UNDERSTANDING "CHRISTIAN" IN THE CONTEXT OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY. CHRISTIAN IS NOT A NAME OF INSULT AS MAJORITY DECEPTIVELY BELIEVE. IF YOU'RE NOT A CHRISTIAN, DEFINITELY YOU'RE SATANIST.

Acts 11:25-26 states: "Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. 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." From here, we find that Barnabas and Saul, are the only disciples known by names. Barnabas sought for Saul a clear indication that believers in Christ, a disciple, should seek for a fellow believer to strengthen one another in faith. BROUGHT HIM INTO ANTIOCH, that is the metropolis of Syria. THAT A WHOLE YEAR THEY ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES WITH THE CHURCH. In other words, Barnabas and Saul, later called Paul joined their fellow believers in Christ. We didn't find the phrase "THEY WENT TO CHURCH," hence it is not only acceptable, but blasphemy to call denominations as churches. DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS, from Jesus Christ they preached as the Saviour of lost souls; from Christ their Master they serve, just as PLATONISTS, and PYTHAGOREANS, had their names, identifications from their masters PLATO and PYTHAGORAS respectively. The identity of CHRISTIANS were given to all disciples, including Barnabas and Saul. But the question remains: Who gave them? Were they believers or unbelievers? Were they insulted by being called Christians or was it meant to give them credit for their faith? Some think that the disciples were called CHRISTIANS because they were ridiculed, mocked, insulted, or presented as laughing stock. Most people had been brainwashed to reject CHRISTIAN identity, based on this. They reject being called CHRISTIANS, finding themselves fighting Christ and their salvation. But this fake belief, is mere speculations propagated by false teachers, written in Bible commentaries. The Greek word CHREMATISAI, translated CALLED in the King James Version Bible meant to APPOINT, WARN or NOMINATE, by DIVINE DIRECTION, not just what mere people could think of their fellows. God appointed disciples to be his children, representatives on earth. He warned the world not to do them evil, and he nominated, enrolled them in his Book of Life before the world began. It was the converted believers who called the disciples CHRISTIANS, and not unbelievers. It was not identification for disrespect as commonly thought, but of true faith. The name, or identification, CHRISTIANS was given, revealed by God to the converted believers who called the DISCIPLES, to display God's grace and holiness, which are essentially required and implied on any soul saved by Jesus Christ. It was identification for both the Jews and the Gentiles. It was not a NICKNAME as rebellious self righteous unbelievers put it. Before its use the Jews and the Gentiles converted, were called NAZARENES, GALILEANS, MEN OF THE WAY OR SECT, MOVERS OF SEDITION, and perhaps by other names which are not come down to us. In Matthew 16:15-17, we find out how Jesus Christ asked his disciples whom he was. The record states: "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." In other words, it was God who revealed to Peter to be Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, and not Peter himself, and by this, Peter declared Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God responsible for the salvation of Peter's lost soul. FLESH AND BLOOD is a Hebrew PERIPHRASIS for man generally, and should not be mistaken to mean CARNAL REASON or the UNREGENERATE PRINCIPLE in man. You cannot make yourself Christian by way of denomination, pastor, your friends, or what you study. If God has not revealed to you the mystery of salvation, then you will never be a Christian. If you are not a Christian then you are equally not a believer, and not a disciple of Jesus Christ. You are Satanist! Period! Jesus Christ said in Matthew 11:27, that: "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." This is the great truth concerning salvation, and CHRISTIAN identity. None can fully comprehend the nature and attribute of God, but Christ, and none can comprehend the work of salvation done by Christ but God. Only God will deliver you to Christ. Only God will make you a Christian. Only God will assemble you to his Church. You cannot become a Christian by yourself, even by arguments, neither by your selfie photos. You cannot make up the Church of Jesus Christ by your denomination. Early Christians considered themselves ONE FAMILY; hence the appellation of BRETHREN was frequently among them. It is the design of God to make all who believed of ONE HEART and ONE SOUL, whereby they considered him as their Father, and live and love like the children of the same household. Herod Agrippa understood CHRISTIAN as a person belonging to Jesus Christ when he told Saint Paul the apostle that: "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26:28. If you believe like king Herod Agrippa, that Paul's teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is correct, then you must acknowledge the identity of being a CHRISTIAN; but you might choose whether you would get identified as CHRISTIAN, and confess this truth, or not. You can't be a believer and not a Christian. Stop daylight deception of yourself. Peter spoke of a CHRISTIAN belonging to Jesus Christ in this way: "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf," 1 Peter 4:16. If a CHRISTIAN be persecuted