Denomination is defined as division... and there are none in Heaven. Man has taken a personal walk with Jesus and turned it into an internal battle that has resulted in about 13 major religious systems or divisions. In God's heart and eyes, there are only 2 people groups, those who know Him and those who don't. It really is that simple and the doctrine is equally as simple... Love God and love people. The ones who have made it hard are those who wanted to control people with religion.
The 13 religious systems are as follows:
1. Traditional Roman Catholic Theology
2. Natural Theology
3. Lutheran Theology
4. Anabaptist Theology
5. Reformed Theology
6. Arminian Theology
7. Wesleyan Theology
8. Liberal Theology
9. Existential Theology
10. Neo-orthodox Theology
11. Liberation Theology
12. Black Theology
13. Feminist Theology
When I used to let people know that I was a Christian, I would often times get this cold-shoulder reaction. Why? Because of the historical connotations associated with that moniker. It was not unusual to hear a story of a Christian in their lives that had: ripped them off, lied to them, stolen from them, sued them, cursed them out (with nicer terms of course), flipped them off in traffic, was in there face about sin in their lives (ie:cursing, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, smoking and/or drinking), giving Christian advice or many other ways that have turned them off to anything that has to do with Christians. Christians are just holier than thou people constantly trying to push their way of life on others, instead of just loving them where they are, we are alienating them and showing a Jesus they don't have any interest in getting to know.
Historically, politics has played more of a role in the formation of world religions than the voice of God has. People developed systems based upon the opportunity that religion provides to control the lives and lands of others. Christianity in Europe and elsewhere was no different.
Christianity in the light of history. It all started so pure and clean as The Way and slowly went awry. Who and what is a Christian? The first appearance of the use of this term comes in Acts 11:25-26. According to Unger's Bible Handbook, the greek term Christiani (partisans of Christ) was an official name for Jesus' disciples given by Roman officials at Antioch. This was 11 years since the death and resurrection of Jesus. Certain historical accounts imply that the title was meant to be derogatory, a mockery of Christ and His followers. The term Christians means "little Christs". It is no wonder the Church has remained small and marginalized in the eyes of the world with a name that we chose to identify ourselves with since the Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome. (An act in which to control his subjects by)
God desires His church – the Body of Christ – to come into the "full stature of the Son of God" (Ephesians 4:12), but the church keeps cancelling this powerful process of ascension into complete Kingdom dominion by calling our selves little Christs (Christians). There is no biblical account of any command from God through any of the prophets or apostles that would suggest that born-again believers should be called Christians. Therefore the term Christian has no direct sovereign mandate. Paul, the apostle, who is the primary custodian of the New Testament doctrine, never used the term once (in the original Hebrew version of the Bible), even though he constantly used the word "saints" to describe born-again believers. Furthermore of all the names the Bible uses to describe born-again believers in the New Testament, the name "Christians" is the only one that was coined by the world.
This is the main reason I have a hard time referring to myself as a Christian. So I do not consider myself a Christian but a: saint, a New Testament Believer, a Christ follower, Kingdom citizen (Eph. 2:19, Philippians 3:20, – all my emails say we are a Kingdom Owned and Operated Business), The New Creation (2 Cor. 5:17), The One New Man (Eph. 2:15), Children of God (John 1:12), The Church (Matt. 16:19), The Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), Ambassodor of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20), The Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and/or Desciple of the Lord (Acts 9:1).
It is my belief that if we start calling ourselves by our God given names and not the world given name of Christian, we will start walking in that shadow and fulfilling our roles which have been assigned to us before the beginning of time itself. It is time. I am not a Christian, I am royalty and a joint heir to the throne of Grace through my brother Jesus Christ of Nazereth and my Dad (Abba) is the best Dad in the whole universe!! With this title I can accomplish anything in His name.
(Certain portions of text taken from the book- The Order of Melchizedek (Rediscovering the Eternal Royal Priesthood of Jesus Christ and how it affects the Church and marketplace) by Dr. Francis Myles © 2010 Published by Word and Spirit Books.)
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