Can we all agree Jesus’ last name wasn’t Christ? I doubt that Publishers Clearing House delivered their yellow envelope to notify Joseph and Mary Christ that they may won a million denaris in year 4. I know that “Christ” is Greek for “anointed one.” In Hebrew, the word is Mashiach, where we get the word Messiah. Either way, the name is a title, an epithet.
I’ve always been curious as to where we get the concept of “becoming a Christian” in the Bible. Bear with me, and open The Text. Let’s believe what we read and not read what we believe.
Can you point out to someone exactly where Paul “became a Christian”? Peter? John? James? Philip? Cornelius?
How could Peter take Cornelius down the “Romans road” to say “the sinners prayer” when your Bible said he was already “righteous” (Acts 10:22)?
Follow with me please.
What Gospel was preached from Acts 2 through 9? Compare their results with how your church is doing. Look up these verses in Acts.
2:41 = 3,000
2:47 = Addition daily
4:4 = 5,000
5:14 = Men & women kept on being added
6:1 = The number of disciples was multiplying
6:7 = The number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly
6:7b = A great company of the priests added
8:5-6 = Whole city in Samaria
8:25 = Preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
9:31 = Then assemblies throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria were multiplied.
9:35 = All that dwelt at Lydda and Saron turned to the Lord.
9:42 = And many in Joppa believed in the Lord
- Of numbers, 8,000 (and see Acts 21:20)
- Of cities, many
- Of multiplying, 4 times minimum
AND NOW…
10:24 = Cornelius kinsmen and near friends
Question: What Message (Gospel) did they hear that we’re not getting today? I’m just asking….
Keep in mind, our friend Paul enters the scene in Chapter 8 of Acts, yet understands The Kingdom in Chapter 9.
The term “Christian” doesn’t get introduced till later in Acts and comes from a Greek town (Acts 11:26)!
Have you ever noticed that Paul, Peter, James, Titus and Jude all referred to themselves as something, but it wasn’t the term Christian?
None of them used titles either, no Bishop, Reverend, Right Reverend, Pastor, Executive Pastor, Lead Pastor, Prophet etc.
They called themselves “bondservants”!
Why would they do that? What did they know that perhaps we don’t know?
I know they all taught from “The Left-Side” of the Book! The Law wasn’t done away with according to them since they were obviously honored to be a bondservant. They taught and understood where and why the term was introduced by Our Father (Exodus 21).
So I ask you, do you want to be what He says or what man made up?
More here if you want to walk past John 6:66.