because he belongs to Jesus Christ, let him not be ashamed, to be called CHRISTIAN, but let him rather glorify God on this very account. Christ suffered by the Jews because he was holy; Christians suffer because they resemble him. Denying that you're not a Christian is actually revealing that you are Satanist, hypocrite. A CHRISTIAN, therefore, is the highest character which any human being can bear upon the earth; and to receive it from God, as those appear to have done - how glorious the title! But the next question is: "WHO IS A CHRISTIAN IN COMPARISON TO GREEK PHILOSOPHY?" As PLATONISTS and PYTHAGOREANS had their names from PLATO and PYTHAGORAS respectively, because they attended their teachings, and credited their doctrines, so DISCIPLES were called CHRISTIANS because they took Jesus Christ as their teacher, crediting his doctrines, and following the RULE OF LIFE laid by him. Nevertheless, there was more insight than that. When Pythagoras in his lifetime visited market place called in Greek AGORA, thronged by his fellow Greeks, he publicly spoke: "I HAVE SEEN TWO KINDS OR GROUPS OF PEOPLE SURROUNDING ME, IN MY GATHERING HERE. THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE SPIRIT AND DOCTRINES OF PYTHAGORAS, AND THOSE WHO ADMIRE PYTHAGORAS, BUT HAVE THEIR OWN RULES, REGULATIONS AND TRADITIONS." Pythagoras called those living in his spirit and doctrines as PYTHAGOREANS, and those admiring him, but have their own rules, regulations and traditions as PYTHAGORISTS. This statement of Pythagoras is true when applied to the Word of God, also known as the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this world, like the market or agora which Pythagoras visited, there two kinds of believers who claimed to be Christians. There are those who live in the Spirit and doctrines of Christ. They have Christ in their spirits, souls, and they do in accordance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the true CHRISTIANS. There are those who admire Jesus Christ, but they have their own doctrines, their own denominations, which they deceive themselves as churches. These are FALSE CHRISTIANS, who should be properly called CHRISTINISTS. Jesus Christ told the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in Sychar, that: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him," John 4:23. It is this time, HOUR, and this day, right now, that true CHRISTIANS must have God in their spirits, and must walk according to the truth prescribed by God alone in his Word, for only those are the people sought seriously by God. God cannot call you, and later permit you to establish your church, which you know act independently from the Church of Jesus Christ. God cannot call you to pray on Saturday, or Sunday, but allow you to commit wickedness for the days remaining in the week. The worship in denominations is defective worship, for they accept those deceiving by lips as Christians, those shedding crocodile tears as saved, and the general immoral, corrupt characters as men or women of God. This is the worship of FALSE CHRISTIANS, properly called CHRISTINISTS. The worship of God, having God in your spirit, discovered the true nature of God, salvation, of the human soul, of the earthly and of the heavenly things; and because of this, it is put in opposition to the defective worship in denominations. Jesus Christ continues to speak to the Samaritan woman, in John 4:24, that:"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." God is a Spirit because he fills both heaven and earth. He is the cause of all things, the fountain of perfection, without PARTS or DIMENSIONS, for he is ETERNAL, PERVADING, GOVERNING and UPHOLDING all things. Solomon after completing building the temple, gave this prayer: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" 1 Kings 8:27. The Spirit of God cannot dwell in the buildings made by man, and if denominations claim one, then it is the god of this world called Satan, 2 Corinthians 4:4. The glory of God, not only could not be contained in the whole vortex of nature, but much less it cannot be contained in any building used for denomination, which is false, deceptive worship. God is pleased only with that which resemble him, and therefore a Christian must have the Spirit of Christ in order to worship God in truth. A man worships God in SPIRIT, when under the influence of the Holy Ghost, he brings all his affections, appetites, and desires to the throne of God, and he worships him in TRUTH, when every purpose and passions of his heart is guided and regulated by the Word of God. Abu Fazel, Arab philosopher said: "THE ENLIGHTENED PART OF MANKIND KNOWS THAT TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS AN UPRIGHT HEART; AND BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN ONLY BE WORSHIPPED IN HOLINESS OF SPIRIT." Part of the Hindu tradition believed that God respect a person as the most devout, who hath faith in him, and the person must worship or serve God with a soul possessed by the Spirit of God. In Romans 8:1, it is written: " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Even though everybody must appear before the judgment of God, the guilt and penalty has been removed by God to all true Christians, who have received salvation for their lost souls in Christ. You must have the Spirit of Christ to get that offer. But those who WALK AFTER THE FLESH, are condemned here on earth, and thereafter in heaven. 