Today, I read an article in Relevant magazine that honestly just bothered me. It’s about why Marcus Mumford, front man for the band Mumford & Sons, doesn’t want to identify himself as a Christian. This isn’t to say that he isn’t a follower of Christ, but that he doesn’t want to be associated with a religious label that has “so much baggage.” Do I think there’s anything special about the label “Christian”? Well, yes and no. Can someone live a life following Jesus, live openly and deeply with other Christ followers, and step through the gates to eternal life with those who do embrace the label “Christian” even though they don’t embrace that label? Yes. Absolutely. But, I think there are some implications here that are worth considering, because this isn’t just about one person not liking a label. It’s about a culture that doesn’t want to confess anything that might offend someone.
Matthew 10:21-22 ESV
Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,
and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved
John 15:18-19 ESV
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
History
Acts 11:26 tells us that those who follow Christ were first called “Christians” at Antioch. It’s a general consensus that this was done out of mockery, calling these people “little Christs.” In any case, the ESV Study Bible is right to point out that it was at this point that “the disciples were beginning to have an identity of their own apart from other Jews.”
So, the label “Christian” started off as a form of mocking disciples of Christ, but still recognizing they had a distinct identity from those around them. And, according to the pagans and the Jews of the day, the “Christian” label started off with a “black mark” or “baggage” simply because they were different and confessed Christ as Lord instead of Caesar and refused to follow the traditions of the Old Testament.
The Church adopted this “nickname” and used it as a sign of honor, that they were like “little Christs.” It came with “baggage” as far as the world was concerned. Faith in Christ offended people, and the Church was ok with that.
Faith and Transparency
The Christian label, identifying those who believe Christ is Lord and look to Him as Savior, began with the world hating it even before there was the label. Jesus was crucified before the term Christian was used. Stephen was martyred before these disciples of Jesus had a distinct identity. Saul of Tarsus went on a killing rampage, persecuting the Church, well before Antioch. So, it hasn’t been the label that has historically caused problems for people, it has been faith in Christ and the public confession of Him as the only means of salvation that causes problems for people.
But there is something lately that has caused problems for the Christian label. It isn’t the Crusades, as much of a black mark as that is. It isn’t the problems of sexual abuse within the Catholic church, or within some Protestant churches, as of late. It’s regular people, like you and me, who don’t live authentically.
It’s people that preach a “You have to be perfect” gospel and try to fake that as best they can that cause the problem. It’s fundamentalists who have no grace for people and no room for repentance that cause the problem. It’s people who preach perfection and then something tragic happens…we find out they’re human. They can’t live up to what they preach, so they’re given a different label. Hypocrite. They’re given this label because they haven’t really been preaching the gospel at all.
They’ve shifted from preaching “I am the worst of sinners, come fall on God’s grace with me” to shouting “Clean yourself up before you walk down the aisle.” The weight of this is too much, because we know we can’t clean ourselves up enough for a holy God to love us.
Redemption
What would happen if, when asked questions like this, we weren’t afraid to be associated with the “baggage?” What would happen if, when confronted with the tragedies in Church history, we were honest about the tragic nature, and said that events like the Crusades are perfect examples of Christians completely missing the point and of humanity’s need for a Savior, but still embraced the identity of “Christian”? What would happen if we lived out the life of faith we claim to believe?
How would the world respond to Christians who didn’t pretend to be perfect, but were honest and real about their flaws and need for a Savior?
What could we change in this world if we stopped being so concerned with being politically correct and starting preaching the gospel, with both our lives AND our lips? How would our lives change if we reminded ourselves of the faith the apostles had, almost martyred to the last man? They weren’t martyred for nothing; they offended people by their faith in Christ and their proclamation of Him as Lord and Savior.
What would happen if we loved the lost and broken as much as Jesus does? What would happen if we stopped condemning those whom Jesus came to save, and started praying for them so passionately that love for them overflowed to the point that we would personally sacrifice to seem them come to know Jesus?
Wouldn’t we then have a chance to be participants in Christ’s redeeming the label “Christian” through our actions and lives?
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