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In the Bible, God did not call people who believed in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, Christians. No! God never called them by that name. Our Holy Father calls the followers of Christ Jesus, children or sons and daughters.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become CHILDREN OF GOD” (John 1:12).
Also, the Lord Jesus Christ never called members of His Church, Christians. He metaphorically referred to them as sheep.
“But you do not believe because you are not among MY SHEEP. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:26-27).
Jesus also called His disciples servants, brothers and friends (John 15:14-15).
Likewise, the Holy Spirit did not call a believer, as a Christian. There is no direct biblical reference to the Holy Spirit calling a believer in Christ, a Christian.
Interestingly, the Jewish priests, rulers and scribes who opposed the teachings of Jesus did not call members of Christ’s Church, Christians either. They called them the “SECT OF NAZARENE or members OF THE WAY”.
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if found any of THE WAY whether men or women, he might bring them to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2, NKJV).
The Bible says Saul was looking for MEMBERS OF THE WAY to arrest them. Indeed, followers of Christ were identified as ‘The Way” or “The Sect of Nazarene” not Christians.
“And about that time there arose a great commotion about THE WAY” (Acts 19:23, NKJV).
“For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ring leader of the SECT OF NAZARENES” (Acts 24:5).
“The Way” as used in the Bible refers to the “Way of the Lord” in which the believers were directed to walk. “The Way” was used to refer to the Christian Faith, and the doctrines and ordinances (rules) of the gospel. Remember that in John Chapter 14:6, Jesus Christ said, “I AM THE WAY, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”
Now, it is clear that neither God the Father, Jesus Christ nor the Holy Spirit ever called the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ as Christians. Similarly, none of the 12 Apostles of Jesus called any believer Christian.
Peter used the term in the later part of his ministry in one of his letters. He used it several years after it had been used to refer to the disciples.
The Apostles usually called their church members SAINTS, DISCIPLES or BRETHREN.
“Paul and Timotheus (Timothy), the servants of Jesus Christ, to ALL THE SAINTS in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi…” (Philippians 1:1, KJV).
Genuine children of God are indeed saints. They are righteous people who are set apart. God sees you and I as holy people through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We are saved and justified by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:24 that Jesus Christ Himself “bore our sins in his body on the tree, that WE MIGHT DIE TO SIN AND LIVE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is supported by 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says, “For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.”
By James Quansah
