JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT SANCTIFICATION
The Church Today
If one were to suggest that the time would come when a group of evangelical Christians would be arguing for a salvation without repentance, without a change of behavior or lifestyle, without a real avowal of the lordship and authority of Christ, without perseverance, without discipleship, and a salvation which does not necessarily result in obedience and works, and with a regeneration which does not necessarily change one’s life, most believers of several decades ago would have felt such would be an absolute impossibility. But believe it or not, the hour has come. (A Layman’s Guide to the Lordship Controversy, p. 71, Richard P. Belcher).
DISCIPLES OR CHRISTIANS
It may surprise you to know that Jesus never called anyone to be a Christian, rather his call was to be his disciple. In the book of Acts, people were not invited to be Christians, rather their call was to become Christ’s disciples.
Take your concordance and look up the word “Christian(s)” and then look up the word “disciple(s).” You are in for a shock! Look in the book of Acts and compare the word “Christian” to the word “disciple,” you’ll get the point!
In the Scripture the word disciple and disciples are used a total of 273 times. In all the Bible the word Christian and Christians is used a total of 3 times (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).
