What Therefore is the Christian?

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The word Christian is perhaps the most abused word in history aside from love which is a stand of this ministry that is.  There is the conception of misusing it.  The dictionary may define it as "a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus." or in short, a follower of Jesus Christ.  However there has been misuse of it.  

Here are some examples of how the word Christian is being misused and why they are wrongly used:

  • It's assumed by the person that a person is a Christian just because they claim to worship Jesus Christ even if that person belongs to a satire of Christianity which adds works to getting saved and practices not in the Bible like how the Roman Catholic institution adds the Rosary, infant baptism, Novenas, praying to saints and angels, and mandatory fasting to getting saved.  In short, while claiming to be Christians, they put the tradition of men above God's Word (Mark 7:8-9).
  • Many use fancy names that seem Christians like "Kingdom of Jesus Christ", "Church of Christ" or whatever to look Christian but they teach various heresies like adding works to salvation (which also can come in form of baptismal salvation, adding baptism to being saved) or even deny the essential doctrine of the Trinity which in turn, denies the fact that Jesus Christ is God.  To trust in another Jesus is a sure road to Hellfire and it's evidenced by trusting in works for salvation.
  • They assume that a person is a Christian because he goes to church.  This is a genetic fallacy because going to a church does not make one a Christian just as going inside a stable doesn't make one a horse.  Common sense really.
  • Also, one think that a Christian is someone who is doing all the good works to please God (now that's back to point 1 and 2) but when in reality, good works do not save at all (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5).  As said, one can do good works and not be a Christian but one can never be a Christian without resulting to any good works as a result of salvation.
  • Or in the common scenario of the jail in the Philippines- they called the convicts as Christians all because they claim to be Christians when they are not.

What therefore is the Christian?  Now back to the question  Acts 11:26 calls the disciples in Antioch to be Christians and that is the first time in the New Testament the word "Christian" is being used.  But don't get it confused- Christianity leads to discipleship, not the other way around.  Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:6 also uses the term Christian.  The disciples (believers) are those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is and what He has done for them through His death, burial and resurrection in order to pay the penalty of sins and conquer it (John 6:37-40, Romans 10:9-13).  John 1:12 is clear that anybody who receives Jesus Christ is therefore given power to become a child of God and NOT everybody is a child of God.  The mark of a Christian is obedience to Jesus Christ- they obey Him as a result of being His sheep (John 10:26-28) and doing good works not for the glory of man but for God's own glory and a power over sin not of their own, it's again God's grace (Titus 2:11-15).  However this does not mean a Christian will not stumble but God is faithful not to cast out the Christian (John 6:37), rather to chastise the Christian (Hebrews 12:5-6).