Are you a Christian?

READ: 2 Chronicles 31, 32; Psalms 15; Acts 11: 19-30

SCRIPTURE: Acts 11: 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

OBSERVATION: People indulge in name-calling to deride or reproach someone they dislike or hate. In New Testament, the word Christian occurs three times (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). People used it as a contemptuous term to insult the followers of Jesus. Some say the term Christian was employed to differentiate the followers of Jesus Christ from those who worshipped or acknowledged the Roman emperor. The word Christian is a conglomeration of two words, the Greek Christos, which denotes Christ, and the Latin suffix “-ian,” which means “a party of” or “belonging to.” Thus, the word Christian refers to someone who belongs to Christ.

Until the people at Antioch called the disciples Christians, the followers of Jesus called themselves disciples, believers, witnesses, brothers, followers of the way, and saints (Acts 1:15; 5:14,32; 6:3; 9:2,13). The label Christian was not a self-identity but a derisive identity given by others. Jews considered that the disciples of Jesus were  “worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (of Jesus)” (Acts 5:41). It was a significant phenomenon that “the disciples were called Christians.” Today, millions of people around the world identify themselves as Christians. Statistics say one-third of the world population adheres to Christianity. The question is, how many of them are “belonging to Christ” or disciples! Jesus said the characteristics of his disciples on various occasions (Mt.16:24; Mk.8:34; Luke 9:23; 14:25-33; John 8:31-32; 13:34-35). To be a Christian is synonymous with being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Let us ask ourselves: Am I a Christian? Apostle Peter encourages, “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

APPLICATION: I am a Christian because I belong to Jesus Christ. I must be ready to deny myself and take up the cross to follow Jesus in my life. I need to practice the teaching of Jesus and remain in him. Christ’s love compels me to share his love and the Gospel with all.

PRAYER: God, thank you for your love that saved me. Lord, give me your strength to live as your disciple and to show your love to the world today. Jesus, as a Christian, help me to be your witness in every area of my life and everywhere I go. Amen.

- Arputharaj Samuel
+91 9538328573

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