…and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Acts 11:26
Christian is only used three times in scripture. Jesus related to His disciples as followers. A disciple is one under the lordship of Jesus’ authority for discipline and to produce maturity.
The closer you get to Jerusalem the more powerful the religious spirit is—a form of godliness that denies the power thereof. It is amazing that the three major religions lay claim to Jerusalem and are centered in Jerusalem; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The word Christian has become a catch-all term bringing the scripture by men’s traditions to no effect.
“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “So it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:45-47
Repentance comes before forgiveness and is to be preached: turn away from sin to receive forgiveness of sin. Turn from following the world, change direction (180), receive forgiveness and follow Him. The call to repent is how the spiritual distance between us and God is reduced and how we draw near to Him and He draws near to us. Some 46 times in scripture is the call to repentance. This is how faith—real faith—comes. By hearing the word of God, which is proclaimed first, then forgiveness, faith in God is revealed.
The mind cannot be opened to renewal without repentance, which is the first response toward God’s love for us. Hallelujah!
-KC
Leave a Reply