What is a Christian? And what is the Church?

[Ernie]

This is a thread to discuss terms and definitions related to Christianity and Church.

[Ernie]

I have several definitions for Christian.

The first one is based on what I understand Christian stood for when it was first used in the early church and is in my understanding, the reasonable definition of Christianity.

1. A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus, loves Jesus, follows Jesus, obeys Jesus, follows the Apostles' doctrine, and does so within the context of an accountable church community.

My second definition is similar to the definition that sociologists and journalists use when they use the term, Christian.

2. Anyone who believes (gives mental ascent) in the God of the Bible and believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

I use this second definition loosely when talking about people with different religious beliefs, but I do not think of most people that fit this definition to be actually Christian. Because of this, I am more likely to use the term "professing Christian" (which includes me) and then I don't need to determine who is actually Christian and who is not.)

I use the term devout Christian to refer to people who take their faith seriously (even if they have erroneous doctrine).

I use the term practicing Christian to refer to people who try to seriously live out their faith (even if their practice does not resemble the life of Christ or the practices of the early church.)

I use the term kingdom Christian to refer to people who believe that the kingdoms of this world are part of the kingdom of darkness, and consequently there can be no overlap between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God and neither should a Christian have one foot in both kingdoms.

I use the term primitive Christian or historical Christian to refer to people whose believe and practice align with what was generally believed and practiced in the first three centuries.

The Church is all those have eternal life and are walking in holiness and faithfulness and love.

I use the term pilgrim church to describe groups of Christians who do not have any affinity with churches that knowingly allow for sin in the church and with churches that are entangled with the kingdoms of this world.

I use the term faithful church to describe groups of Christians who make a good faith effort at living out the teachings of Christ and at purging "leaven" from its ranks.

Those are some of my terms/definitions...

What terms and definitions do you use?

[mike]

The most interesting discussion on these terms that I've been a part of was when editing a world history textbook from an Anabaptist perspective. You basically have to have a framework of some kind, like Ernie's above, in order to use the terms Christian and Church in a unified way in the text. And we had to think of it from a seventh-grade perspective.

2. Anyone who believes (gives mental ascent) in the God of the Bible and believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

This is probably the baseline definition we all use, while having our own private ideas such as your definition #1 or something similar.

[JohnH]

When talking to the average person, I would say Christian is an ethnoreligious term that doesn't say much at all about actual belief or practice, but does say one comes from a tradition, ethnic group, family etc. that practiced some kind of Christianity. It's a very broad term. I wouldn't read much into at all if someone says they are a Christian, or says someone else is, whether or not in negative or positive way.

I usually use "church" to refer to a specific congregation and group of people there. "The church" is a very ambiguous term, and it tends to mean different things to different people. Overall, I try to adapt to my usage to what the person I'm talking to thinks it means.

[Bootstrap]

1. A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus, loves Jesus, follows Jesus, obeys Jesus, follows the Apostles' doctrine, and does so within the context of an accountable church community.

My second definition is similar to the definition that sociologists and journalists use when they use the term, Christian.

2. Anyone who believes (gives mental ascent) in the God of the Bible and believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

I use this second definition loosely when talking about people with different religious beliefs, but I do not think of most people that fit this definition to be actually Christian. Because of this, I am more likely to use the term "professing Christian" (which includes me) and then I don't need to determine who is actually Christian and who is not.)

They didn't actually call themselves Christians until Acts 11:26.

Before that, Jesus’ followers called themselves disciples, believers, members of the Way, the church, the holy ones, and brothers and sisters in Christ. They saw themselves as one spiritual family walking a new path shaped by Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. So I agree with your first definition, I might phrase it this way:

A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior, seeks to obey his teachings, and lives in accountable fellowship with others who follow him.

[Bootstrap]

I use the term primitive Christian or historical Christian to refer to people whose believe and practice align with what was generally believed and practiced in the first three centuries.

I don't use either label, for two reasons:

1. I see a lot more variety and disagreement in the first three centuries than you do.
2. Almost every church tradition says they are the ones who are doing what the first Christians did. And they have very different models. So I don't think this definition clarifies much.

The following each claim to be historical Christianity, as opposed to all the others, which they see as less historical:

- Eastern Orthodox
- Roman Catholic
- Reformed Protestantism
- Evangelicals
- Baptists
- Restorationists
- Pentecostals / Charismatics
- Anabaptists / Mennonites

So it's more helpful to focus on the things that each of them believes make their brand of Christianity most like the early church.

[Bootstrap]

For me, "pilgrim church" is more closely related to being aliens and sojourners in this world. Perhaps a definition like this:

Pilgrim Church:

A community of believers who see themselves as sojourners and exiles (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13), consciously resisting worldly compromise, status, and power. They live as a counter-cultural witness to the Kingdom of God, walking in simplicity, humility, and mutual accountability.

[Bootstrap]

I use the term kingdom Christian to refer to people who believe that the kingdoms of this world are part of the kingdom of darkness, and consequently there can be no overlap between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God and neither should a Christian have one foot in both kingdoms.

Can you say more about what "no overlap" means in the above definition? Can Christians work for secular businesses or charities? Can they shop at secular stores? Can the same person be a member of the Kingdom and live in an earthly kingdom? I think there are probably some kinds of overlap, and that's one of the things some of us are trying to clarify in some other threads.

Here's a definition that makes sense to me:

Kingdom Christian
A Kingdom Christian is someone who seeks first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33), shaping every part of life around the reign of Jesus as Lord. Kingdom Christians understand that the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God are fundamentally different, and they reject attempts to blend loyalty to Christ with allegiance to nation, power, or violence. They follow the teachings of Jesus and seek to live according to the Sermon on the Mount: loving enemies, serving the least, and trusting in the power of the cross rather than the sword. Kingdom Christianity is not just a set of beliefs, but a way of life rooted in Jesus’ call to radical discipleship, community, and holiness.

[Bootstrap]

I use the term devout Christian to refer to people who take their faith seriously (even if they have erroneous doctrine).

I use the term practicing Christian to refer to people who try to seriously live out their faith (even if their practice does not resemble the life of Christ or the practices of the early church.)

I think this kind of definition can be helpful when we need to acknowledge that someone is really serious about what they understand Christianity to be, even if we disagree.

One devout Christian may be a humble, sacrificial servant of the poor. Another may be equally serious about their faith, but caught in nationalism, legalism, or heresy. Being devout doesn't mean you are on the right path, but it does mean you are seriously living according to what you understand.

[Ken]

What is the role of salvation in all of this? Which leads to two questions:

1. Can one be a Christian and not be saved?

2. Can one be saved and not be a Christian?