"CHOOSING SIDES: Are you a CHRISTIAN or a BELIEVER?"

"Are you a "Christian" or a "Believer"?Throughout recent human history (only the past two thousand years to be exact) the comparative analysis of the similarities and differences between Christians (C) and Believers (B) has surged. Both words appear in the pages of the bible; however, the evolutions of both words have changed dramatically in recent times in both form and function. Perhaps the most compelling change has been in the "demonstration" and "witness" of the faith. I believe there is a profound difference between the two associations. Below, I will attempt to distinguish the between them.

"What is a Christian?"

Simply stated, a Christian is a person who has submitted and committed their life to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the holy bible (Word of God, Holy Scriptures) having received His Holy Spirit, confessed his sins and reconciled himself to a life of faith by serving God’s people in the marketplace.

"What is a Believer?"

Simply stated, a Believer is a person who has submitted and committed their life to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the holy bible (Word of God, Holy Scriptures) having received His Holy Spirit, confessed his sins and reconciled himself to a life of faith by serving God’s people in the marketplace.

Wait a minute Brother Nick! You have given the same definition for both! I thought you said you were going to distinguish between the two. Well, my friends, I thought you’d never ask. You see, they both start out as the same person. The distinction doesn’t come from the titles; it comes from the "choices" the individual makes during his walk with Christ.

"Defining the Distinction between the Two"

The other and perhaps more important distinction is that Christians follow their pastors and Believers follow Christ! Did you hear that? A Christian will exalt and worship his pastor above God; to a Believer, there is NONE above God! I can’t make it any plainer than that!

Both words have the "designation" and "assignment or attribution" to Christ with regard to "affiliation." However, the Believer separates himself from the Christian in this manner; Believer’s have a profound presence in their assigned territory through their "demonstration" and "manifestation" of God’s glory through "service" in the marketplace. In the end, Believer’s serve God’s people faithfully. A Believer is one with the knowledge of who God is; he also understands and teaches His Word. He is not obedient to the tricks of the enemy and will not conform to the pressures of this world. A believer will adapt to his environment using the most powerful tool of evangelism which is LOVE.

Meanwhile, Christians are content with the status quo. They want to be comfortable on Sunday; to be "entertained" and distracted from the cares of this world. Christians are more concerned with pleasing their pastors and submitting to his authority than the spiritual authority of God. Christians have a tendency to be complacent and lazy when it comes to serving God’s people. I am not talking about being on the church choir, usher board or praise team. Those are all "internal activities." Real "ministry" occurs outside the four walls and in that regard, Christians are sorely lacking. Modern day Christians are conformists and lack influence in the marketplace. The only people who know their favorite celebrity preachers are the people in that particular church. The celebrity preacher (or that preacher who is seeking celebrity status) is only famous in his congregation and denomination. He is not a threat to any system or paradigm of darkness because that is not his agenda. His agenda is making as much money as he can before he gets exposed or retires; whichever comes first!

This DOES NOT include ALL PREACHERS, but it sure looks like the majority of them are "drinking the Kool Aid!"