A NEW IDENTITY AND A NEW CULTURE
Question: What is Christianity? What is Christianity not? Is it what we do/do not do? Is it a worldview? Is it an identity? Is it a culture? Is it a kingdom? (Is it a religious denomination?) What is Christianity? What is “CHRIST” about Christianity?
Peter Carlveland Sserubidde, December 2023.
Response: In the preceding two articles (read part 1 and part 2 here) of this discussion, I provided concise insights into the nature of Christianity, clarifying what it is and what it is not. The exploration of its characteristics, such as whether it constitutes a worldview, has been initiated and will persist. Shifting focus from its essence, we delve into additional dimensions of inquiry. Is Christianity an identity? Is it a culture? Is it a kingdom? (Or is it a religious denomination?) It’s crucial to recognize that Christianity is not merely a substitute/alternative for existing paradigms; as previously hinted in the first part, Christianity represents the embodiment of what is truly new.
A New Identity and Culture
Christianity constitutes a new identity and culture, distinct not in terms of being superior or refined, but rather as a wholly different essence. Identity, the core of one’s existence, emerges as a matter of who individuals are and a reality unveiled through faith. In the realm of Christian belief, the absolute reality is God, rendering Christians as new creations by God, for God, and in God. Their identity is unequivocally shaped by God alone.
These Christians embody a culture rooted in a fresh ideology, a distinct civility, and a unique mode of practice, not defined by their actions but by what is accomplished in and through them by the absolute reality governing and guiding their lives. Given the novelty of their identity, the culture they embrace enters into continual engagement with other identities and diverse cultural perspectives and practices.
Christianity is Newness
Let’s delve into the concept of “newness.” The notion of ‘the new’ was initially articulated and underscored by the wilderness prophets—figures like Jeremiah, Amos, Ezekiel, and Deutero-Isaiah. This concept gained prominence through the teachings of the Apostle Paul and found practical expression in the life of Jesus Christ as documented in the New Testament. Christianity, as a movement, embodies a radical newness with a fresh ideology (Jeremiah 31:31; 2 Samuel 7), a renewed spirit and heart (Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26), and a transformative praxis ( Galatians 5:22–23).
In today’s cultural context, the term “new” often implies the replacement of the old or the introduction of something freshly manufactured to supersede the existing. Examples include exchanging “old clothes” for new ones, transitioning from the past year to the new year, or upgrading to a “new house” from an old one. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated as ‘new’ is ‘Chadhash,’ as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 20:5; 22:8 (new house); 24:5 (new wife); 1 Samuel 6:7 (new cart); 2 Samuel 21:16 (new sword); and Psalm 33:3 (new song).
To grasp the conceptual meaning of the Hebrew term ‘Chadhash,’ consider Exodus 1:8: “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” This wasn’t merely another Pharaoh within the existing Pharaonic system; rather, it was an entirely new king with no knowledge or history of Joseph. This king had no connection whatsoever with Joseph—this is the essence of ‘Chadhash,’ denoting an absolute newness. Christianity, as an identity and culture, stands apart, bearing no resemblance or connection to any preceding or contemporaneous identity or culture. It is entirely unrelated to the legacy of Joseph.
The Greek language, privileged for use in the New Testament, employs at least four distinct words for the English term ‘new,’ each precise in its meaning. Notably, Prosphatos (fresh, latest production in Hebrews 10:20; Ecclesiastes 1:9 Septuagint/LXX) and Agnaphos (raw, unprocessed, unused in Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21) play significant roles in defining Christianity as a new identity and culture. Specifically, Kainos (new as to quality, of a different nature in Matthew 26:28) and Neos (something new in respect of time in Hebrews 12:24) underscore Christianity’s newness in terms of both distinct nature and quality, as well as temporal significance.
