You know what i mean.
"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Acts 11:26).
Here is the key problem with Christianity today. That was a bold statement. Maybe not the KEY problem, but its up there. There are too many "Christians" who are not disciples. We have gotten it backwards, myself included. No wonder people turn away from the church. From Jesus. From God. Because his followers aren't really doing a good job. We aren't doing what we were shown to do. We aren't being good representations of his life and his love. We aren't learning from his teachings, receiving discipline, getting to know him like we should be. In all my life, I have been told, you become a "Christian" and then later when you're more mature... you can start to be a disciple. WRONG. gah. who woulda thunk it. I am reading a couple of books. This next quote is from one of them.
"The Church is a continuation and extension of the original band of disciples, a group of people learning the ways of Jesus as a voluntary community." (Brian McLaren, a Generous Orthodoxy 70)
We MUST become disciples of Christ FIRST. That is how it was with the first disciples... Nothing has changed about it.
Disciple: One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.
EMBRACES and ASSISTS
There is something we are missing. We must be disciples, first. We must embrace the teachings of Christ wholeheartedly, and assist in spreading them. Then we can call ourselves Christian. Until then, we have to quit misrepresenting Jesus and pretending we have it down. Because we don't. And we're ruining things. It's time for things to turn around. Have a revelation, and let's get going. We've got to bring people back that WE have misled. Are you with me?
Be a disciple of Christ. It means far more than being a "Christian".
2 comments:
it's funny the juxtaposition we find ourselves in at church. becoming a christian, then being discipled in the ways of Christ.
it's like they want to make sure you have that "golden ticket" to heaven. then we can teach you what it means to hold that ticket.
it exposes the misunderstands that we have about the life Christ lived, and common goal that we all strive for.
we should focus more on heaven NOW...not heaven later.
like you said... church is so focused on the ticket to heaven, that we neglect what needs to happen next. the learning, the continued transformation, the EXPRESSION.
we are doing people an injustice. letting them think that being Christian is about going to heaven. or worse, about escaping the fires of hell.
if heaven was about saying a name and thats it, then what the heck is LIFE for?? we have to KNOW God. not just believe in Him. "Even the demons believe that—and shudder" (James 2:19). and to know God we have to enter into discipleship with him.
or i guess that is still what im trying to figure out, so i shouldnt be so bold in saying that. but it makes sense.
however, the point is heaven now. it is available. amen, brother friend.
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