God's purpose was to bring or establish a relationship, not another religion called "Christianity". Remember, religion is man's search for God and the kingdom that he lost. The original plan and purpose of God was to have a family of sons that He could relate to as a father to His children.
The Constitution, better known to many as the Bible, refers to man's relationship to God with these phrases: servants (which 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. Keep this in mind, the disciples were first called "Christians" at the city of Antioch. It was the people there that called them "Christians". Remember, if someone names you, they will define you, and that is what they did. For example: My first name is "William" not Will or Bill or Billy, and I will not respond to anything other than my name. (Read Acts 11:26)
Christianity was never a term to be given us by Jesus the Christ nor His apostles. The term Christian was never to be a title not a label that we wore, but a lifestyle that we lived, demonstrating the nature of "Christ-likeness". In essence, a "Christian" was supposed to be a description of the culture of the Kingdom of God 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. Now days, the word "Christian" is just a by-word, a name that is deeply rooted in a religion. It reminds me of coffee, two-thirds milk and one-third coffee and sugar. The lifestyle most individuals live who carry the badge of "Christian" is so much like this world's system, you can't see the difference. They quote scripture, say God bless, and are quick to mention to you, "don't judge"; but christ says we should judge the brothers who claim to be Kingdom citizens. a Kingdom citizen follows and obeys the Kingdom laws.
Constitution: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10) Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11) But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12) For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13) But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
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 standards and expectations. We should stop trying so hard to live like "Christians" and all the false assumptions associated with that term; and instead work harder at living like citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Constitution, better known to many as the Bible, refers to man's relationship to God with these phrases: servants (which 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. Keep this in mind, the disciples were first called "Christians" at the city of Antioch. It was the people there that called them "Christians". Remember, if someone names you, they will define you, and that is what they did. For example: My first name is "William" not Will or Bill or Billy, and I will not respond to anything other than my name. (Read Acts 11:26)
Christianity was never a term to be given us by Jesus the Christ nor His apostles. The term Christian was never to be a title not a label that we wore, but a lifestyle that we lived, demonstrating the nature of "Christ-likeness". In essence, a "Christian" was supposed to be a description of the culture of the Kingdom of God 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. Now days, the word "Christian" is just a by-word, a name that is deeply rooted in a religion. It reminds me of coffee, two-thirds milk and one-third coffee and sugar. The lifestyle most individuals live who carry the badge of "Christian" is so much like this world's system, you can't see the difference. They quote scripture, say God bless, and are quick to mention to you, "don't judge"; but christ says we should judge the brothers who claim to be Kingdom citizens. a Kingdom citizen follows and obeys the Kingdom laws.
Constitution: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10) Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11) But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12) For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13) But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
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 standards and expectations. We should stop trying so hard to live like "Christians" and all the false assumptions associated with that term; and instead work harder at living like citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
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