Now please, let me stress that I am not denying the value or the roll this identification has played in the life or the history of the Christian religion over the past 2000 years.  The concern that I have is the restrictive condition that has distracted many people from the original purpose, message and mission of the Kingdom of God.  The term "Christian" tends to mentally lock a person into a religious mold and limits the reality of the truth about the Kingdom.

    The Bible refers to man's relationship to God with these phrases:  servants (that is another word for "representative minister" as a government minister), saints, ambassadors, sons of God, citizens of heaven, kings, God's workmanship, children of God, and other terms of endearment.  But not officially are they referred to as Christians.  Christianity was never a term given to us by Jesus Christ nor the apostles.  The term Christian was never to be a title nor label that we wore, but a lifestyle that we lived; demonstrating the nature of "Christ-likeness".  In essence, Christian was supposed to be a description of the culture of the Kingdom being exhibited through our lives.  This is why the first believers were called Christians by the early observers of their lifestyle, their power, their boldness, and their Christ-like authority.

    Right or wrong, most unbelievers have a definite idea of what they think a Christian should be.  If we are not careful, we can identify too strongly with their label and fall into the trap of trying to live up to their religious expectations.  We should stop trying so hard to live like Christians--and all of the false assumptions associated with that term.  Instead,we should work harder at living like sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ and citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

    This is the truth behind Jesus' parable of the prodigal son.

Read Luke 15:11-24

This is the way God is also.  He wants sons, not servants or subjects.  He wants citizens, not Christians; and He wants relationships and not religion.

    Keep this in mind, people who adhere to some religious group, including "Christians" consider themselves members of the group; which they perceive as a religious and spiritual relationship with the organization or fraternity.  The term "Christian" refers to an individual who adheres to or sympathizes with the "Christian faith"; and is identified both inside and outside of that faith as a religious entity.

    However, the concept of kingdom is completely opposite to the concept of religion.  A kingdom consists of a king with citizens.  Citizenship is essentially a legal entity with rights and privileges protected by a constitutional commitment of the king and his government.  Keep in mind, that too many "Christians" are religious people, but citizens of the kingdom are legal people.  Legal in the sense that by virtue of a spiritual birth each individual in the kingdom has the right and blessings of citizens of this heavenly kingdom.  We must be delivered from our religious mindset and have our thinking re-adjusted so that we can take on a regal mindset.

    Now religious people have no rights, but legal people do.  God has always desired sons who are citizens of His Kingdom, possessing the legal right to be part of His family.  Citizenship is always considered a privilege in all kingdoms and nations and is usually reserved for those born into that nation or kingdom.  There are special situations where one can become a citizen through privileges extended by the government authority, but birthright is the guaranteed form of sonship and the resulting rights of citizenship.  In Jesus, these previous rights are conferred to everyone who trusts in Him.

John 1:12-13  Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.  13) Children born not of natural descent, not of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God

Philippians 3:20-21  But citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21) who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowely bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.

Now something that you may or may not have known, the term "Christian" was originally a derogatory label given by pagans to followers of Christ, even though believers through the centuries have generally accepted the term (which literally means "little Christ") and bore it with honor.  Yet the term Christian occurs only twice in the Scriptures.

Suggested additional reading:  Acts 26:28-29 and I Peter 4:16-17

    Keep in mind, that religion is man's substitute for the kingdom and that is why it cannot and will not ever satisfy Him.  Only the kingdom can solve man's eternal problem.

    Religion is hard work.  We never rest until we find the kingdom.  Religion is also the toil of mankind in his search for the kingdom.  In other words, religion is simply man's search for God.  This is why we have so many wars, because everyone is claiming to have the right god.

    Keep in mind:  no matter how committed, dedicated, loyal, faithful, zealous, active or complex our religious pursuit may be; as long as man is still searching, dissatisfied and desirous for more, he has not yet found the kingdom.  He is like a fish out of water.  No matter what he does, there is only one solution to his problem.  This emptiness cannot be substituted with oil, gasoline, orange juice, drugs or alcohol.  Religion is man's substitute for the Kingdom of God and that's why it cannot and will not satisfy him.   Only the Kingdom of God can solve man's eternal problem.

