What is a Christian?
DEEP DIVE: WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN
THESIS
A Christian is a person who has, at a single moment in time, trusted in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. The term is not a behavior label, a moral grade, a cultural identity, or a lifelong performance metric. It is a one-time positional designation rooted in faith in the finished work of Christ, and it carries with it irrevocable, eternal standing in Him.
ETYMOLOGY AND ORIGIN OF THE TERM
The English word "Christian" transliterates the Greek Christianos (Χριστιανός), formed from Christos ("Christ" or "Anointed One") and the Latinate suffix -ianos, meaning "belonging to the party of" or "adherent of." The construction parallels terms like Herodianoi (Herodians, partisans of Herod) in Mark 3:6 and Matthew 22:16. The suffix is deliberately partisan in tone - it marks a person as aligned with, owned by, or identified with a named figure.
The term does not…
Love this picture. I have been involved with Christian camping ministry for many years in the past.
And going backpack-tent camping and having a fire together with your friends and discussing the Bible, is one of the most intimate things and enjoyable experiences. Thanks so much Dom for creating this site!