What's Wrong With Being Called A CHRISTIAN?

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING CALLED A CHRISTIAN OR SAYING YOU PRACTICE CHRISTIANITY.

The disciples of Christ were first called "Christians" by pagans & Jews to single them out for their beliefs. It was not the put down some believed it to be or thought it would be, but ended up eventually being adopted by believers as honorable. There's a lot of false teaching on this as a negative that can't be factually verified by those teaching it. It is promoted by anti-Christian factions within and outside the Church community who are hung up in unfruitful arguments to undermine the faith more than evangelize others to it. A "Christian" is a disciple of Christ or a Messianic believer. "Christianity" is simply the practice of one's faith in Christ/Messiah as taught by the Holy Scriptures.

ACTS 11:26; "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."

When king Agrippa uses the term in talking to the apostle Paul he doesn't use it as an insult, and Paul doesn't take it as one. Paul instead says he wishes that Agrippa was as he was, and didn't disparage being called a Christian because he understood what it meant. Paul was there in Antioch among the believers when they were first called Christians; which makes him one of the first to be referred to as such. It was not offensive to him or them then and shouldn't be to us now. Contrary to erroneous belief, the disciples were not called "messianics" as some latter day translations inscribe in place of Christians. You can call yourself whatever you like but how a word is originally used is still it's actual meaning.

ACTS 26:28-29; "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds."

The apostle Peter makes it clear with no ambiguity that being recognized as a Christian is nothing to be ashamed of but something to glorify God for because he also understood what it meant to be one. At this time believers in Christ were being heavily persecuted for their faith & beliefs in Christ which caused them to be singled out by the Jews and pagans who did not accept them. Peter says to the believers being identified and mistreated as such that there is nothing wrong with suffering as a Christian. This automatically means there's nothing wrong with being called one, because how could you suffer as one if you weren't first labeled or identified as one?

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

You can't suffer as a Christian if you aren't recognized as one, yet there are those hung up on words or semantics when it's convenient to their divisive false doctrine teaching points. The word "Christian" was first used in the Greek language as "Christianos" without a Hebrew equivalent, as with many words, but that has no bearing on what it means. Greek was the "lingua franca" of the day; meaning it was the common tongue in the region. This is also why the New Testament was written in Greek. The Hebrew language is not the "be all end all" language of God for humanity. Don't allow non-native Hebrew or Greek speaking folks who don't even have a good understanding of Scripture to spook you over words they don't properly use or understand.

Knowing Hebrew doesn't make one spiritually superior to anyone else; especially if your understanding of the principles communicated is lacking. Learning a language is good but it doesn't mean you know God or have more revelation than others. Words change over the years because they're translated or transliterated into different languages, but the original meaning is the same when using the word in the original cultural context in which it was created. The Scriptures have spoken, but only those who don't like what they say will argue over it. Don't get hung up on this foolishness, because the Bible warns against this kind of unfruitful & useless constant engagement.

TITUS 1:14-15; "Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled."

The same mess we're dealing with today over Hebrew names & culture is nothing new and the Scriptures also warn against it. If others are hung up on it don't cosign it or engage them in their foolishness. I say what I have to say now in brief on simple issues like this and move on because folks will try to keep you tangled on this for days and never come to an understanding. What is pure, leave it pure. What is simple, leave it simple. Don't complicate the pure & simple gospel over word games by people who don't even know who Jesus Christ is. Keep it simple and make it plain. Shalom. ~ I.J. West