Bible Messages from the Kimberly Church of Christ

Kimberly church of Christ, Kimberly, AL
Sunday a.m. lesson from June 9, 2019

Do we think of being a Christian as a designation we take on ourselves? The Bible uses the term only three times, and in each time, it indicates the idea of someone who is called a Christian by someone else, having observed the life and actions of that individual. And while the term is used in a wide range of ways by a wide range of people, we can see clearly from the Bible that the term is applied to people who are "disciples" - those who are actively following and modeling themselves after Jesus and his teachings.

That should cause us to think twice, and evaluate our own standing with God: WHY do I consider myself a Christian? Is it because I go to worship services every week? Because I have a nominal belief in God? Because that's how my parents raised me? 

Maybe the more appropriate question is: Am I truly a disciple of Christ? And what sort of life does a person live, what sort of faith do they display, in order for God to bestow that designation on someone?

We read in the Bible that a Christian is:

• Sanctified (reserved) to God for His use
• Repentant and turned from things that displease God
• Actively looking to become more like Jesus, the teacher
• Recognizable as belonging to Christ - not like the people around you
• Willing to suffer hardship and even persecution for the faith