Disciples and Christians


They are the same thing. There is no such thing as a Christian but not a disciple and vice versa. If you are a disciple of Christ – you are a Christian. If you are a Christian you are a disciple of Christ. Let’s not separate both. In the book of Acts the word Christian was first mentioned.

Acts 11

23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

The disciples were doing what they were commanded to do. Make disciples, change the world, spread the gospel, die to their sin, find their life in Christ. And they all did this with the grace of God. They were not striving in the flesh, they were moving in the Spirit of grace as they are being sanctified to do the work.  This is a disciple. This is a Christian.