Bible Thoughts April 5, 1998
"And it came to pass that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch"(Acts 11:26).
This passage informs us that people who followed Christ in the first century were known as Christians. They knew they belonged to Christ and such a description is most appropriate. Since that time those who obey the gospel of Christ and walk faithful to the Lord's commands are Christians. Nothing more...nothing less...just Christians.
"And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest make me a Christian"(Acts 26:28).
Paul had been preaching the gospel of Christ to Agrippa. This ruler was aware through the message that what Paul taught would make one a Christian. This same gospel message makes one a Christian at present. Agrippa was not persuaded and, unfortunately, many are not persuaded at present to become only Christians.
"But if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name"(I Peter 4:16).
Living the life of a Christian will not always make for a pleasant and uneventful life. In fact, often one suffers because one is a Christian. Peter had just encouraged them not to suffer as evil doers, but if one suffers for being a Christian, glorify God when it occurs.
These three instances are the only times the word Christian is used in the New Testament. In each case, the word if used to describe a disciple of Christ. It is an exclusive description, divinely given and to be lived without embarrassment by those following the Lord.
In no instance was the word applied to anything but the individual disciple. It would not be right to call the church "the Christian Church" for this would be a misuse of the word. The church belongs to Christ and should use only those phrases found in the word of God to describe her relationship to the Almighty.
In similar fashion, it is not right to use the word Christian as an adjective or modifier of some human institution, however noble may be its purpose. The New Testament never used the word in that fashion and there is absolutely no command, example or necessary inference that would justify such a use. When folks take Christian and apply it to human institutions(colleges, papers, homes, etc.) they do so in a way that was not authorized in the New Testament. Christian describes a disciple, not an organization built by men. Faithful disciples should be upset when human societies so misuse what God called the obedient in apostolic times.
By the way, only baptized believers were Christians and you cannot baptize a church or a human organization.
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A TIME TO LOVE EACH OTHER: I suppose all would agree with me that we are living in perilous times frought with much about which to be concerned and anxious. We are commanded in the scriptures to "have fervent love" for one another(I Peter 4:8). In times like these, love is a balm for many aches and pains in the Lord's body, but do we love one another as we should?
We must have a love for the lost and a hatred for that which will damn the souls of our fellow man--and our own souls. Error will damn(II Thessalonians 2:9-11) and when people do not love the truth, they become deceived and deluded into thinking they are right(Proverbs 14:12). We must all be on our guard against error and seducing spirits(I John 4:1; I Timothy 4:1-2). Wrong may seem right and right may seem wrong to us many times in these evil days, but we have a perfect norm to stabilize us. That standard is the Bible--God's Holy Word. Stand on the old book till death and the richest reward of all time will be yours to enjoy eternally.-Dudley Ross Spears(1966)