All Believers are Disciples

There is a theory in christendom that says “all believers are not disciples”. Those who repeat it are just the usual parrots. Always saying things they’ve heard their favourite preachers say or write without considering whether the statement has biblical support. You hear people talk about “discipling a believer” as if disciple is a greater level of Christianity. They are mistaken. Every believer is a disciple as every disciple is a believer (unless that believer is a false believer, or to put it another way, that disciple is a false disciple). Take time and read every where the word disciple is used in the book of Acts and you’ll discover it meant believers without exception. Disciples meant all believers irrespective of their level of growth. Even those who were saved the same day, where called disciples. Those who were saved earlier were called disciples. To categorize Christianity into believers (meaning all who believe in Christ) and disciples (meaning all believers who are willing to make sacrifice for Christ or those attending Sunday School or Bible Institute, or Bible College) is plain ignorance. You become a disciple as soon as you become a believer not at another invitation of an evangelist calling young men to join the Bible institute.

 

 Excepts:

 Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

 NOTE: Unless Peter separated the believers and only handpicked the Bible college students, the believers were all called disciples.

 

 Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

 NOTE: Where the believers separated into believers and disciples in this case? Not at all. All the believers were collectively called disciples.

 

 Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

NOTE: It was the general believers (called disciples) that increased, not a select few.

 

 Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

 NOTE: Was Paul only persecuting the Sunday School students?

 

 Acts 9:26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

 NOTE: So the disciples did not readily accept Paul because they felt that he was yet to commence his Bible college training? No, the word disciple refers to a believer.

 

 Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

 NOTE: Are we to stop calling all believers Christians and start calling only disciples (Bible college types) Christians? That’ll be considered ridiculous.

 

 Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

 NOTE: It would seem like the Apostles were only concerned with Sunday School students not the general believers if this unfounded theory is correct wouldn’t it? Thankfully, it is wrong..

 

 Acts 18:23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

 NOTE: Wouldn’t it be ridiculous for Paul to go around meeting with Bible college students while neglecting the general congregation?

 

 Acts 18:9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

 NOTE: Paul separated those who were disciples from those who believed not. What happened to believers who have not decided to be disciples yet? By the way, notice that they just believed.

 

 Acts 20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

 NOTE: Who was Paul embracing? The serious Christians right? He must have refrained from embracing the mere believers right? Yeah right!

 

 Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

 NOTE: Only Bible college student would be qualified if this theory was correct. But the theory, is wrong.