Why Were the Disciples First Called "Christians" at Antioch?

This entry was posted on 01-27-2007 and is filed under Devotional.

"...and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" (Acts 11:26 NAS.

Some folks say "Christian" was a nickname or a put-down, but I believe this fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 62:2 where God said He would call His people by a new name which the mouth of the Lord would name. The word "called" in our text indicates divinely called. But why did God wait so long to call them Chrisians?

The church at Antioch was a hub of evangelistic activity. They reached out to the Gentiles with the gospel. They became the "sending church", launching Paul on his first missionary journey. Donald G. Hunt says, "followers of Christ are not altogether like Christ until they grasp the universal scope of the church such as here in the first congregation composed of both Jews and Gentiles" (Simple, Stimulating Studies in the Great Book of Acts). Only those with the missionary heart of Christ, who died for ALL, deserve to be called "Christians."

Prayer: God of all creation, we praise Your name today because You included all in Your great salvation plan. May we model the believers in Antioch whom You called "Christians" first because of their missionary zeal and may we be worthy of that name. Through Christ we pray.

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