“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.”

Acts 11:26

The name ‘Christian’ was first given by the inhabitants of the Syrian city of Antioch to a new sort of people that had sprung up amongst them and whom they could not quite make out. They would not fit into any of their categories so they had to invent a new name for them. It is never used in the New Testament by Christians about themselves.

It occurs here in our text, it occurs in Agrippa’s half-contemptuous exclamation: “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian!” Acts 26:28 and it occurs once more where the Apostle Peter is specifying the charges brought against them: ‘If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” 1 Peter 4:16 Regardless of what others may say about what it is to be a Christian, what do we know from the Scriptures?

1. We know that not all who profess to be Christian are the LORD’s: “Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?” And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22, 23

2. We know that all who are Christ’s have been taught of the Spirit of God as to their lost estate, the blood-guiltiness of their sin, and the Sacrifice that the LORD Jesus accomplished for them. They come to Him singularly and particularly as their Redeemer- The healed blind man cried, "Who is he, LORD that I might believe on Him?" John 9:36 Such was His need, and our need. To know Him, we must know what it is to be a sinner by God’s Holy Standard. "By the law is the knowledge of sin,” Romans 3:20 Spiritual life is first granted to give spiritual discernment, so that by the Spirit’s revelation, we are made to understand our own condemnation, even in all our seeking and doing. Were it not that the Spirit helps our infirmities, making intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Romans 8:26, we would be silenced in dead despair. Even the command to believe is impossible until the LORD grants us the Grace to believe, Mark 9:24. So great is the consciousness of our sin against God that we could not perceive how any salvation could be for us, consistent with His justice. And yet, Glorious Truth! When the Spirit revealed Christ in us, and His blood and righteousness imputed upon completion of His death, THEN He granted faith to believe, and we understood the Mystery of Salvation of Christ crucified, seeing Him as the Lamb that God had ordained for a Sacrifice, to His justice, in our place as guilty, condemned sinners. We now see how we can be saved consistent with God’s justice, and how the holiness and justice of God have have been satisfied for such wretches as we are; and our trust is forever fixed on the crucified, risen Savior. In Him we have hope towards God and cry unto Him, ‘Abba Father,’ Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 1:13, 1 Peter 1:3.