Was Jesus a Christian?
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Lambano
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I ran across this reference during one of our Disciple Bible studies and ended up buying the book off Amazon. The author is (of all things) a Jewish professor who teaches at Iliff School of Theology in Denver. (Which also caught my eye as a Colorado ex-pat.) The premise is that St. Paul (like Jesus Himself) was a Jewish monotheist whose writings have been misunderstood by centuries of Christian theologians.
(I regret that @Matthias cannot post to this forum. He's always interested in a good theology book.)
Lambano
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This one has already arrived, but it's next in the queue while I finish another book first.
I suspect (given that I've read a lot of his works) that Wright will probably take a more orthodox position on the provocative question in the subtitle.
Yes, probably.
Some contend that the Apostle's teaching and Jesus' teaching are at odds.
Even though Paul wrote:
1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
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PS95
Well-Known Member
What a question. The cults will be swarming with their empty accusatory theories.
No. Jesus was not a Christian- Jesus is THE Christ.
The term Christian was meant in a derogatory way and I believe it meant, "little Christs".
Peter also used the term in 1 Peter 4:6
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
So, it appears it was accepted by the apostles.
Who invented it? It was not invented but taught by Jesus and his apostles then spread via word of mouth and then in written form.
In over 2000 years, as you would expect due to languages and translations there are some teachings that differ - some that really should not be taught and some that come under liberty. There are false gospel pushers and true ones. There are partial gospel teachers and full gospel.- There are cherry pickers and there are cults. There is division and there is forced lock-step unity where unity triumphs over truth. There are new and different gospels disguised as true.
How can we know truth?
By reading the word of God and prayer instead of just believing what someone else says.
As a whole- there is always the ONE TRUE GOSPEL- and it is in every bible- Jesus is that truth.
It is a relationship with God and His Son our Lord via the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and guides, teaches, convicts, and comforts us. It is about an inward cleansing not merely outward in our deepest thoughts and desires-
Jesus' blood cleanses us from all sins- and we live for Him and desire to obey His commands to love God and one another, and to do things that please Him. We love only because he first loved us. IF we don't know how much He loves us how can we love Him? How can you love a set of rules and the unknown mystical god?
When we know the truth we fall in love with Him because He gave His life for us- to pay for our sins- a debt we can't possibly ever pay to give us eternal life. What incredible love- it can be hard to accept a love like that. Our first instinct is to say-- no no what can I DO? We can't. He did it for us- as only He could. So we have to drop the "me" and accept the "HIM" and receive His loving gift. Only then,
can we stand before our Father and cry out ABBA, like a tearful excited child knowing His love for us and His reconciliation made pure by God who dwelled in Jesus Christ in all fullness.
So we have confidence, and it's not about us but about His love and gift of grace to all who believe Him.
We are to walk all the days of our lives in His love - abiding in Him and He is with us always- even to the end of the age.
You will know them by their fruits- Jesus taught
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth 1 John 3
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ / But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:27-28
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, / bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Romans 13:9-10
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” / Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians 5:14
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Behold
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Exactly.
What you posted is why we have eternal security.
Our sins are always forgiven, and Jesus is always with us.
Welcome to : SALVATiON.
Its an eternal Gift.
PS95
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Behold- please don't start with me. You are not understanding the point that I try to make with you. I am not about to sidetrack someone else's thread with an argument that goes nowhere because you turn it onto being about me, instead of what I am speaking about.
I gave up. lol
Behold
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I was agreeing with you that The blood of Jesus keeps us cleansed from sin, and Jesus is always with us..
This is eternal security...
Now, regarding the Thread's specific Question.
The answer is that Jesus is the God man, whose eternal sacrifice has created Christianity.
Christianity is the end result of a sinner being restored to God (Spiritually) , by God's Son's Sacrifice.
Jesus didnt need this, so, He didnt need to become a Christian.
Jesus didnt need to be saved from His sin., whereas a Christian, has been.
