Do You Have to be a Christian to be in God's Kingdom?

"Are you a Christian?" One of those nice evangelistic questions to ascertain one's belief system. Where do you classify yourself and does your classification fit in my preconceived matrix. For many, if the answer is "No" the discussion is over, or the need now is to convert you into one. We place a huge amount of weight upon a word that is rarely used is Scripture. Only two times, plus once in the plural. Acts 11:26 informs us that disciples of Paul and Barnabas, and thus of Yeshua, were first called Christians in Antioch. This strong Roman city would see the community of Christ followers as disloyal to Caesar. The term is most likely derisive, not complimentary, or a positive title. The same is true in Acts 26:28, where King Agrippa uses the word to mock the Apostle Paul. I Peter 4:16 gives us the one verse that tells us if we suffer we should do so as a Christian (Christ follower), not for being a wrong-doer. This is not necessarily a bad thing, for titles which are meant to poke fun can actually speak volumes as to one's integrity and belief system. 

The issue here is what if you find, through the study of history, that the promoters of the term had an agenda that violates Scripture? What if this reality makes you uncomfortable with the identifying term? If  you prefer to hang a different label on what you believe, will that keep you out of God's Kingdom? The other side is, how valid is the Christian label if there is no life agreement with the Word of God? We once had a Dr. who was very gracious and compassionate, so I asked the question, "Are you a Christian?" His response was, "I guess so. I'm not Buddhist or Muslim so I must be a Christian."  He gave himself the right label, so is he in God's Kingdom? Most would think not. If you ask Jesus to be your Savior does that automatically make you are a "Christian"? Is there any obedience involved or is the prayer enough? What if you are Jewish? Are you a Christian or a Messianic Jew?

I believe, that at its core and at its foundation, my faith in Yeshua as my Messiah, Lord and Savior, is Judaism. I am a follower, a disciple of the Jewish Messiah. I believe He is coming back and will establish His Kingdom. Through faith I, as a Gentile, am grafted in to the true olive tree. "And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree" (Rom 11:17).  By faith, I am a child of Abraham (Rom 4:16). In essence I am adopted into the blessing promised to Abraham.

Followers of Yeshua are a sect of Judaism, “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets" (Acts 24:14). Acts 28:22 makes the same reference to this new sect of Judaism, and Acts 24:5 calls this new sect the Nazarenes. A new sect as were the sects called Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Essenes. Different groups within accepted Judaism.  Not unlike today with the Hasidics, Orthodox, Reformed, and Liberal Jews; and you can toss in the Zionists and Zealots as well. We know there are lots of sects of Protestantism and, it seems, new ones are added all the time. Adding a new sect called the Nazerens to the overall Jewish community would not be that unusual at that time.

We should also note that the Apostle Paul, as a follower of Yeshua (Jesus), is still believing in, and thus obedient to, Torah and the Prophets. Paul is still Jewish. Paul was a Messianic Jew. I am a Messianic Gentile. A follower of Messiah. A part of the "Way" spoken of in Acts 24:14. I live in expectation of Messiah's return and the establishment of His kingdom. I am His Child. According to Acts, a member of the sect called the Nazarenes. Does that make me a Christian? In its simple definition, "Christ Follower" or "Christ imitator", that is true. So where does the discomfort come for a growing number of His followers?

Just a little shot of History. One of the most influential early church fathers was, Ignatius. He lived in the first century. He was Greek by heritage but became a follower of Jesus. He was one of the strongest proponents of the new term "Christian" to describe the followers of Jesus.  He writes this in one of his letters. "It is monstrous to talk of Jesus Christ and to practice Judaism. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity" — Ignatius to the Magnesians 8:1, 9:1-2. To be a Christian means you MUST abandon any Jewish practice or custom. Apparently what the Apostle Paul did was "Monstrous", as he continued to believe in Torah and the Prophets. 

It takes little effort to check history to discover two things. One, the early church fathers were almost all Hellenistic Romans. And two, they were anti-Semitic. By the time the Council of Laodicea meets, in 633 AD, the edict written to all "Christians" is that if they observe the Sabbath or any Jewish practice they are anathema, cursed and damned. The word Christian was used to separate "Christians" from Jews. Soon the church was seen to replace Judaism as God's Chosen People. We are subliminally told that God has rejected the Jews. Soon the Roman Church would emerge with its own traditions ad regulations. People would be compelled to be Christians. Those free from Judaism, the Law, Sabbath and the Word of God. Instead they were bound to new rules administered by a new hierarchy not to be questioned, a select group who would tell you what to believe and what the Scriptures said. 

But Christianity does not end there. Welcome the Reformation and freedom from Roman Catholic traditions and authority. The reformers, Luther, Calvin, Huss, Zwingli and others would bring new freedom and a new Christianity. Unfortunately many, Luther in particular, were antisemitic. This new brand of Christian is free from the Roman Church, the Pope, the manufactured ordinances that needed to be reformed. In due time the new Protestant Christians had their own traditions. But now free to interpret the Scriptures for themselves split into over 30,000 distinct flavors. Now Christians are free from the Law, free from Moses, free from authority, free to believe what they want, free to interpret God's Word as the choose. Christians are free, so like the people of Judges, "Every man does what is right in his own eyes". 

Christians have little or no relationship to Judaism. Not to Sabbath, dietary regulations, Torah, Moses or the Prophets. We follow a Jewish Messiah void of Judaism, something that is absolutely contrary to the Scriptures and the first followers of Yeshua, Messiah, Jesus. If Christians are indeed fully separated from Judaism, then there is nothing for me to be grafted into. History makes me uncomfortable with my label. I tend to tell people that I am a follower of Christ. I have tried, "I am a follower of Yeshua" but people get confused or their eyes glaze over, so Christ Follower works. It is the meaning of the word and what I believe. I use the word within my circle of "Christian" believers for it is cumbersome to explain this every time. Most live with an appreciation for our Jewish roots. But the vast majority of Christians give it no thought. The nearly 2000 year effort to separate Christ Followers from our roots is grievous to me. We have little regard for our heritage. We have built walls to keep Jews out or to let them know they must be grafted into the church. They must forsake the teachings of Moses and the honoring of the Sabbath to be a part of us. What happened to Gentile believers being grafted into Judaism? Few would ever make the mistake of the First Century Caesars in thinking that Gentile followers of Christ were Jews. They persecuted them both, for they could not tell them apart.

Can you say, "No I am not a Christian, because the term carries little meaning culturally or historically." Is it Okay to say, "I am a Messianic Gentile, A follower of Yeshua. An adopted child of Abraham. A wild branch grafted into the true Olive Tree." Can you say, "No, I am not a Christian." because you reject the "Christian" label. Can you use another label and still be in God's Kingdom?

Messianic Gentile? Maybe the label is more accurate than most would want to believe.