What Does Christian Mean?

In a world where society is constantly changing, we find the meanings of words also changing. Words like “bad” means good among certain generations and “cool” not only means slightly cold, but also “interesting or neat.”

Sadly, the very name we are called to wear has also been the subject of change. Today we have “Christian Churches,” “Christian Rock,” and “Christian Schools and Colleges.” “Christians” are found in all sorts of denominations. The word itself has become hyphenated. Just as some are African-Americans or Latin-Americans, some call themselves Catholic-Christians, Lutheran-Christians, and Pentecostal-Christians. But what say the scriptures concerning our name?

Disciples Called Christians

The word Christian only appears three times in the Bible. Let us begin in Antioch. Acts 11:26 says, “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Christian is a name by which we are to be called. It is meant to describe all of those who would be called disciples of Christ.

This name is called a living name in Rev. 3:1. Here Sardis is said to have a name that they were alive, but they were dead. Our name is to be more than just a classification. Our name is supposed to be our life. We must live up to our name.

Have you ever heard your parents state as you left the house, “Remember who you are.” Why would they say something like that? They want you to remember whose name you wear. There was a time in this country that a man’s name was very important. In Rantoul, IL, the town of my youth, the family name Chumbley was revered. Why? Those that wore that name were honorable. Likewise, when someone is called a Christian they ought to remember who made that name honorable and do all that he/she can do to live up to Christ’s name.

Failure to live up to our name gets us cut off.

Persuaded to Become a Christian

Now, let us turn to Acts 26:28. Herod Agrippa said, “In a short time you will persuade me to be a Christian.” A Christian is something you are persuaded to become.

You are not physically born a Christian. Just because your mom, dad, and/or grandparents were faithful servants of the Lord doesn’t mean that you will get into Heaven. Ezekiel wrote in Eze. 18:20, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” Just as we will be punished for our own wickedness, we will be rewarded for our own righteousness.

Your persuasion must not only come from the result of gospel preaching, but also must be done according to the Bible pattern. A study of Acts will show that when others became Christians they believed the word they heard (Acts 2), after believing they repented (Acts 16), they confessed Jesus as Christ (Acts 8), and were baptized (Acts 2, 8, 9, 10-11).

Even though Herod was not fully persuaded, he understood it required him to do more than simply believe.

Suffer as a Christian

Next, turn to I Pet. 4:16. “Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.“ We learn three things from this passage.

First, it is important that if we must suffer, let us suffer for doing right. Think of the shame it would bring the church if one of our own was caught performing some atrocity. Think of the shame “Christians” have brought on the Christian world for bombing abortion clinics, physically harming homosexuals, and other things like these.

Secondly, we need not to be ashamed if we are suffering as a Christian. The name we wear is a name we should be proud to wear. We should never be ashamed to admit we are a Christian no matter what the result. It is just as the song we sing…”I'm not ashamed to own my Lord Or to defend His cause;Maintain the honor of His word, The glory of His cross.Jesus, my God! I know His name; His name is all my trust; Nor will He put my soul to shame, Nor let my hope be lost (Watts).”

Finally, we would do well to remember that we are to glorify God. Much of what people do in worship fails to do this because they seek to do things their way and not God’s (Isa. 55:8-9).

-WTK