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"The Ancient Landmark"

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

"The Name 'Christian' "

Jarrod Jacobs|

Almost every religious person calls themselves by the name "Christian." In fact, this name is abused to a great degree by people. This is seen in the fact that some claim that if one is morally upright, then they can be considered a Christian. The United States is branded by many to be a "Christian nation." What about this? How can it be that people who follow different religious teachings can be called by the same name? I talked to one fellow who said he was a Christian first, then a Baptist, then a husband, etc. Other people might consider themselves Christians first, then Methodists, or Pentecostals, or Presbyterians, or Catholics, etc. They are what one man called, "hyphenated-Christians"! How can this be? Certainly all these people cannot wear the name of Christian, can they? It would be like someone wishing to wear one family name, having never been born into, nor adopted into that family!! How silly!

Who May Wear The Name Christian?

First of all, for one to wear this name means they are wearing the name of Christ. In fact, you cannot spell "Christian" without spelling "Christ"! Paul talked about those who are Christians being "heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17). This would make sense because a man's heirs are his children, so also the heirs of God are His children! Therefore, the first thing we learn about the name "Christian," is that if one wishes to wear this name, he/she must be born into the family.

How Is One Born Into The Family?

One is born into the family when he/she is "born again" or spiritually born. How is one spiritually born, or born again? This begins with the seed. Peter wrote to the Christians and said: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (I Pet. 1:22-23). In order to be born again, it requires being born of incorruptible seed, the word of God (Lk. 8:11). Not only this, it requires that one believe the word of God (Rom. 10:17). True Bible faith comes in no other way but through hearing God's word. True Bible faith also ACTS on what it has heard, for faith alone is dead (Jas. 2:26). Therefore, it is necessary that if one wishes to be a child of God, a Christian, they must then repent of their sins (Lk. 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38), confess their faith in Christ (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38, 22:16).

The other place we read about being born again is recorded in John 3:3-5. There, Jesus told Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." In this case, we see that in order to enter the kingdom of Heaven, a man (not a baby!) must be born of both water and the spirit. The water is that element in which men are baptized (Acts 8:35-39), and the spirit has reference to the spirit's teaching. The Spirit and the word do not act independently of one another, but work together. The Holy Spirit works through the agency of the Word. This then brings us full-circle to Peter's statement that men were born again through the incorruptible seed, which is the word of God.

One more passage to consider in light of our study is Galatians 3:26-27. Here Paul says, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." They were all presently the children of God by faith because they HAD BEEN baptized into Jesus Christ. Have you been baptized? Are you in God's family?

How Did The Name "Christian" Come About?

Where did the name "Christian" originate? Some say that this was kind of a "nickname" for the saints in the first century. That is, that at one point in time, during the persecutions the people faced in the first century, people ridiculed those who followed Christ. They talked of "those Christians" in a demeaning, spiteful, and hurtful way. Then, after some time, the name caught on as a tribute to those who lost their lives for the cause of Truth, and today the name is worn as a badge of honor. (See: The Book of Books, by H. I. Hester, p. 126)

Unfortunately, this explanation is not true!!! In Antioch is where the disciples began wearing a new name. "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). The phrase, "were called" comes from one Greek word, "chrematizo," which means, "to utter an oracle, i.e. divinely intimate; be called, be admonished (warned) of God, reveal, speak" (Strong's Hebrew/Greek Lexicon). Therefore, the phrase "were called" shows that the name "Christian" was not a name given by the persecutors or abusive people. It was not a "nickname." The name "Christian" is divine in origin!

In fact, this name was the fulfillment of prophecy! Yes, God though Isaiah prophesied of the new name his people would wear. In Isaiah 56:1-5, there was a prophecy of that name to come: "Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off" (Isa. 56:5). The "better" name given would not be like the name given when God brought them up out of Egypt (just for a certain generation, and just for a certain ethnic group --Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12), but an everlasting name for all people!

A second prophecy to consider is found in Isaiah 62:1-2. "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name" (Isa. 62:2). When did the Gentiles see God's righteousness? When Cornelius and his household was taught the truth in Acts 10. Notice please that the people were not called Christians until AFTER this in Acts 11:26! Now, according to Isaiah, who will name God's people? Will it be God or some group of heathens? Answer this question and you have it!!

A third passage to consider is Isaiah 65:8-15. "Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name."

Let us ask, who was the "seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah"? Galatians 3:16 tells us that it was Christ. Who are God's "elect"? II Peter 1:10 says that it is the brethren, those who are in Christ! Who are His "servants"? God says it is not those who were born of a physical lineage (like the Jews), but those who do His will. Paul said that those who have "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine" are the "servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:17-18). Again, who will call His servants by "another name"? Will it be God or man?

The phrases, "new name," "another name," "better name," and "everlasting name" all have reference to the name Christian!! This was a name "the mouth of the Lord shall name." Abusive bystanders and persecutors did not name God's people! The name "Christian," has been given by God!!

Conclusion

The only ones who have the right to wear the God-given name of Christian are those who have been born into God's family through faith, repentance, confession of their faith, and baptism for the remission of sins. They then rise to walk in newness of life to be God's heirs. Christ said His brethren are those who do His will (Matt. 12:48-50). Not everyone is Christ's brother, therefore not everyone is our brother (II Jn. 9-11)! It is high time that we learned the difference between "hyphenated-Christians" and true Christians!! Let us not abuse the God-given name of Christian by thinking just anyone can wear it!

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