The Phrase 'I am a Christ follower but not a Christian'

[Introverted1293]

LOL! Y'know it is written to fear not and to be strong and courageous...i suspect that applies here....Jesus spoke the truth and sometimes He didn't mince His Words.

Are you familiar with where it is written that the one who puts his hands to the plow and looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom of God?

It's sorta' in sync with what happened to Lot's wife.

The theme?

Double-minded-ness.

You know what happened to Lot's wife, yes?

Yes, she became a pillar of salt. That is heavy stuff.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I don't read the Bible much. But that is going to change.

Excellent habit to pursue diligently!

 

[brinny]

Yes, she became a pillar of salt. That is heavy stuff.

Yes it is, to say the least.

 

[Dave G.]

Yes, she became a pillar of salt. That is heavy stuff.

introverted, I struggled for a short time with this kind of distance with Jesus, after being so strong in Him. I prayed on that one day and that night I had a dream almost like a vision, I would call it more vision than dream. In the dream I was in a line for food like a salad bar and an older man of authority, a man I was to respect came up next to me and leaned into my right ear and he quoted a verse number from the book of James, that's it, he named the book and verse but didn't read it. And I remember thinking in the vision that I am not well versed in the book of James and turned to tell the man that and he was gone. The next morning when I got up I thought wow I rarely read from James, there has to be something to this. And that's when I read the book and found the words about the double minded man in James 1:8. What was happening then, I discovered, is indeed I had one foot in the world and one foot in my spirit. And the world was winning, thus the distance with Jesus.

So be prayerful, keep Jesus close and the things of the world in second place or even third. I'm not condemning you, just giving my experience and result,it might be useful to you...

 

[Kenny'sID]

Have you heard this phrase among people who follow Christ, but don't want to be known as a Christian?

What do you think of people who make statement like this?

Semantics.

It's a given we are not perfect so to say we follow Christ, only means, the best we can. Same with calling ourselves Christian, we are imperfect and that's as good as a Christian can get.

IOW, we can be Christian and not be perfect, as a matter of fact, that's why Christ was sent, because we weren't perfect/we needed forgiveness.

So, never considered it before but I still follow Christ the only way humans can follow Christ...same with being Christian.

I'll go a little further than I intended here, but take the term "Christian", a very good term that describes a group of people, and that anyone who knows the bible already knows what that entails.

Now ask me what religion I am, and imagine your confusion if I say, "Well I'm christian and a follower of Christ but technically I'm not/do not, because being a Christian means to follow Christ which I don't do 100% and yada yada, blah blah blah, and so on and so forth for another 3 paragraphs, until we are associated with being a flake. lol

So, they are good descriptive terms that in affect, mean just what they mean, all that's possible for them to mean.

You could call yourself a Christian wannabe but that could come with dire consequences.

 

[Gwen-is-new!]

Have you heard this phrase among people who follow Christ, but don't want to be known as a Christian?

What do you think of people who make statement like this? I have use this phrase myself, so there's no judgement. Although, I struggle following Christ, and I fail all the time gaining victory over my sin, so I can not even make a claim that I am a follower of Christ.

But the question is, does this phrase make sense?

I have used this statement (follower part that is.. I wouldn't say I wasn't Christian.. yikes). I think someone hit on my thoughts already, but basically the world has a bad opinion of "Christians", this stems mainly from 1) false converts 2) our fallen/flesh nature that still lives inside us 3) media. When you tell someone you are a Christian, you have NO idea what they think that means, so IMO, it's safer and clearer to call myself a Christ-follower (ie: I take HIS teachings seriously.. I am not just a "nominal" Christian).

 

[Introverted1293]

introverted, I struggled for a short time with this kind of distance with Jesus, after being so strong in Him. I prayed on that one day and that night I had a dream almost like a vision, I would call it more vision than dream. In the dream I was in a line for food like a salad bar and an older man of authority, a man I was to respect came up next to me and leaned into my right ear and he quoted a verse number from the book of James, that's it, he named the book and verse but didn't read it. And I remember thinking in the vision that I am not well versed in the book of James and turned to tell the man that and he was gone. The next morning when I got up I thought wow I rarely read from James, there has to be something to this. And that's when I read the book and found the words about the double minded man in James 1:8. What was happening then, I discovered, is indeed I had one foot in the world and one foot in my spirit. And the world was winning, thus the distance with Jesus.

So be prayerful, keep Jesus close and the things of the world in second place or even third. I'm not condemning you, just giving my experience and result,it might be useful to you...

Wow. That is useful. Thank you very much for sharing.

 

[Cowwy]

Yes it does make sense.
I don't call myself Christian but follower of Christ and able to follow.

I think the struggle is how the world defines "Christians" and not what Christ defines Christians.

The world sees Christian as a systematic religion where you go into a building every "Sunday" do your worship and that's it. Most people who go to church are highly uninterested, you can test that by starting a conversation to anyone about God. From my experience, people who goes to Church actually don't follow Christ, it is in their words and in their actions. I had this one guy actually said to me "I would make a lot of money first, and then serve God". And he tried to get me on his bandwagon.

There is all sorts of things like that in the worldly Christianity that doesn't fit the bill.
So I don't call myself Christian and decided to believe what the Scripture says:

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.​

I am more excited over fellowship than any church services, because that is how a real gathering of Body of Christ supposed to be conducted. We share our testimony out in the open, talk about it faithfully what each one heard from the Lord like little children, and pretty soon you'll feel the Holy Spirit takes over the conversation as each contributes and building each other up in faith.

People are happier to hear more from the Word of God as people with similar problems can relate. If there is something wrong with the teaching(from the person sharing), there is opportunities for them to learn and correct. If someone has a vision, they can get confirmation among the people in the group. If there is words of encouragement for the broken heart, other people can do it there and then.

Unlike the Church today where one person speaks and everyone HAVE to listen.

There is no exchange of thoughts, no interaction, it breeds confusion in the teachings because not everyone in the Church doesn't read their bible. When that happens, the pastor stands firm because they have the "Word of God", the pastor forgot the audience has it as well, when the audience strikes a bell with a verse that doesn't match the teaching, they can't say anything. Another words, they cannot be corrected.

I would say that Church have good atmosphere, it brings people together in a worldly manner. When it comes to God, it seem that people have thrown Him out.

 

[Introverted1293]

Semantics.

It's a given we are not perfect so to say we follow Christ, only means, the best we can. Same with calling ourselves Christian, we are imperfect and that's as good as a Christian can get.

IOW, we can be Christian and not be perfect, as a matter of fact, that's why Christ was sent, because we weren't perfect/we needed forgiveness.

So, never considered it before but I still follow Christ the only way humans can follow Christ...same with being Christian.

I'll go a little further than I intended here, but take the term "Christian", a very good term that describes a group of people, and that anyone who knows the bible already knows what that entails.

Now ask me what religion I am, and imagine your confusion if I say, "Well I'm christian and a follower of Christ but technically I'm not/do not, because being a Christian means to follow Christ which I don't do 100% and yada yada, blah blah blah, and so on and so forth for another 3 paragraphs, until we are associated with being a flake. lol

So, they are good descriptive terms that in affect, mean just what they mean, all that's possible for them to mean.

You could call yourself a Christian wannabe but that could come with dire consequences.

I guess you are right.

I guess saying that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, but not a Christian, is like saying I steal but I am not a thief.

But I don't know if that's what you were trying to get at.

 

[Gwen-is-new!]

Thank you for understanding and the advice. I know I need to pursue him more.

Introverted- realize that although you are justified (just as if you never sinned before God), you are still being sanctified. This is a process, and devil would love it for you to condemn yourself - so please be careful that you responding to conviction from the Holy Spirit vs condemnation from the enemy. Be sure to show yourself grace and mercy as the Lord has extended these things to you - but don't forget that grace was bought with a price, so it's not cheap

 

[Introverted1293]

Yes it does make sense.
I don't call myself Christian but follower of Christ and able to follow.

I think the struggle is how the world defines "Christians" and not what Christ defines Christians.

The world sees Christian as a systematic religion where you go into a building every "Sunday" do your worship and that's it. Most people who go to church are highly uninterested, you can test that by starting a conversation to anyone about God. From my experience, people who goes to Church actually don't follow Christ, it is in their words and in their actions. I had this one guy actually said to me "I would make a lot of money first, and then serve God". And he tried to get me on his bandwagon.

There is all sorts of things like that in the worldly Christianity that doesn't fit the bill.
So I don't call myself Christian and decided to believe what the Scripture says:

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.​

I am more excited over fellowship than any church services, because that is how a real gathering of Body of Christ supposed to be conducted. We share our testimony out in the open, talk about it faithfully what each one heard from the Lord like little children, and pretty soon you'll feel the Holy Spirit takes over the conversation as each contributes and building each other up in faith.

People are happier to hear more from the Word of God as people with similar problems can relate. If there is something wrong with the teaching(from the person sharing), there is opportunities for them to learn and correct. If someone has a vision, they can get confirmation among the people in the group. If there is words of encouragement for the broken heart, other people can do it there and then.

Unlike the Church today where one person speaks and everyone HAVE to listen.

There is no exchange of thoughts, no interaction, it breeds confusion in the teachings because not everyone in the Church doesn't read their bible. When that happens, the pastor stands firm because they have the "Word of God", the pastor forgot the audience has it as well, when the audience strikes a bell with a verse that doesn't match the teaching, they can't say anything. Another words, they cannot be corrected.

I would say that Church have good atmosphere, it brings people together in a worldly manner. When it comes to God, it seem that people have thrown Him out.

I guess when you come on here and ask for the opinions of other people you get different opinions about the subject.

I actually did not expect this response though.

Thank you very much for your reply.

 

[Introverted1293]

Introverted- realize that although you are justified (just as if you never sinned before God), you are still being sanctified. This is a process, and devil would love it for you to condemn yourself - so please be careful that you responding to conviction from the Holy Spirit vs condemnation from the enemy. Be sure to show yourself grace and mercy as the Lord has extended these things to you - but don't forget that grace was bought with a price, so it's not cheap

Thank you

 

[Dave G.]

Wow. That is useful. Thank you very much for sharing.

Any time !! God is so faithful and notice in my story that He also did not condemn me, and what ever your answer is, He won't condemn you either. But instead a provision was made to see. And in my story it was all launched from prayer first, asking Jesus about this separation.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Have you heard this phrase among people who follow Christ, but don't want to be known as a Christian?

What do you think of people who make statement like this? I have use this phrase myself, so there's no judgement. Although, I struggle following Christ, and I fail all the time gaining victory over my sin, so I can not even make a claim that I am a follower of Christ.

But the question is, does this phrase make sense?

It doesn't make sense, because "Christian" literally means "one who follows Christ". The English comes from the Latin Christianus, itself from Greek Christanos (plural Christianoi) meaning "person of [the] Christ". Combining "Christos" with the suffix "ianos" indicates "belonging to" or "of" thus "of Christ", in reference to people Christianoi, "people of Christ" Christianos "person of Christ".

"Christ follower" is redundant. If I said, "I'm a Christ follower, not a Christian" it has the exact meaning of "I follow Christ, I don't follow Christ."

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Introverted1293]

It doesn't make sense, because "Christian" literally means "one who follows Christ". The English comes from the Latin Christianus, itself from Greek Christanos (plural Christianoi) meaning "person of [the] Christ". Combining "Christos" with the suffix "ianos" indicates "belonging to" or "of" thus "of Christ", in reference to people Christianoi, "people of Christ" Christianos "person of Christ".

"Christ follower" is redundant. If I said, "I'm a Christ follower, not a Christian" it has the exact meaning of "I follow Christ, I don't follow Christ."

-CryptoLutheran

Yeah, I am starting to understand that. Like I said in one of my other posts, it would be like saying I steal but I am not a thief.

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

the term "Christian" originally was used to ridicule those who were disciples of Christ(similar to calling muslims "muhammedans"). neither Christ nor the disciples used the term "Christian" to refer to themselves.

in Antioch, they were dubbed Christians by those who were not believers(the term originated from the outside), king Agrippa used the term as it was popularized by the masses in a time where their was great persecution of believers. peter counselling believers to not be ashamed if they suffer as Christians is urging believers to not be discouraged if they are ridiculed for their faith(contrasting the term along side murderers, thieves, and gossips).

nowadays, the term is nebulous due to the many denominations, religious sects, and the prevalence of mainline nominalist adherence.

I have no problem with people using the term as it is an accurate description, though I tend not to use it myself.

 

[Dave G.]

It doesn't make sense, because "Christian" literally means "one who follows Christ". The English comes from the Latin Christianus, itself from Greek Christanos (plural Christianoi) meaning "person of [the] Christ". Combining "Christos" with the suffix "ianos" indicates "belonging to" or "of" thus "of Christ", in reference to people Christianoi, "people of Christ" Christianos "person of Christ".

"Christ follower" is redundant. If I said, "I'm a Christ follower, not a Christian" it has the exact meaning of "I follow Christ, I don't follow Christ."

-CryptoLutheran

I agree and I thought of this as well. In my early post I wanted to establish that he was indeed Christian at all. Seems he is, so we moved on..

 

[ViaCrucis]

Most people who go to church are highly uninterested, you can test that by starting a conversation to anyone about God. From my experience, people who goes to Church actually don't follow Christ, it is in their words and in their actions.

Seeing as there is a population of 2 billion Christians, I'm sure that you must have been quite thorough and had an enormous sample size when you made you experiments and were able to reach these conclusions. And that you aren't merely generalizing based on a few bad experiences and thus maligning 1/3 of the global human population by use of faulty logic and personal prejudice.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Kenny'sID]

I guess saying that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, but not a Christian, is like saying I steal but I am not a thief.

"Christian" indicates you are a "follower of Christ" so really, they are the same thing. So in affect you are saying, if we sin you aren't either of those, not technically, but I really don't need to explain we are still saved, so Christians/followers as we know them to be (sinners, who at least try not to, and do succeed) are just that, Christian and followers of Christ.

 

[Introverted1293]

"Christian" indicates you are a "follower of Christ" so really, they are the same thing. So in affect you are saying, if we sin you aren't either of those, not technically, but I really don't need to explain we are still saved, so Christians/followers as we know them to be (sinners, who at least try not to, and do succeed) are just that, Christian and followers of Christ.

I get it. Thank you very much