Who are we? Who are you?

Short version we are christian, I am a Christian, but what does that imply?
Christian was a slang term used by the romans to identify those who follow the Christ and his teachings.
The mormons say there christian, Jehovah witness say the same. Do you identify with them?
The Catholic Church say their christian do you identify with them.
Evangelicals say they are christian do you identify with them.
The list goes on and on to those who say there christian, so are all these religious affiliated groups christian?
According to Jesus and the gospels the saved in Christ are a distinct and peculiar people but christian is not used to identify them.
In fact Jesus himself asked others....who do you say that I am? Referring to himself. Not that he himself did not know but thought it important for others to know his identity.
So again I ask.....who are we?......who are you.

The word "Christian" was first used of the believers in Antioch. It's commonly used in the epistles, by both Paul and Peter. Since the scriptures are inspired, the word is acceptable to God.

If you break the word down, it is "Christ-ian". It means to be "of Christ". An "Austral-ian" is someone who is a native of Australia. So we can say that they are "of Australia.

It is folly to identify with one group or another. God has no denominational affiliation. There is one Head of one Body. God identifies those who are born again because He is the one who puts us into Christ in the first place. It is very easy to self-identify as Christian. What we say about ourselves is one thing. What God says is what matters.

Christians need to remember that God has only one judgement. Are you alive or dead? If you are in Christ, you are alive. If you have only a mental concept of Christianity, you may claim the name but you have no right to do so. And God does not recognise you as His.

Before I was born again, over 50 years ago, I considered myself a Christian. I was born in England and everyone knows that God is an Englishman! It was a rude awakening to discover that I was a sinner destined for eternal separation from God. It was the greatest joy to discover that Jesus had paid for all my sins and that I could be forgiven.

So in answer to your question, I am a Christian, born again, included in Christ by God. I am a new creation in Christ, complete in Him and a partaker of the divine nature.

I believe that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, as our savior, as God incarnate, and in His resurrection is a Christian. That would exclude LDS and JWs.

I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ a yet to be perfected disciple but I believe he is the way

I think all of us who call him Lord should identify as Christians and that’s a reference to the disciples of the Lord

F.Y.I.


KJV Dictionary Definition: christian
christian
CHRISTIAN, n.

1. A believer in the religion of Christ.

2. A professor of his belief in the religion of Christ.

3. A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.

4. In a general sense, the word Christians includes all who are born in a Christian country or of Christian parents.

CHRISTIAN, a. See the Noun.

1. Pertaining to Christ, taught by him, or received from him; as the Christian religion; Christian doctrines.

2. Professing the religion of Christ; as a Christian friend.

3. Belonging to the religion of Christ; relating to Christ, or to his doctrines, precepts and example; as christian profession and practice.

4. Pertaining to the church; ecclesiastical; as courts Christian.

Amen

“…And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:26‬ ‭

When I was first saved I had no one to teach me or guide me so I went directly to God and asked him what does it mean to be strong and what does it mean to be a Christian? what he told me was the first and best advice I ever recieved from him seek love above all other things and everything else will into place. Love is the difference that sets a true Christian apart from all others who claim the title, love is the fruit of a spirit filled believer love is the supernatural evidence that Christ lives in your heart.

True love the kind of love that comes from God is different from love as the human heart knows it is not the same as mere kindness it changes you it molds how you see how you think how you speak and act and reactand the more of his love you have in you the more you see like he does the more you think like he does the more you act like he does you begin to mirror him not simply acting like him but showing his very nature

People think being a Christian means to simply have faith and follow God or a believe and follow a certain doctrine anyone can do that but the heart of a person is always the deciding factor what lies in the heart will decide how all of that will be shaped

No, they were “called” Christians in Antioch. The word was Only used by Peter and by Luke in Acts. Even then, Luke is recounting the use of ”Christian” in a conversation by an unbeliever.

It wasn’t until the 2nd century that the church, fully ensconced in Rome, began using the term to descibe themselves.

We are “sons of God”. It is the only identity that signifies our lineage, standard, and birthright. We are made sons IN Christ. We are not merely “followers of Christ” or “little Christs” according to the tradition of pagan philosophers. We are His body: the flesh and bones of the only Begotten of the Father.

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

Is our calling any different? Why didn't they just say a fellow christian?

People express their expressions of faith in different ways. It is neither bad or wrong to do so IMO. Just as Jesus is called by many "names", but He is STILL Jesus.

As for me: I am a blood bought, born again child of the King; and I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I express it that way because there are those who profess to be a Christian who may not buy into/believe the same as I. Such as "indwelling presence" of the Holy Spirit, "Holy Trinity," "water baptism" is not unto salvation, "OSAS" is flawed Theology, "women in ministry" is Scriptural, "rapture" happens ONCE..........and other things.

For those that disagree with me, do I still consider them to be "fellow christians?"

Well, do you?

Yes. Actually I am quite willing to fellowship with most who proclaim to be disciples of Jesus. Now, I may not agree with their theology, but they are welcome in my church....

Love that! Thank you!

Acts 11:26
"and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch."

Further to my last comment, the word "Christian" appears 146 times in the NT. The NT was mostly written prior to the destruction of the temple. I don't know why you credit (or blame) Rome for the word.

In what translation? In the original KJV the word appears only 3 times: twice in Acts and once in 1st Peter.

Calling followers of philosophers after the name of their master was a Roman custom.

Christians are first and foremost children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Hence they are to be disciples of Christ, "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith".

As to how Christians should live and behave, the Bible is full of instructions, admonitions and warnings. Another good source for directions for the Christian life is the Didache, which was supposedly the instructions of the twelve apostles to Christians.

I use Bible Hub. It gives a word count. After a bit more research, I found that some translators substituted "Christian" for "believer".

Bible Hub has most of the versions. King James is not the original. The Wycliffe version predates it. Funnily enough, so do the Greek and Hebrew originals.

I've never used the KJV. I use the words Christian/believer/brethren interchangeably myself. Do you think that Peter followed Roman customs? He was a fisherman, not a philosopher.

I don't know what you are trying to prove. Perhaps you could explain it. I'm not a philosopher either. Or a fisherman for that matter.

Masoretic is the source of the OT writings from what I have read and learned of the KJV translation
Of course the New Testament is from the manuscripts pertaining to the advent of Jesus Yeshua.

I preferer the KJV, but, again, I have read many versions in English

As per errors, all versions are made by men from the originals and many words of the originals have been lost relating to their translations.

Allow others to read the version that is most comfortable for them for God is the origin of the meaning and He will teaach any and all who worship Him in Spiritic and truth.

The term "Christian" is not "commonly" used as you say, but is used twice in the singular (in Acts 26v28 by King Agrippa and in 1Peter 4v16 by Peter), and once in the plural in Acts 11v26 where it simply says "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."