|
|
||
|
|
 |
|
|
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Christian was mentioned 3 times only in the Bible while Disciple was mentioned 294 times in the New Testament alone.
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the
Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their
widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the
Twelve gathered all the disciples together ….
They preached the good news in that city and won a large number
of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22
strengthening the disciples… This proves that the word christian is not the name God choose to call his people rather disciple. I choose the name familiar and pleasing to my God instead of staying in the traditional, religious name. I bless God for the exposing of our ignorance in this area. Using the definition from various Bible encyclopedia and Dictionary, we can see the meaning of each name, Christian and Disciple. (From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) The name, then, did not originate with the Christian themselves. Nor would the Jews have applied it to the followers of Jesus, whose claim to be the Christ they opposed so passionately. They spoke of the Christians as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:25); perhaps also as “Galileans”, a term which the emperor Julian attempted later vainly to revive. |
Derision means scorn, mockery, disdain, ridicule, contempt, disrespect. In modern times the name Christian has been somewhat emptied of its true meaning as a follower of Christ. To some today, Christian means little more than a European or American who is not Jewish, while others have sought to make its proper use the name of a particular denomination . . . (From Hayford’s Bible Handbook) The designation of the early followers of Christ as Christians was initiated by the non- Christian population of Antioch (Acts 11:26), and originally it was probably a term of mocking or derision – “little Christ”.
Eventually, however, Christians used it of themselves as a name of honor,
not of shame (Acts 26:28;
In many modern societies, the original character of the name Christian has been emptied of its meaning as a biblical disciple of Christ. To some, Christian refers to …
a) A political system void of love. In this regard, it can be said that Jesus did not come to found “Christianity”. He came to reveal the Father to humankind, to die to redeem humankind, and thereby to bring humanity back to God through His work of redemption. All who believe this and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord may be called Christians, but most essentially the ones called believers, or redeemed children of the living God. (From Ilumina Encyclopedia)
This name
is given to the followers of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26). When the
Christian movement reached Antioch in Syria, the gospel was preached to
Gentiles as well as Jews. Such evangelism marked the sect as more than
a...
continue here |
|
|
|
||
|
Home Profile Events Satellites Ministries Resources Downloads Gallery Blogs Contact Us |
||
