Names Will Never Hurt Me

Christians have been called by many names throughout history. Some of those names have stuck, and others have been forgotten. Many names given to Christians have been derogatory. For example, the Jews called the first Christians Galileans because of the apostles who came from Galilee: Peter, Andrew, John, James, Thomas, Matthew, Phillip, and Nathaniel. Those Jews used the term Galileans scornfully, implying that the Christians were unsophisticated. They were trying to peg believers as outsiders, as not being from the cosmopolitan city of Jerusalem.

Another example of a derogatory name given to Christians is one the Romans gave us in the first centuries after Christ: atheists. They called Christians atheists because Christians didn’t believe in the Roman gods. Although Christians were far from being atheists, and nobody would use that term for us now; the Romans of the first three centuries thought it was the perfect descriptor for Christians.

Christians

Call us what they may, there is only one name we strive to be called by—Christians. If people call us Christians, it’s an honor because a Christian is one who resembles Christ. Outsiders have seen something of Christ in us if they call us Christians.

Every believer should strive to earn the identification of Christian. The Scriptures say that it is a good name to earn. There is no shame in being called a Christian.

… if someone suffers as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name (1 Peter 4:16; LEB).

The disciples at Antioch earned the respect of their neighbors, people who thought that the Antiochian believers were like Christ. These had the honor of being called Christians before any other followers of Christ in history.

… the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26; NASB).

One People in Different Locations

God’s will was never for the Church to be divided into different denominations; but sadly, that’s the situation today. Christians are one people. We shouldn’t have different congregations in one geographical space. The New Testament pattern is for every city or town to have one body of believers, one church.

It's wrong to divide Christians within a given location. If the Church in a certain city is divided, then what outreach can the Church do in that city? We have lost our testimony with the people around us if we're divided into different groups. They will know we are disciples of Christ (Christians) by our love for one another—and division is not love.

You’ll notice that Paul wrote to:

… the church of the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1)

… the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:2)

… and the churches of Galatia (Galatians 1:2).

... Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker—also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home (Philemon 1:1-2).

He also said:

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house (Romans 16:3-5).

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Corinthians 16:19).

Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house (Colossians 4:15).

Observe how often believers (especially women) would open their houses for church meetings. Outside of the Temple, the original Church had only houses to gather in:

When they [Paul and Silas] had come out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house where they saw and encouraged the brothers, and then they left (Acts 16:40).

When he [Peter] realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is called Mark, where there were many people gathered in prayer (Acts 12:12).

... they, continuing daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart (Acts 2:46).

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ (Acts 5:42).

According to the New Testament pattern, the best name for any congregation would be the one that meets in someone’s house or the church in a given city. For example, you would say “the church in Michael’s house” or “the church of Atlanta”). The ideal name for any church should be according to its geographical location—not its doctrine. There is, after all, only one true Christian doctrine.

Public Meetings Together

Christians will meet together. You can’t stop that. It happens because Christians are social creatures just like anybody else. We like to be with people who think and feel the way we do. The Bible simply presumes that this is going to happen.

… when you meet together… (1 Corinthians 11:20; NASB)

The meetings Christians hold are going to earn us a name. For example, some people might refer to your congregation as “the noisy church down the block” or, if everyone walks around with a Bible, they might call your church the “Bible-toting Evangelicals.”

If your people are busy strengthening the local community, neighbors might call your church “the congregation that does so much good for the community.” But normally, we will not be well spoken of. It's normal 'when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil' (Luke 6:22). In those cases, the unbelievers who know us will use derogatory names for us.

We would hope to be called Christians, but that doesn't always happen. In the end, it doesn't matter what people call us in public. What matters is what God calls us in private.

His enemies called Jesus a "blasphemer" and a "false prophet." God calls him "My Beloved Son." What does God say about you? And what does God call your church? I would hope that he would call us Christians.