Author's Preface
1. Accepting Or Uniting
   
2. Who Is A Christian?
   
3. "Why Don't You Leave The Church of Christ?"
   
4. The Iniquity Of The Fathers
   
5. Our Judicial System
   
6. "You Are My People Now"
   
7. Serving "Otherwise Than As Prescribed"
   
8. Does Baptize Really Mean To Immerse
   
9. Our Relationship Through Baptism
   
10. Those Gospel Meetings
    
11. A Prelude To Worship
    
12. Worshipping In Spirit And Truth
    
13. The Forbidden Prayer
    
14. "I Didn't Hear Nobody Pray"
    
15. Communion Prayers
    
16. Communion With Bread, Wine, And Money
    
17. Thursday Is The Lord's Day Too!
    
18. Not Forsaking The Assembly
    
19. Acts 20:7 One More Time
    
20. Our Father Who Art Where?
    
21. Does Nature Reveal God's Love
    
22. Copyrighted: All Rights Reserved
    
23. Don't Pour Water On Them
    
24. The Remaining Restriction For Women
    
25. Some Questions About Revelation
    
26. Must One Fully Repent Before Baptism?
    
27. Nicodemus In Context
    
28. Our Respected Myths Of Religion
    
29. Hook's Points: A Potpourri
    

Alexander Campbell's response to this question raised in the famous Lunenburg Letter aroused a long discussion by those who disagreed with him. The matter is still being debated.

Why cannot we lay this question to rest once for all? It is because there in no definition of a Christian in the scriptures!

The scriptures do not say, "They called themselves Christians." There is no record of a follower of Jesus taking that designation for himself or applying it to others. Neither do we read that God called them Christians. But we do read that "in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians" (Acts 11:26).

Somebody called the disciples Christians. Who was that somebody? Not other disciples. Not God. Evidently, the populace of Antioch did. Agrippa used the term with a sneer (Acts 16:28), but Paul avoided use of that name in his reply to Agrippa and in all of his writings. In their persecutions believers were being called Christians disparagingly, in the same manner in which some had been referred to as "the sect of the Nazarenes" before, and Peter urged them to accept that supposedly derogatory designation unashamedly in a manner which would glorify God (1 Peter 4:16).

Who were being called Christians? Disciples. That is what they were disciples! But they were being called something else. Why do we make such a big thing of calling ourselves Christians and so seldom identify ourselves as disciples?

Who, then, is a disciple? After his resurrection Jesus sent the eleven disciples out to preach the gospel. He told them, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." (Matt. 28:19f). Acceptance of the gospel made people disciples. The disciples were to be baptized. Then they were taught as disciples. Belief in the gospel made them disciples and then, after baptism, they were guided and nurtured toward maturity as followers by the doctrines.

A disciple is a learner, believer, or follower. When a person develops a conviction about Jesus that makes him want to learn more and follow him, that person is a disciple. He is a disciple from the time of the germination of the seed into faith until he dies as one mature in Christ.

We are at different points on the road, but need we try to define certain stages on that heavenward journey when one becomes acceptable to God-and to us? Where are those definitive milestones between the start and the finish? Although there is a continuous process of development between the conception of new human life and its senectitude, there is no period of unacceptability. We recognize the living personhood all along the way. So it is with being a disciple.

Suppose that the follower holds to some error in the earlier stages of belief. Must we not reject him or her? No, for all would be rejected. None of us ever reaches total freedom from error. Jesus said to teach the disciples all his commands. Teaching is a continuous process needed even by the most aged and mature of us.

Why are we so eager to define who is a Christian? Is it not to give some measurement enabling us to accept or reject readily? We settle for artificial distinctions. Why are we so eager to reject others? Is it to satisfy our smugness? Is it a fear that others may defile us? Fellowship with immature learners is no more compromising than including infants in our society. To recognize a person as a fellowdisciple does not mean we approve his errors or misconduct; otherwise, we would cut ourselves off from most of those in our congregations.

Baptism has been our hang-up. It is our line in the sand. We judge anyone who has not crossed that line. While it is true that baptism is an essential command of Jesus, so are the rest of his directives. But in his growth Christ's student need not master the understanding and obedience to all of them before he or she can find the favor of God. Who could ever claim such an achievement? Upon learning and understanding any previously overlooked requirement, if the lifelong student refuses to comply, then that person has ceased being a follower indeed. And that is scary for all wouldbe achievers, for no one observes all divine instructions. So who are we to judge others at their different stations on the same road?

Millions of the disciples with whom we will have no association have been baptized according to their understanding of what baptism entails. Because they have not observed our scruples about baptism, we have felt that we can rightly sit on the throne of judgment to declare them unfit for our fellowship. Instead of considering them as fellowlearners who still need our loving instruction, we have counted them as adversaries. We as servants of the Master judge his other servants and exclude them as his enemies. Can you judgmentally refuse other disciples of Jesus and expect his hearty approval?

The followers of Jesus in your congregation lack in points of understanding, do not hold identical beliefs, fall short of perfect obedience, and fail in attitude and conduct, but you share the common life with them. Why accept them while disdaining other followers who have similar shortcomings?

Who is a disciple? Jesus gave us the identifying marks of disciples. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Jesus told some believers, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31). And, "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples" (John 15:8). Wonder why Jesus left baptism out? You may reply that baptism is included in "if you continue in my word." If true, so are all the other commands, and Jesus did not elevate baptism above the rest as the crucial test. A sincere learner may be loving, continue in his word, and bear much fruit without ever understanding and conforming to your or my scruples. God will judge righteously; we are to accept lovingly.

If you consider that disciples and Christians are identical, please consider this: disciples exist before and apart from baptism. Then so must Christians! Disciples must continue to learn and to obey as they are able to understand. Then so must Christians.