Christianity represents a new identity and culture characterized by a divergence in nature, quality, and temporal context. This distinct nature and quality find expression in the following verses:
- “New creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:5; using the Greek term ‘Kainos‘)
- “New man” (Ephesians 2:15; 4:24; Romans 6:4-6; employing the Greek term ‘kainos‘)
- “New covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:13; Luke 22:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; using the Greek term ‘Kainos‘)
- “New commandment” (John 13:34; Romans 7:6; employing the Greek term ‘Kainos‘)
- “New doctrine” (Acts 17:19; using the Greek term ‘Kainos‘)
- “New Earth and Heavens” (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1; even in the Greek Septuagint-OT translation, the term is ‘kainos‘)
- “New thing” (Acts 17:21; using the Greek term ‘Kainos’)
Kainos represents the ‘New‘ that supplants the old. Simply put, Christianity embodies the new, while Judaism, along with all the traditional cultural religions worldwide, belongs to the old and outdated. The concept of ‘new‘ in Kainos gains clarity when juxtaposed with the old and bygone.
In this context, one can explain Judaism or any traditional religious practices across the globe without referencing Christianity, but the reverse is not true. Christianity introduces a new man, distinct from the former, a new commandment diverging from prior commands and laws, and a new doctrine that contrasts with all established religious doctrines and essences. Christianity is transformative and indeed initiates a novel undertaking.
The praxis of Christianity involves a retrospective perspective, akin to utilizing skins that have never been employed before, in contrast to those weakened by age, losing strength and elasticity. Consider this verse:
“That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22, 24-32 NKJ)
This encapsulates the essence of being born-again, transformation, and regeneration (John 3:1–7; 1 Peter 1:3–23; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22–23; Colossians 3:5; Matthew 4:17). Christianity doesn’t perceive Kainos as merely a newness in our actions; rather, it embodies the newness brought about in believers by God Himself. In this context, it’s emphasized that only God has the power to make you truly new (kainos).
The second dimension in which Christianity is portrayed as new emerges through the New Testament’s use of the Greek term ‘Neos.’ Christianity represents an identity and culture belonging to a distinct era. ‘Neos‘ denotes newness in the sense of a different era—something unprecedented with no ties to the past or present. It doesn’t signify another generation but an entirely separate one.
This manifests as a new generation (1 Timothy 5:11, Titus 2:4), and Christianity is likened to a new bread (1 Corinthians 5:7, a new batch). The ‘new’ (neos) covenant in Hebrews 12:24 stands in stark contrast to the Mosaic covenant established 1,500 years earlier. Similarly, the ‘new’ (kainos) covenant in Hebrews 8:8, 13, and 9:15 is distinctively set against the aged Mosaic covenant.
Kainos and Neos are the two terms that explain the novelty of Christianity. Unlike both secular and religious worldviews, Christianity is distinguished by its new character and message. It embraces a fresh identity represented by Neos and a new culture embodied by Kainos. This distinction is vividly illustrated by God’s metaphor of wine and skins:
“No one puts new (neos) wine into old wineskins, or else the new (neos) wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new (neos) wine must be put into new (kainos) wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Luke 5:37-38)
The use of these two words is found in Matthew 9:17, Luke 5:38, and Mark 2:22-23, where new (neos) wine is poured into new (kainos) skins, ensuring the preservation of both. God was referring to a wine unlike any known variety (whether fresh/kainos from the brewer, as mentioned in Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25), but rather a distinct type of wine from a different era. The wineskins, in contrast, were kainos (brand new compared to the worn-out skins). In essence, Christianity and its Gospel embody Neos, while its practices are characterized by Kainos.
The identity of Christianity lies in the new man it has assumed and the fresh spirit guiding it (Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:23). This man and spirit of Christianity are epitomized by Jesus Christ, the one with whom Christianity is adorned. While all other worldviews are clothed under the first Adam, Christianity has donned the garments of the second Adam (Romans 5).
Christian Praxis
The practical embodiment of this newness, referred to as Christianity, is succinctly captured in the following passage:
“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
(Galatians 3:23-28 NKJ)
In Christ Jesus, the new man we have assumed (Colossians 3:10); faith has superseded the law, Christ has taken the place of the patriarchs, and now Christianity signifies the absence of tribalism and racism. It stands as the absence of classism and the absence of gender bias.
God bless you.
I invoke Truth, Wisdom, and Faith (2 Timothy 2:7)
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