John,

Yes, there is a fad amongst certain sectors of evangelicalism to refer to "Christians" as "followers of Jesus." It dissociates them from "organized religion" & "dogma." Typically people who call themselves by this name are wishy-washy on doctrine & practice, emphasizing a vague understanding of "love" over all else. I don't know your friend's intentions, but I think you are correct that the form of his citation does take away from the God-breathed nature of Scripture, intentional or not. Paul, rather than an apostle writing his letter under divine inspiration, is instead a mere "follower of Jesus." We may be able to learn from him, but we are all mere "followers of Jesus," each with our own journeys of faith, so we may understand things differently than Paul in at least some areas. That's the subtle implication.

Kyle

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.