2 Corinthians 3:17 states: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." NOW, at this very hour, day, moment, THE LORD Jesus Christ is THAT SPIRIT who dwells on the believer called CHRISTIAN, and this person possessed by the SPIRIT OF THE LORD, is the only one who has been saved, liberated from sin, and its consequences - THERE IS LIBERTY. This agrees exactly to what Jesus Christ spoke in John 8:36 that: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." In other words, if you have the Spirit of Jesus Christ, then you will be free from sin, and the stratagem of Satan. This alone is the SALVATION of the lost souls. You can cry like the Pentecostals or worship idols like the Catholics, or talk about prophecies, and observe Sabbath like the Adventists. If you don't have Jesus Christ in your spirit, then you are not a Christian, and you are not saved. A true Christian, having the Spirit of Jesus Christ is FREE INDEED, and is not concerned with what is happening in the world. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher defined FRIEND, as the soul or spirit of one person living in two or more bodies. At community welfare meetings, the family of the deceased, of the late, presented themselves in the name of the deceased. This revealed the notion that even though the person is dead, being the late, his spirit still lives on the family he left behind. Jesus Christ called his DISCIPLES as his FRIENDS in John 15:14-15. This exactly meant even though he died for our sins, raised up and ascended into heaven for our justification, we as Christians are proofs that Jesus Christ is still living here on earth. We have his Spirit, we are his representative, hence described as his FRIENDS. To be a Christian is to take the Spirit of Jesus Christ, to be united to Christ: to continue in the mind of Christ, c.f. Philippians 2:5. It is absurd to talk of being children of God, and absolute, final perseverance, when the soul has lost its spiritual union, either by way of denomination, political greed, or the love of earthly good. There is no perseverance but in CLEAVING TO THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD. He who denies the Lord in his works, cannot accept the Gospel without adding his denomination, politics, or his own rules, interpretation, or understanding, does not CLEAVE TO THE LORD'S SPIRIT. Such a person is not of God, and is not a Christian whatsoever. His claim of Christian title has no basis. He is preaching a sectarian Jesus, who is not Jesus Christ of the Bible. He is preaching about heaven, when he is a hell material. If the person had ever had salvation from God, then he has lost it. He has fallen from grace. Nor is there a word in the Bible of God, fairly and honestly understood, that says such a person shall ABSOLUTELY AND UNAVOIDABLY ARISE from his fall. As presented in Acts 11:24, a true CHRISTIAN, having the Spirit of Christ, must be: 1. A GOOD MAN, that is, HIS BAD HEART is changed, his EVIL DISPOSITIONS rooted out, and the Spirit of Christ planted in him. One who can only do good to his family, but can sacrifice others, including friends for his evil, or opportunism, is not a Christian whatsoever. 2. FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST. He is holy, because the Spirit of holiness dwells in him, which is from Jesus Christ himself. It is not enough to claim transient visitations or drawings from that Spirit. The Spirit of Jesus Christ is a RESIDENT in the soul of that person. It is LIGHT in his UNDERSTANDING. It is WISDOM in his JUDGMENT. It is FIXED PURPOSE and DETERMINATION in righteousness in his WILL. It is PURITY, directing one to love THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND, and to love THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF, Matthew 22:37,39. 1 Corinthians 13:13 indicates: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." LOVE is the fulfilling of the Gospel, John 3:16. In a word, the Spirit of Jesus Christ has sovereign way in the Christian heart; it governs all PASSIONS, and is the MOTIVE and PRINCIPLE of every righteous ACTION. 3. FULL OF FAITH. He implicitly credited his Lord, and never doubted him whatsoever. Christian faith should never fail because it is laid on God who never change. Hebrews 11:6 indicates: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." That is, WITHOUT FAITH, you cannot have the Spirit of the Lord. You cannot become a Christian. HE THAT COMETH TO GOD, is he that has the Spirit of Christ. That person in exercising his duty of true worship, must act or do it in conviction that the Spirit of the Lord is infinite, eternal, unoriginated, self existence; the cause of everything on earth; on whom everything depends, and by whose energy, bounty, and providence, all other beings exist, live, and are supplied with the means of continued existence and life. The infinite skill, power, and continual ENERGY of God is above humans. So God cannot align himself, neither approve what people think Christian to be, which is outside his Word. Without the indwelling Spirit of Christ, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD, and anyone who does not please God ignites his wrath. A CHRISTIAN IS A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST, A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, AMBASSADOR OF JESUS CHRIST, AND A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN. I personally, is not ashamed for being called a CHRISTIAN. (From my old preaching notes).