The Name Christian

The name christian is widely used today to refer to the “followers of Christ Jesus”, and this is all manmade and has nothing to do with Jesus, the Apostles or any of those that followed Jesus in His ministry on earth, God in flesh that is.

The word christian was used for the first time at Antioch to describe those followers of Jesus as “Little Jesus’”, yes it was a derogative term used by those in authority to belittle those who followed Jesus.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Act 11:26

We see that this is a derogative term when Agrippa in Paul’s trail joked about nearly being converted to a “christian” but luckily not, whew! Not Jesus, neither the Apostles nor certainly not the rest of the Body of Christ ever called themselves this name anywhere in the Scriptures, nowhere!

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Act 26:28

This use of this derogative term was not only limited to those in power as we can see that it grew amongst the rest of the unbelievers and there is reference to this in Scripture and we see it in 1 Peter that the followers of Jesus were subjected to cruelty with this name christian and it was not a term of endearment. Yes, if someone calls you a “Jesus idiot” or a “holly roller” or any other derogative term, well do not be ashamed but let him glorify God in this through his faith and standing for the truth of God.

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 1Pe 4:16

The good that comes out of this is that you see that Jesus is the Messiah as it is clear that those who hate Him do use this term to brand, verbally tar and feather His followers as to belittle them and detract from Jesus the fact that He is God in flesh. This situation has led to a phenomenon today where people now say that they are “Followers of Jesus Christ” but do not identify as christian and see the term for what it is, derogatory.

So when did the name christian become acceptable and a non-derogatory term, well the same time that a council of men adopted the doctrine of the trinity on behalf of God, the Word Jesus and the Holy Ghost. As both the name and doctrine do not have the same value as today, the name is never mentioned and the doctrine inferred and that by adding to scripture and ignoring large parts of scripture, but that is a subject for another day.