Christian

Praying Hands by Albrecht Dürer, 1508

Christians refer to people who believe in Christ, the Redeemer, and follow His teachings. The original Greek word for this is Christinanŏs (Χριστιανός), which means “belonging to Christ.” It is mentioned three times in the New Testament. Even today, it is used to refer to those who believe in Christ.

Origin of the Term Christian

The term Christian was first used for the saints of the Church in Antioch in the Apostolic Age. When Apostles Paul and Barnabas taught God’s word in Antioch for a year, people around called those who came to believe in Jesus Christ as “Christians.”

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Acts 11:25–26

When Paul preached to King Agrippa, King Agrippa said that Paul was trying to make him a Christian. Peter taught the saints not to be ashamed of what they suffer as Christians, but rather to give glory to God.

In the Bible, the term “saints” which elevates Christians, is generally used rather than “Christians.”

Faith of Christians

Faith in God Who Came in the Flesh

The core of Christian faith was to believe in Christ, the God who came in the flesh. Jesus revealed that He was the Christ by saying that He is God the Father. God, who was a spirit, appeared in the flesh in the name of Jesus.

“I [Jesus] and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him . . . “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

John 10:30–33

When Jesus Christ appeared, most Jews did not believe in God who came in the flesh and rejected Him, but Christians did not. They believed and preached that Jesus is God who came in the flesh.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death.

Phillipians 2:5–8

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Romans 9:5

Faith of Keeping God’s Commandments

Jesus taught us God’s commandments that Christians must keep, that is, the truth of the new covenant.

• Jesus . . . on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.(Luke 4:16)
• Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22:15–20)
• But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near . . .  [A]fter his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also.” (John 7:2–14)

The reason Jesus set an example of keeping the feasts of the new covenant such as the Sabbath, the Passover, and the Feast of Tabernacles was to lead the saints to follow them. Jesus also said that those who do the will of God will enter the kingdom of heaven. Christians followed the example of Jesus and obeyed God’s commandments.

• Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18:4)
• For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you . . . For whenever you eat this bread [Passover bread] and drink this cup [Passover wine], you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23–26)
• But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week [Day of Resurrection] we came together to break bread. (Acts 20:6–7)
• When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place . . . All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1–4)

Faith in the Resurrection and the Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus gave Christians the hope of resurrection and confirmed His word by being resurrected on the third day after His death on the cross.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

John 11:25–26

As the apostles who witnessed the resurrection of Christ, they testified to the Resurrection in front of many people, and they even left letters announcing the resurrection of life that the saints would receive.

Through the work of Jesus, who looked just like a human being, was raised from the dead, the saints were convinced of the resurrection and the kingdom of heaven they would go to. That is why Christians did not spare their lives for the gospel. Even in the midst of persecution, such as being eaten by wild animals or being burned at the stake, they kept their faith in Christ with the hope of resurrection.

Christian Life

Jesus, in His life time, preached the truth of life to those who were destined to die.

Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Mark 1:38

The saints of the early Church made every effort to preach the news of salvation to many people, following Jesus Christ who dedicated His life to others.

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 5:42

Jesus also wanted Christians to be the light of the world. That was why He taught them to serve, humble, unite, and love, telling them to glorify God through their good deeds.

“You are the light of the world . . . In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:13–16

The saints were encouraged to live godly lives, share love to one another, and practice good deeds as Christians at home and in society. Every day, they purified their hearts by paying attention to God’s word, and depended on God through prayer.

• If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1–5)
• Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18)

In the book of Romans, Apostle Paul emphasized that a true Jew is not one outwardly but one inwardly. Likewise, simply believing in Christ does not necessarily make someone a true Christian. A true Christian is a person who realizes God who came in the flesh to save mankind, keeps God’s commandments, and practices good deeds, taking Christ as an example of faith and life.

See also

• Jesus Christ

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