2 REASONS WHY I’D RATHER BE CALLED A DISCIPLE RATHER THAN AN ‘EVANGELICAL’…

The bible teaches us that we are to always be conforming into the image of Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

We conform to His image by emulating His character…His love…His attributes. That’s how we ‘look like Him’.

Unfortunately, the ‘face’ of Christianity has devolved into what is characterized by angry, mean-spirited, insulting, arrogant, and judgmental ‘believers’ who are labeled as ‘evangelicals’. Many, but not all, of these people are impressed by so-called ‘strong words’…threats…profanity…insults…everything that is the exact opposite of the Fruit of His Spirit, and the behavior He demands of all His disciples…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

They consider what God calls strength, such as gentleness, as weakness and even celebrate and applaud insults and profanity from the mouths of leaders. They consider themselves to be the definitions of patriotism, courage, and Christian character. The character God demands is clear…

James 3:17-18 (NASB)

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, ^[c]reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, ^[d]impartial, free of hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace ^[e]by those who make peace.

The disciples of the early church never called themselves Christians, they were called Christians by outsiders first in Antioch…

Acts 11:26 (NKJV)

²⁶ And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

THIS IS WHY I’D RATHER BE CALLED A DISCIPLE RATHER THAN AN EVANGELICALS. HERE ARE 2 SIMPLE REASONS…

1. JESUS HIMSELF DESCRIBED HOW WE WOULD BE KNOWN AS HIS ‘DISCIPLES…

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Notice that Jesus said, “As I have loved you”. Go back and look at how He loved us. He had compassion. He healed. He fed. He forgave. He always spoke kind and compassionate words to ‘sinners’ while He always sharply rebuked the ‘religious’ people for their hypocrisy and His disciples when they displayed ‘small faith’. Contrary to how mustard seed faith is depicted as ‘little faith’, it takes great faith for something as small as a mustard seed to grow into something big. From when Jesus calmed the storm in Mark Chapter 4: 35-41 to when He rebuked His disciples in Matthew 17:17, the Savior was always frustrated by ‘little faith’ while He was impressed by ‘great faith’ (Matthew 8:10).

Loving AS He loves us is how we are recognized as He stated…His disciples.

2. MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE KNOWN AS EVANGELICALS HAVE CHANGED THE ‘FACE’ OF ‘CHRISTIANITY’ FROM A SMILE TO A ‘FROWN’…

Those who claim to be evangelicals claim to speak for God, but through their chosen narrative of the scriptures. They are angry, self-righteous, justify pride and arrogance, place more faith in guns and weapons than the power of Yehovha Saboath (The Lord of Hosts), and don’t share the Gospel in love. Jesus told us to be very careful how we carry ourselves among unbelievers…

Colossians 4:5-6 (NKJV)

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Remember, the Pharisees thought that they represented God too, but Yeshua reserved His most scathing rebukes for them. HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT JESUS’ MOST SCATHING REBUKES WERE FOR RELIGIOUS PEOPLE RATHER THAN ‘SINNERS’…

Anyone who can’t share their faith in love needs to keep it to themselves. We draw no one to Christ through the behavior of many of those who call themselves evangelicals.

Please refer to me as a disciple.

BE BLESSTIFIED!