What is Christianity?

I teach a group of people, at my home, what the Christian worldview is. In our part of the world (the west) the Christian worldview is a topic that is not understood nearly as well as one would think. The average Christian that I might have a social interchange with would most likely, not be able to give a working definition of the Christian worldview. Why, I wonder?

I recently led a study with the following question, "What is Christianity?" The answers were varied. Some said a religion, some proposed that it was a social structure, others suggested a moral framework for personal scruples, and yet others, a relationship. Why the variety?

In a way all of the answers were right, but does that really help us nail it down? Can we offer a concise answer to the question, "What is Christianity?" I think so. With the advent of postmodern thought, we need clarity now more than ever.

I find it interesting how the definitions of certain words have changed over time. We have seen the need for revisions in the Bible exactly because of these changes in the English language.
Because we are looking for a working definition of Christianity, we will need to know the answer to at least a couple of other questions.

1. What is Christianity comprised of? Answer: Simple...Christians.

Fair enough. Now lets explore the next most logical question. What is a Christian? The answer is easy, right? A Christ follower. Where do we see this? Where did the name come from?

Turning to the book of Acts in the New Testament, we can readily put our hands on the origin of the term. We read in chapter 11 that Barnabas was teaching a group of people in Antioch. He left for Tarsus to find Paul (Saul) and bring him to Antioch to help instructing the people who were being added to the Lord.

In verse 26 specifically we see that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. This is the origin of the term, Christian. Incidentally, it was given by those who were not in fact, followers of Christ. So the second question I would ask is this....

2. What is a Christian? Answer: A disciple of Jesus Christ.

This isn't too tough. But we aren't through, now we need to define yet another term. You guessed it...disciple.

3. What is a disciple?

I can give the clinical answer, and it would be helpful to a point, but we need to have a working definition. Most of the definitions given in Websters are clearly out of a Christian perspective i.e. "one of the 12 followers of Jesus" or "a member of Disciples of Christ" and don't quite hit the mark we need for some practical understanding.

To better understand the answer to question # 3 we need to see that the term disciple has two clear implications. This will help us a lot.

First implication: A disciple has a master.

To suggest a disciple exists apart from the influence of a master, it to deconstruct the term. Disciples have masters (or teachers). Furthermore, the disciple is in the process of becoming like his master. This brings me to the second implication of the term disciple.

Second implication: A disciple must be in need of change.

To suggest a person can become a disciple and at the same time disavow the necessity of a change is to engage in a contradiction of terms. Such a one could not actually be a disciple. He would either be a master or teacher in his own right or a non adherent.

Now we start to really get into it. The following assertions may seem unnecessarily controversial to you, but just consider what I present in light of what we know to be true.

If you remove either component set forth as an implication of discipleship (the presence of a master or the need for the disciple to change) you no longer have a disciple. To do so is to have effectively altered the definition of the term disciple. To abrogate either component and at the same time lay claim to the term disciple is to adopt the term "disciple" illegitimately.

Here it comes.

Because Christian is a term given only to denote a disciple of Jesus, the suggestion that a person can be a Christian apart from having both, Jesus as his Lord/Master and the need to be changed into the likeness of Jesus the Master, is necessary false. I'll say it again this way. A person who does not have at the same time, Christ as Lord and the self perceived need to change, is not a Christian.

I must insist that a person who claims to be a Christian and yet is not a disciple of Jesus, is a necessary contradiction. You cannot be a true Christian and avoid being a disciple. To suggest someone can be, is to redefine the name Christian. Now if we begin to redefine our terms, I guess we can make Christians to be whatever we want them to be. It must be pressed that Christian is an objective term with an objective meaning. Hijacking the definition will not change the essential truth behind the name.

So what is Christianity?

Well, to be sure, it is made up of Christians/Disciples of Jesus Christ. Are we getting closer to a clear understanding of what Christianity is? I think so. Consider the Great Commission given by the Lord Himself in Matthew 28:19. Jesus said to, "Go and make disciples". He also said, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you".

The first Christians were not told to "go make churches" or to "go get professions". They were clearly told to make disciples (Christians) with the understanding that they would instruct them in something. This is what Paul and Barnabas were doing in Antioch (and spending a good amount of time at it, too).

I suggest that what they were teaching in Antioch was in fact, Christianity. The Christian way of life. You don't need a year to teach someone that Christ died for them. You do need time to adopt a new worldview.

While Christianity is certainly a religion, it is not only that. Christianity is a worldview. Christianity is the adopted perspective that a disciple of Jesus Christ is taught to have, in the context of his relationship with his Lord. To reduce the term Christianity to merely address the existence of a social structure, is to extricate the demand for conformity to Christ inherent in the term. The implications of this action are bearing catastrophic consequences in the west today.

Today a person can be considered to be a "Christian" and yet at the same time feel free to personally assimilate a secular worldview without any serious warning coming from the church at large. In virtually every poll and study conducted, the "Christian" has essentially the same value system as the secular world around him. How can this be if a Christian is a disciple who is being taught to conform to the nature of his Lord? Do we begin to suggest that the Lord's values are congruent with those of the world? Certainly not (see 1 John 2:15).

Chuck Colson says, "The church's singular failure in recent decades has been the failure to see Christianity as a life system or worldview, that governs every area of existence. ~ How Now Shall We Live?

I think he's nailed it. Christianity is a worldview born out of a genuine relationship, specifically, the relationship between the Master and his disciple.

Are you a Christian? I hope so. If you are, you are in relationship with your Lord (and mine). He has accepted you by His own love and sacrifice. Now you are to learn His ways and adopt them for your own. Are you doing that?

If not, how is it you claim the name Christian? What will you do with the proposal of Christianity? Don't let anyone steal your opportunity to truly be a Christian/Disciple for that is exactly what the Lord is seeking. Don't let the Liar redefine the terms Christian and Christianity for you. Changing the meaning of the term will not change the truth that they were intended to address.

Consider Paul's stated objective in Romans 1:5, "...through whom [Jesus Christ] we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name..." and again in Romans 16:26, "now [the gospel] has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made know to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith."

Some will think I am bringing a "works" gospel. This is no such thing. What I am contending for is the truth of what Christianity is, and thus, the definition of a Christian. To be sure we have grace in the atonement and are given grace where we fail. But to obfuscate the clear objective of the church (to make disciples) is quite frankly...evil.

PR