A Christian (simply and only)!

We’re having a great week in J’town, Kentucky!  I am so very thankful for life, good health, my family, friends, and especially my name and place in Christ’s kingdom, His church.  We are the church; you, me, and all who have believed in Jesus as God’s Son, repented of our sins, confessed Him, and put Christ on in baptism.  The Lord Himself added us to His church (Acts 2:27) when we are saved by grace through faith.  The church belongs to Christ.  He is the Savior, the Head and we are the saved, His body.  That is the reason we call ourselves the church of Christ: the church belonging to Christ.  Of course we can also look in the Bible (Romans 16:16) and find that congregations of the Lord’s church are called “churches of Christ.”  We are Christians.  We do not choose this name by vote or because it sounds good or because this name suits us.  We are Christians because God calls the followers of Jesus Christ this name.  In Acts 11:26 we find this name.  King Agrippa used the name “Christian” when he was almost persuaded to become one (Acts 26:28).  Simon Peter wrote to us about suffering in 1 Peter 4:16, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” 

 

I have often thought about the many and varied names that people take on when it comes to religion and wondered why people couldn’t just be Christians. I mean, I realize why a Hindu calls himself a “Hindu” or a Buddhist calls himself a “Buddhist” or Islamist calls himself a Muslim or someone who will not believe in God calls himself an atheist.  I don’t fully understand why people who believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and claim to follow His teachings in the New Testament call themselves any other name but “Christian.”  Not too long ago I was talking with a person and asked him if and where he went to church.  I realize that “going to church” is not the correct way to word this question, but in the world today, people understand what I mean.  He answered, “Yes, I am a __________” and went on to talk about the denominational church he was a part of.  He asked me about my church affiliation.  I stated that I am a Christian and a member of the church of Christ that meets at Watterson Trail in J’town.  After my answer his immediate response was “Well, I am a Christian too.  I’m a ___________ Christian.”  My next statement to him was, “If we believe in Jesus and follow His words, shouldn’t we call ourselves what the Bible calls us:  “Christians?” nothing before the word and nothing after the word.  I am not a “church of Christ Christian” or an anything Christian.  I am also not a member of a denominational church.  I am a Christian (simply and only) a member of the church that belongs to Christ, the church of Christ.  This church exists all around the world and regularly meets together for fellowship, Bible study, worship, and service here, there, and everywhere in small congregations made up of maybe two or three Christians and in large congregations, some into the hundreds of thousands. 

 

Yes, I am so very thankful to be a Christian, a member of God’s family, the church that Jesus established, purchased, provides for, and is coming from heaven to receive to Himself (John 14:1-6).  I hope you can read this blog, think about who you are and what the Bible says, understand what I am trying to say, and make the changes you need to make to be what you need to be.  Now this is a good question to ask ourselves; “Is the person I am, the person I need to be?”