The question is often posed, "What are bible believing Christians? Isn't a Christian a Christian?" ..in a word, No! The term Christian these days is used by just about everyone and their uncle! But simply calling oneself Christian doesn't mean that one truly is. To the majority of people today calling themselves Christian, the bible means very little. It is not much more than a nice book of good suggestions, or a collection of fables which tell a moral story we can learn from. ie, God is not that important in their lives, so that the Bible really is not the law or authority which should be followed unquestionably, but more of a guide book which doesn't really have to be taken all that seriously in today's world.

And so in order to distinguish between those who take the name of Christ just to be a member, from those who take the name of Christ as apparel and truly believes that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God, many Christians call themselves "Bible Believing Christians". This is to distinguish them from those who do not take God's Word seriously. It's a signification that they actually believe that it is God's divinely inspired Holy Word which is law, and not just the poetic writings of some good men.

This doesn't always assure that someone who calls themselves this is a true Child of God, nor that they are really a bible believer (a tree is known by it's fruits -Luke 6:44) but it generally helps Christians to discern what type person he is speaking with, or if the person is serious about God's Word. In short, a person that doesn't believe God's Word, simply cannot be a serious Christian, as his precepts are prescribed by what is right in his own eyes, not by what God says. For many false prophets are gone out into the world. And the only way to distinguish between the true Christians and the false, is to try the spirits by the Word of God. True Christians cause others to Listen to and hear the Word of God, while others speak not the Word, but their own words saying thus saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:21-22

• "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

• But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings."

To stand in God's counsel means to hold fast to what God's Word says. And this is what the Bible believing Christian does. He takes God's Word as law, while others privately interpret scripture in order to circumvent God's laws and say God means something else, that they may hold to any view which they choose.

For example, a bible believing Christian will read the verse that says If one lusts after a woman, he hath committed adultery already, he agrees that is sin. While others calling themselves Christian will say, we all lust after people, so God doesn't really mean that is a serious sin, He means we should try not to do that. One is a Bible believing Christian who believes God's Word is law and takes it seriously, and the other is one who doesn't believe that what the Word explicitly says is paramount, it's our intent that counts. Very much like the man who put forth His hand to steady the Ark of the Covenant when He knew the law of God forbid it.

1st Chronicles 13:9-10

• "And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

• And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God."

He thought it was OK to disobey God's law because of circumstances, but God struck him down dead on the spot. because God's law is not subject to private interpretation, not subject to circumstances, not subject to what seems right in our own eyes. ie, a Bible believer actually believes when God says something, it's the law. Not simple advice to be taken or discarded!