A Debate Over the Definition of Christian John Heathcote, 2-5-04 |
“Christian.” Who is a Christian? Although it may seem like a simple answer to many people; this question has been debated over hundreds of years, and still people seem to argue over this seemingly simple question of faith. There are hundreds and thousands of churches that claim to be Christian. A Christian church is simply one who believes in Christ. Right? One definition of a Christian is “One who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus.” (Mish, 203) The only problem with this statement is that the teachings and life of Jesus are constantly debated. One church may claim that baptism is a necessary ordinance and others may claim that it is not. Some sects of religion claim that only faith is needed for salvation even though it is plain in the Old Testament, ” <javascript:selectVerse(26,101354);>For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26) This entire concept isn’t about who is Christian and who is not; its really about what are Christ’s teachings and who is following them. Even deeper many churches are really just saying, “We are right and you are wrong… We have Christ with us and you don’t…” For example Catholics who believe that the Catholic church is the only true church and that no other churches teach the true teachings of Jesus may also claim that any other church that is not of catholic dominion is not Christian. The “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” commonly known as the “Mormon” church has been persecuted in the past because of the “Book of Mormon.” Many argue that the saints worship a prophet named Mormon and not Christ. A further study on the church indicates that “The Book of Mormon” is (as shown on the front cover) “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” It makes a whole lot of sense that the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” would be a “Church of Jesus Christ.” Many may argue that this church in not Christian because they do not follow the teachings of the Bible. However when you compare the LDS church and their teachings to the bible you will find that they match up perfectly with far less discrepancies about doctrine than many other churches. Some might even bring up another problem over definition in claiming that the LDS church is a cult. Lets look at the definition of a cult. According to Merriam-Websters Dictionary a Cult is, “A system of religious beliefs and ritual(s)... (Mish, 282).” So I guess the LDS church by definition is a cult but so are the Catholics, Baptists, Protestants, Muslims, Jewish and any other churches. By some dictionary definitions even the Boy Scouts can be considered a cult. Many historically orthodox Christians tend to have a problem including the LDS church and other different but Christ accepting churches into the family of Christians. The source of this bias has developed over the history and teachings of the “Nicene Creed.” The Nicene Creed is a statement published by the followers of Christ (later the Catholic Church) over three hundred years after his death. This statement attempts to define the followers of Christ. Many people still claim today that unless you are baptized and follow the Nicene Creed, according to their interpretation, you are not Christian. Interpretation of the Nicene Creed is different depending on your denomination and ministers teachings. With so many definitions of Christian and
so many people who claim they are Christian we must
narrow down our search for the truth by deciding what the
majority of the public believe. By understanding what the
public believe, we can determine the true definition of
the word. According to B.A. Robinson author of “Who
is a Christian?,” a religious tolerance group, 81%
of adults in America profess to be Christian. (Robinson)
With such a wide acceptance of the term Christian and
comparing it to the actions and beliefs of the general
public against the teachings and spirit of Christ we must
resolve that the term Christian is simply referring to
someone who believes in Christ. There is no person in the
world who can define Christian and make it a fact. We
must resolve to follow the common definition to better
understand who really is a Christian. The term Christian
therfore in itself unmistakingly refers to a person who
relates themselves to Christ. Some denominations believe
this name is only bestowed through baptism and many
people believe they can attain the title by just acting
as good decent people in their homes and communities.
Although this definition can and will still be disputed
by those who tend to be more orthodox, we must realize
the change of times and that a Christian is really
someone who wants to relate their life to Christ. They
are simply a people who want to relate to Christ and show
it by acting in some way or by taking upon themselves
some type of responsibility relating to Christ. |
© Copyright 2004, John Heathcote. All Rights Reserved. |