Who is a Christian
This is meant to be a Bible study thread on who the Bible calls a Christian, but I put it under debate because I don’t mind people asking questions. I won’t hide in some other forum.
I don’t care whether people claim to be a Christian or not. All I want to do is examine who the Bible calls a Christian. That is all that matters. The word is thrown around way to loosely.
In Isaiah 62 we find this..
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.
The name Christian is a name prophesied and given to by the Lord. It is not an invention of man.
Acts 11 is the first place we find this word.
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
This word “called” carries a divine meaning. It is the idea that this is a name given by inspiration and not that man just came up with it here in Antioch.
It came from God!
And is it any coincidence that this is right after gentiles had been given the gospel.
Some believe it to be a term of derision given by their enemies but that is not likely the case.
So, God is the only one that can name a person a Christian. He gets to decide who is and isn’t a Christian. We can claim anything we want but it is God who has given us information that we can study and learn about who is and isn’t a Christian.
To be cont’d
This is meant to be a Bible study thread on who the Bible calls a Christian, but I put it under debate because I don’t mind people asking questions. I won’t hide in some other forum.
I don’t care whether people claim to be a Christian or not. All I want to do is examine who the Bible calls a Christian. That is all that matters. The word is thrown around way to loosely.
In Isaiah 62 we find this..
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.
The name Christian is a name prophesied and given to by the Lord. It is not an invention of man.
Acts 11 is the first place we find this word.
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
This word “called” carries a divine meaning. It is the idea that this is a name given by inspiration and not that man just came up with it here in Antioch.
It came from God!
And is it any coincidence that this is right after gentiles had been given the gospel.
Some believe it to be a term of derision given by their enemies but that is not likely the case.
So, God is the only one that can name a person a Christian. He gets to decide who is and isn’t a Christian. We can claim anything we want but it is God who has given us information that we can study and learn about who is and isn’t a Christian.
To be cont’d