Christian What?

Today I was on FaceBook and I saw where someone had forwarded photo from group called "Christian Republicans". If you have been following my blog then you will already be aware of fact that I and grieviously dislike politics. I remember when I first went to first went to my college and discovered that not all Christians are Republicans haha. I'm not here to debate whether Christians can  be Democrats or Republicans (or vise versa). I'm not here to tell you how unbiblical and ungodly it is to separate your religious beliefs from your politics stands, and I'm definitely not writing this to inform you of the fact you are going to Hell for doing so. Purgatory...yes. Hell...no (For the record I do not hold to a Catholic view of purgatory. I hold the Protestant one that is often not called "purgatory" for fear that one might be labeled a heretic for believing what they actually do believe...).

What I'm focusing on here is much more a long the lines of American culture and a shifting of the grammatical use of the word "Christian". Ok...so when, in the course of 200 years, did the word "Christian" become an adjective??? Last time I checked it was a...NOUN! For those who do not know...

"noun-any member of a class of words that can function as the main or only elements of subjects of verbs, as “A dog  just barked,” or of objects of verbs or prepositions, as “to send money  from home, ”and that in English can take plural forms and possessive endings,as “Three of his buddies  want to borrow John's  laptop.” nouns are often described as referring to persons, places, things, states, or qualities, and the word noun  is itself often used as an attributive modifier, as noun compound; noun group . See also noun adjunct,noun clause, noun phrase. Synonyms: substantive, name." This definition is taken from Dictionary.com

Somehow, the word Christian took up a role of being an adjective as well. In fact id you look up The definition of "Christian" on Dictionary.com, you will see that it first and for most lists the word as an adjective. Why?

Aren't we supposed to be "Christians" first, and anything else second? So how did "Christian" become the modifier? It is is the core of what and who we are, and everything else in our lives is touched by or and extension of our faith in Christ...then how is it that we find ourselves being "Christian Artists", "Christian Republicans", "Christian Mechanics", "Christian Businessmen" or "Christian Missionaries"? It should not be the adjective because then we are watering it down...or simply making it the clothing that body wears rather than something that is deeply intertwined with our being. I don't dress Christian...I AM Christian. It is not like a coat of paint on a house...it is the house. Republican, Democrat  Artist, etc are the the coats of paint that go on the house.

So let's stop living in a way that "Christianity" is a mere adjective to our lives, but is instead a noun that tells people what we actually are.

Peace be upon you,

Stephen