    Here is what Jesus says in the constitution:  Matthew 5:3-6  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs are the Kingdom of Heaven. 4) Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  5)  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  6)  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled

God's Original Plan for Man was to:

1.  Establish a family of spiritual sons, not servants

2.  Establish a kingdom, not a religious organization

3.  Establish a Kingdom of kings, not subjects

4.  Establish a commonwealth of citizens, not religous members

5.  Establish a relationship with man, not a religion

6.  Extend His heavenly government to earth

7.  Influence earth from heaven through mankind

    Here is my thinking concerning appreciating where you are in your thinking and mindset.  One must be aware of where they came from in order to appreciate the present and trust the Lord for their future.

Now what do I mean by your culture?  Here is what I mean when I state an individual or a nation's culture:
    1.  The way of doing things
    2.  A civilization of a given people or nation at a given time; it's customs, arts, conveniences, etc.
    3.  The development of the mind and body by education, training, etc.
    4.  And finally, the behavior that is socially taught, rather than instinctive or individual

    Every individual should take a minute to evaluate how they were raised, educated, the environment in which they were raised and the environment they are in now.  Compare it to where you want to be a year from now.  Your life should always show a productive measure in terms of your walk and closeness in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 13:14  But let the Lord take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires.

One's lifestyle should be like a very bright light to those with whom you associate.  Be prayerful and always on your guard.  One should be watchful at all times.

Luke 21:36  Keep a constant watch, and pray that, if possible, you may escape these horrors and stand before the Son of Man.

    Now to get a full understanding of this verse, read the two preceding verses, 34-35:

34 But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

    Keep this in mind, the Kingdom of God is the culture of heaven.  This is what Paul meant when he said:  "You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness; righteous, holy and true"  Ephesians 4:24

Haggai 2:8  "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine" says the Lord of host.

    The Bible, the constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven, plainly identifies God as King and Lord of all.  One of the most common Hebrew words used to refer to God in the Old Testament is Adonai; which literally means proprietor or owner.  It is usually translated "Lord".  The personal name of God, Yahweh, although difficult to translate with complete accuracy, carries the same idea of Master, owner or lord.

In the same way, the New Testament reveals Jesus the Christ as Lord and owner of all.  The most common Greek word for Lord--Kurios--is applied to Jesus repeatedly.  Kurios signifies having power.  It also means one who possesses ultimate authority-- master.  Everything the Old Testament says about God as Lord, the new Testament says about Jesus.

The Lordship of Jesus is also by creative rights and was a natural of His role in the natural creation of all things both seen and unseen.  In essence, we do not "make" Jesus Lord; He is Lord by creative right, whether we acknowledge Him or not.  Jesus Christ is King and Lord of all.

Psalm 47:7-9  For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. 8) God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. 9) The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham.  For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.

    The concept of "lord" is one of the fundamental principles of a kingdom.  It is this quality of lordship that distinguishes a king from a president, a prime minister, a mayor or a governor.  Lordship makes a king unique.

    All kings are automatically lords.  King relates to dominion, while lord relates to domain.  The word dominion refers to a king's authority; his power.  The word domain refers to the territory over which his authority extends.  A king exercises authority over a specific geographical area and within that area his authority is absolute.

    Kingship has to do with authority, and lordship has to do with ownership.  All true kings must have and own territory.  This is the kingdom lordship principle.

As lord, a king literally and legally owns everything in his domain.  If the king owns everything, then no one in the kingdom owns anything.  If the king owns everything, he can give anything to anyone at any time according to his own sovereign choice.

    Because a king's dominion is so closely tied to territory, his wealth is measured by the size and richness of his domain.  The larger and richer their domain, the greater their reputation and glory.