‘Christian’ is a noun, not an adjective. Why that matters
What does the word “Christian” mean? You could get many responses to that question today, and none of them may be how the Bible answers it.
That’s because the word is widely used as an adjective:
Christian music.
Christian movies.
Christian schools.
Christian businesses.
Christian principles.
Christian values.
Christian nation.
However, all three times the word appears in the New Testament, it’s a noun:
And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26)
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. (1 Peter 4:16)
As you can see, the only thing the Bible calls Christian is a person. It’s an individual, born-again believer in Jesus Christ.
This is not to say that it should never be an adjective; the modifier can be helpful in making decisions about some of the things listed above. But when we use it that way, we have to invent the definition ourselves, because we won’t get it from the Bible. It doesn’t use the word that way.
For example, what exactly is a Christian nation? Is it a nation with Christian leaders? Which ones? How much of the cabinet? How much of Congress? How much of the Supreme Court? Or can it be just the president? Are they actually born again, or can they merely acknowledge Christianity? How? Is it a nation with Biblical laws? Or just principles? Which ones? Is it a nation with a Christian population? How many of its people? How do we verify and quantify their Christianity?
The Bible is no help here. It answers none of that. The New Testament neither defines it or instructs Christians to try to form one. Similar issues arise when trying to determine other “Christian” things.
Related: Can a nation be saved? What Jesus sent us to ‘disciple’
Shouldn’t we be reluctant to attach the name of Christ to something in a way He hasn’t established in His word? When we do that ourselves, we create many of the heated disputes that involve all of the above, because there are no canonical definitions. At the very least, we should think about what we mean when we throw the label around, define it substantially, and communicate it clearly.
Most importantly, getting back to the focus on people gets us refocused on the gospel. Jesus didn’t come to attach His name to music, movies, or countries. He didn’t die for a set of principles or a worldview. He came to save, redeem, and re-create individual people who He has called to bear His name. They alone are truly Christian.
See also: