I found a really good article describing and defining the difference between a Christian and a "Christ-Follower" (or in some churches, "Jesus-Follower").
My commentary is simply this: Ask those who are calling thenm Christ-Followers (or Jesus-Followers) which Christ or Jesus they are following? You see, there are two going around. One is the Savior who also has a heart for the poor. The other one is a moral example and really isn't that concerned with sin, but is obsessed with helping the poor and bringing them social justice, mainly through changing government and other power structures into a quasi-Marxist structure.
Here is a snippet from the post I found The link to the entire psot is at the end of today's post.
Now here lies the difference between a Christian and a Christ-follower. A person who is truly born-again has Jesus Christ indwelling him. Jesus lives inside that person. And it is His life in him or her that gives the power to become progressively more like Him (sanctification), as Paul said in his address to Corinthian Christians: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Corinthians 3:18). The believer draws his strength and power from Jesus Christ (who indwells him), and he realizes his salvation and any good thing in him is from Christ; as the Scripture says: “Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9).
But being born again or having the indwelling of Jesus Christ is not a prerequisite for the Christendom of today. Spiritual formation can be practiced by anyone. Jesus becomes a model or an example who can be followed and mimicked. For example, Ken Blanchard, says Jesus is a perfect model to follow. That’s why he talks so much about leading like Jesus would lead. But Blanchard has shown time and again that he believes meditation is a key factor in becoming like Jesus.
The link is here.
Steve Went Looking for Grace
3 days ago
1 comment:
I noticed that Anne Rice's recent statement that she "quit" being a "Christian" caused quite a flurry of activity in blogosphere.
I was disturbed that many who I know to be sincere believers were very sympathetic with her tirade.
The problem isn't what we call ourselves! It is like you said, who is the Jesus we are following, and are we really following Him? If loving and obeying Jesus was really occurring church-wide, the name Christian would not be such an embarrassment.
If we don't get back to sound, Biblical discipleship, it won't be long before "Jesus follower" or "Christ follower" has just as bad of a rap as "Christian."
We need to pray and work for health in the body of Christ - not try to make a new one for ourselves.
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