Christians are denouncing the title, but still serve Jesus

A change in identity

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of believers in Christ who say they no longer identify as Christians. This is happening for several reasons. The first is that some who use the title believe in the teachings of Christ, like Jane Fonda, but do not believe He died for their sins, which is the basis for Christianity.

Fonda insists she is Christian, but does not accept that free gift of salvation, which invalidates the meaning of Christian. The second reason is that some people say the term was a derogatory slang word meant as an insult.

The term "Christian" was first used to refer to the followers of Jesus Christ in the early days after the Bible says He was resurrected. Scripture records the origin of the term in the New Testament, specifically in the Book of Acts in the Bible.

"Christian" is mentioned in the following Bible passage:

"Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians." (Acts 11:25-26, ESV)

This word was first used in the city of Antioch in the 1st century AD to identify the followers of Jesus. It likely emerged as a way to distinguish these followers from other religious and social groups of the time. It was used similarly to Mars-Martian, Virginia-Virginian-Christ-Christian.

A derogatory term

"Christian" is derived from the Greek word "Χριστιανός" (Christianos), which means "belonging to Christ" or "follower of Christ." Over time, this term became widely used to describe the adherents of the Christian faith and has continued to be used throughout history to refer to those who identify as followers of Jesus Christ

The second time the term is used where Herod Agrippa II replied to Paul, "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." (Acts 26:28). The third and final New Testament reference to the word is in 1 Peter 4, where believers are told: "Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." (1 Peter 4:16).

Kenneth Samuel West has an interesting take on the situation. He believes all three original New Testament verses' mentioning "Christian" reflect a derisive element and negatively refer to followers of Jesus Christ who did not acknowledge the Roman Emperor.

Loving Jesus but not identifying a Christian

The term Christian has come to be viewed as meaning bigoted and narrow-minded toward those who believe differently. Gay bashing in the name of Christianity has led some people to no longer use the label because of the growing number of individuals saying they don't want a Jesus who cannot accept them as they are.

You can have a personal relationship with Christ without doing any of that because He dwells within you, and you can commune with HIm anytime you choose. Being a Christian, much like the celebration of Christmas, has changed over the decades and no longer means what it used to.

This is why so many are no longer claiming the term. There is a saying that religion is a man in church thinking about fishing, and a relationship is a man out fishing thinking about God. You can love Jesus without identifying as a Christian or setting foot in a church building. This was done for the first 323 years after the resurrection.