What's in a Name?

"Now if once we allow people to start spiritualising and refining, or as they might say ‘deepening’, the sense of the word Christian, it too will speedily become a useless word. In the first place, Christians themselves will never be able to apply it to anyone. It is not for us to say who, in the deepest sense, is or is not close to the spirit of Christ. We do not see into men’s hearts. We’ cannot judge, and are indeed forbidden to judge. It would be wicked arrogance for us to say that any man is, or is not, a Christian in this refined sense. And obviously a word which we can never apply is not going to he a very useful word. As for the unbelievers, they will no doubt cheerfully use the word in the refined sense. It will become in their mouths simply a term of praise. In calling anyone a Christian they will mean that they think him a good man. But that way of using the word will be no enrichment of the language, for we already have the word good. Meanwhile, the word Christian will have been spoiled for any really useful purpose it might have served." - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Preface)

What's in a name? When people say "There goes that christian walking down the street," do they just mean a good person? or do they understand the power behind being called a christian. In these days i think not, and neither did C.S. Lewis. The word, or title, christian has lost its potency to the unbeliever. As Lewis revealed, it has become a dead word; a word that "is not going to be a very useful [or effective] word."

I would love to respectfully prove C.S. Lewis wrong this Thanksgiving. While with your in-laws and loved ones this Thanksgiving, will you be viewed as, christian: The good guy? or christian: The man/woman of God? Do your relatives see the power of Christ in your life? Are you re-defining the word "Christian" to mean what it really means this Thanksgiving?


Your Brother in Christ,
D.W. Green
Jeremiah 1:12
"I am ready to perform My word." Says the Lord God.