Bible scholars: What does the word "Christian" mean - belonging to Christ, being like Christ, or what?

Question

I know that the followers of Jesus were called Christians in Antioch first. What did it mean when people said it?

Answer 1

Uncertain... It possibly was meant to be a term of derision, but was accepted and used by the church. The end result is that though there is no certainty what it ORIGINALLY meant, the meaning which was ACCEPTED was a positive one, probably just "a follower of Christ."

Answer 2

The Greek words translated as the word Christian really mean little Christ. In other words Christians are to live the type of life that Christ lived.

Answer 3

They had given their lives over to Christ in Faith that He was the Only Begotten Son of God. They were striving to follow His teachings and to be more Holy like Him.


Acts 11:26 - And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Answer 4

Christian means a follower of Christ, by definition, even by todays standards.

Answer 5

An Egyptian is someone who lives in Egypt or makes there residence there. A Roman is someone who lives in Rome. A Corinthian is someone who lives in Corinth. An American is someone who lives in America. A Christian is someone who lives in Christ plain and simple. If Jesus had live and walked in the Far East instead of the Middle East they may have been called Christese..........Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese etc.

Answer 6

Belonging to Christ in the sense of being his follower or disciple

Answer 7

Christian means to act like unto, it literally means Little Christs'.

Answer 8

Christ-like (little Christ)

Answer 9

first of all, Christ Jesus was God with us in those days.

as Christians we are God's humble servants and wish to be as like him as we can. God sent Jesus to save the inhabitants of the world so that he would never have to annihilate the species again.

Answer 10

i'm unsure what you mean via "being saved with large project". a number of what you have listed are easily purely denominations quite than sects. there isn't something in scripture that prohibits Christians and church homes from networking with each and each. additionally, denominations fluctuate many times on secondary concerns which includes church corporation and liturgy quite than middle doctrine. in addition to, Christians of denominations do not carry that one might desire to be a member of a particular denomination to be saved and to be a baby of God. we are all one in Christ in spite of the place we worship. Galatians 3:26-28. Sects--in a nutshell--reject orthodox Christian middle doctrine. they might deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, instruct salvation via works or of entirety via works, that one might desire to belong to the sect to be saved, claims of solely being the "real" church (the solid information is inclusive, not unique), claims of having a monopoly on the Bible, inflexible existence type regulations, salvation via regulation, and others. The enemy's poison is often disguised as piety, and the theory that we are against Christ via being a member of a denomination church is each bit as inspired via hierarchical thinking, self-interest, and delight as is the declare that one might desire to belong to a particular team to be saved. All of humanity misses the mark. this could be a extensive area of the ingredient interior the Gospel. Our solid information is that salvation is a loose present of God out of His love for the international which we get carry of with the aid of faith in Christ Jesus. we've all been "anti-Christ" ********** Romans 3:10-12 (NIV 1984) as that is written: “there is no person righteous, not even one; there is no person that is conscious, no person that seeks God. All have became away, they have jointly grow to be valueless; there is no person that does solid, not even one.” ********** If humanity had under no circumstances became against God, then why did Jesus die on the flow? If we, via our own goodness and solid deeds, could be saved, then why did Jesus die on the flow? that is not we who stain Christ via our touch with Him yet quite Christ who washes us clean of all unrighteousness in His touch with us. Peace be with you.