Christians (which are DISCIPLES of Jesus) were CALLED that, Jesus did not follow himself, he is THE Christ, so he wouldn't be a follower or disciple of HIMSELF called that.
This is weird
Let me also add to this because this conversation went on in another thread, but maybe I can give a better example here
A Christian (Who IS a Follower and /or Disciple of Jesus Christ) was only later called a Christian.
They are the same thing.
Similarly a Prophet was also called a Seer
1 Sam 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
The same thing between these, each one was just called another thing earlier on (or beforetime)
"He that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer"
Likewise,
"He that is now called a Christian (as became the case in first Antioch) was beforetime called a Disciple"
They are the same thing.
A Christian (Who IS a Follower and /or Disciple of Jesus Christ) was only later called a Christian.
They are the same thing.
Similarly a Prophet was also called a Seer
1 Sam 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
The same thing between these, each one was just called another thing earlier on (or beforetime)
"He that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer"
Likewise,
"He that is now called a Christian (as became the case in first Antioch) was beforetime called a Disciple"
They are the same thing.
Lambano
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In what ways did Paul follow Christ?
In what ways do Paul's teachings differ from Messiah's? Especially in the application of Torah in the lives of Gentile believers? Why were there conflicts between Paul and James and Cephas (Peter)?
In what ways does the church today deviate from the teachings and example of Christ in terms of both doctrine and practice? Is this necessarily a bad thing?
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David Lamb
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How could Jesus be a Christian? A Christian is a follower of Christ. As you say, it was the disciples who were first called Christians at Antioch. Jesus was not a disciple, or a follower of Himself. As for your question, "Who invented Christianity?" I would say that Christianity is not an invention, like the penny farthing bicycle or the mobile phone. Christianity is following the Saviour, Jesus Christ.
You may have gathered from many of my topics that Christians today misunderstand Jesus and the law. IMO
I took great pains to examine the definitions of "the law, the Law, Christ's law and God's law".
Critical to understanding How Paul and Christ were aligned on these items.
Furthermore, Jesus said He was sent to the lost sheep (?) of Israel, not to the gentiles.
Jesus told Ananias that Saul was being sent to the gentiles.
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Lambano
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So (and more to the point of this thread), does being a Christian have anything to do with Jesus?
As gentiles, does Jesus have any role for us other than as an atoning sacrifice for our sins?
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An earlier post reminded us that "Christian" (little Christ) was originally a derogatory term.
With the obvious connotation that Jesus was being imitated by His followers.
Primarily as offering a personal relationship with us. One of trust in Him.
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Lambano
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More than weird. As soon as I saw "was Jesus a Christian" I thought to myself, this can't be happening. lol
The question is weird, but for someone who disconnects the term "Christian" from Jesus, it might make sense.
Many people use the term "Christian" with many different meanings, so "being Christian" has become very ambiguous. There are communities in many parts of the world where a "Christian" is any human being who lives simply and works for a living. This use of the term comes from countries where, in the past, only the Catholic religion was known and practiced.
Today, there are thousands of sects and religions that call themselves "Christian." It is common to find any imaginable bad behavior in any of them. For members of these organizations who are unclear about how a "Christian" behaves in the biblical sense, the term lacks its true meaning.
A possible meaning of the topic question could be: "Was Jesus a "Christian" in his behavior, as understood by members of these sects and religions?"
Many people use the term "Christian" with many different meanings, so "being Christian" has become very ambiguous. There are communities in many parts of the world where a "Christian" is any human being who lives simply and works for a living. This use of the term comes from countries where, in the past, only the Catholic religion was known and practiced.
Today, there are thousands of sects and religions that call themselves "Christian." It is common to find any imaginable bad behavior in any of them. For members of these organizations who are unclear about how a "Christian" behaves in the biblical sense, the term lacks its true meaning.
A possible meaning of the topic question could be: "Was Jesus a "Christian" in his behavior, as understood by members of these sects and religions?"
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