Three-Way Christians
And believers were the more added to the Lord.
Acts 5:14
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.
John 8:31
Ye shall be witnesses unto me.
Acts 1:8
What is a New Testament Christian? He is a heart-believer in a crucified and risen Saviour and Lord. But our churches are filled with believers who do not continue in His Word and so are poor disciples. Salvation is free – not cheap- and we have only to trust Christ to be believers. But discipleship calls for all we are and have.
We have unwittingly created an artificial distinction between trusting Christ as Saviour and obeying Him as Lord. The New Testament recognizes no such false compartments of experience. “Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ,” said Paul to the jailer. No man can be a Christian by knowingly and willfully taking Christ on the installment plan, as Saviour now, as Lord later.
And we are all His witnesses, witnesses unto Him (Acts 1:8) and witnesses to the truth about Him (Lk. 24:48). We are witnesses of His death and resurrection in our own experience and witnesses to Him in testimony. By life and lip we declare Him; we know Him and make Him known.