Long Island Abundant Life Church長島豐盛生命教會
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  Long Island Abundant Life Church長島豐盛生命教會

Acts 11

7/11/2012

 
Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

A Little Background on a Common Word
"Another reason why Antioch has a special place in the history of Christianity is that here “the disciples were called Christians first” (v. 26), a name that has prevailed. This was probably a name given by the Antiochene population; Christians used it of themselves beginning only in the second century. In New Testament times, they preferred to use words like “disciples,” “saints,” and “brothers.” In the New Testament only non-Christians (like Agrippa, 26:28, and the persecutors of Christians, 1 Peter 4:16) use the term. The Gentiles must have heard the believers speak so often of Christ that they supplied a suffix to the word “Christ”—thus, “Christians” (meaning “the Christ people”). The Jews would not have given them this name, since “Christ” is the Greek word for the title “Messiah,” and the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah." [1]

For being a word we use so often, it's interesting that it only occurs 3 times in the Bible:  Acts 11:26 (from today), Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16.

So, what do you think?  Should we be calling ourselves something other than "Christian"?

[1] Ajith Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), 350.
Andrei
7/11/2012 06:48:11 pm

I never noticed that this is where they were first called Christians. As to the question... I don't have too much of an opinion on it, though I don't see anything wrong with calling ourselves Christians. I guess it's a pretty effective word in establishing our identity to the rest of the unbelieving world? I'm curious to hear what others think...

greg
7/12/2012 04:39:34 am

I agree and don't agree at the same time. I don't think there is anything WRONG with "Christian" persay, but I DO think it's interesting that it wasn't actually used by people to describe themselves for such a long time.

My beef with it is that it is a religious designation. If people are American and vaguely religious, they would probably call themselves Christian regardless of what they actually believe. More descriptive terms are harder to claim in such a merely nominal way. Most people would be more uncomfortable saying they are "follower of Jesus" or "disciple of Jesus", etc. I doubt people notice, but I rarely use the word "Christian" in service and Sunday school, because I don't really think it's helpful. "People of God", "citizens of the Kingdom", "brothers and sisters" is usually the kind of thing you'll here from me because it's more specific and people are usually less willing to think of themselves that way if they're uncommitted. At least that's what I think.

Again, nothing wrong with it necessarily, but I don't think it's particularly helpful.

Andrei
7/12/2012 05:19:08 pm

Wow; never thought of it that way. Definitely see where you're coming from.


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