Take Em' To Sunday School

Define "Christian".

"You know what my problem with religion is? Man. Like anything that has a potential to be beautiful, man will turn it into something ugly." -Raymond Reddington


Is the title Christian, biblical?

Are you a Christian?

How do you know that you're a Christian?

Remember in Sunday School, they taught us "the words in red meant that Jesus spoke them". Every time you saw the words in red, you knew that Jesus was speaking. It is interesting that Jesus never uttered the word "Christian" or instructed anyone to become "Christian" or take on the name "Christian" as His followers. In the Bible, specifically in the New Testament, the word "Christian" is only mentioned three times. Never in red. Since the title "Christian" is mentioned in the Bible, it can be considered "biblical".

Acts 11:26 " and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."

Acts 26:28 " Then Agrippa spoke to Paul. "Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?" he said. "Do you think you can do that in such a short time?"

1 Peter 4:16 " But suppose you suffer for being a Christian. Then don't be ashamed. Instead, praise God because you are known by the name of Christ."

According to the Dictionary, a Christian is relating to professing Christianity or its teachings (Adj.); A person who has received Christian Baptism or is a believer in Christianity. Do you meet those definitions?

It should be common knowledge that Jesus was Jewish. His mother, Mary, was Jewish. He worshiped in the Synagogues. Jesus's followers were Jewish. Jesus also stated in Matthew 5:17, "Do not think I have come to get rid of what is written in the Law or in the Prophets. I have not come to do this. Instead, I have come to fulfill what is written". This "Law" he is referring to, is the Ten Commandments. Which God gave to Moses, a Hebrew from the Tribe of Levi. We can go to the beginning of the Prophets, starting with Adam. There was no mention of what "label" (Christian, Muslim, Jew or Gentile) Adam was to be. Who are we to say that Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, David or even Jesus, etc aren't servants of God because they weren't "Christians"? Jesus never instructed His followers to be "Christian".

The example that Jesus left for others to follow can be summed up in John 13:34-35, "I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples". Jesus never instructed people to become Christians. He instructed his followers to love another and that is how others will know that they are followers of Christ. Those words are in red. Basically, Jesus never ordered anyone to be called "Christian". 

Time for tongue lashing. "Oh, why would you try to bash Christianity?". "That is just the devil talking". "Don't make us doubt our faith" "You need prayer". "You are teaching blasphemy".

The goal of "Take Em' To Sunday School" is not to damage anyone's faith or to bash anyone's faith. The goal is to help people grow more with God and pull away from following "religion" and "tradition". We can no longer follow blindly behind church politics, religion or traditions. We must step out on our own faith and start to follow God's light.

Shawnalations 1:1

"Never Ever Follow Blindly"

*Disclaimer: Take Em' To Sunday School is not meant to overwhelm readers with information that they cannot grasp in one read. We take topics apart, piece by piece in order for readers to fully grasp the concepts that are being taught.