a division doesn't exist. We are one people, of one body, of one Lord, with one baptism, indwelled with one Spirit, and one inheritance.

You need to take a closer look at the exchange between Paul and James in Acts 21.

Jews who believed in the Messiah were still required to follow Moses (the Torah) but gentiles were not.

Note that what Paul was doing (with his own vow) and the 4 men from Jerusalem in fulfilling their vows included animal sacrifices. (Nazirite vows)

 

[Jonaitis]

That has always been debatable, but is irrelevant to what is a Christian. There are so many definitions that have sprung from the original meaning, including Paul's..

I believe this is more than relevant, the Christian faith has been understood by the Pauline gospel, which is none other than the same truth and faith that the other apostles and prophets taught.

Are you among those that say that the entire New Testament is corrupted through the "influence" of Paul? Do you only believe the Old Testament is Scripture?