'Christian' - In Name Only

It seems as if most people who attend any kind of church today would refer to themselves as ‘Christians’-- regardless of whether they have a relationship with Christ. It is interesting to note that the term ‘Christian’ first came about not through people calling themselves Christians, but through other people calling them Christians-- because of the example they set as Christ’s followers. In Acts 11:21-26 we read, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

We must not make the assumption that one is a Christian merely because they go through the motions of attending a church, reading their bibles and even praying. Christians are those who are made new in Christ, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation,” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

Having been reconciled to God, a Christian will want to see others reconciled to God, as well. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). 

 

Having been made new in Christ, one understands... and desires to live according to...the admonishment given in Ephesians 4:17-32- to put off the old self and put on the new. Ephesians 4:30-32 reads, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6: 14-15).

 

Would the example we set in following Christ prompt others to call us “Christian”? Let us look closely at ourselves and take seriously the admonishment in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test” (2 Corinthians 13:5)!

Are we truly genuine in our Christianity, or might we be ‘Christian’ - in name only?