Believers Called Christians first at Antioch

“So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.” –Acts 11:25-26 (NEV). [Paul asked:] “’King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’ And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’”-Acts 26:27-29 (ESV). “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”-I Peter 4:16 (ESV).

The three places the word Christian is used in the New Testament are in the verses cited here.

We know that Christian means an adherent of Christ, a believer in and follower of Christ, one committed to Christ. Let us briefly examine the context prior to Acts 11:25-26. Peter had gone to Joppa, preached at Cornelius’ house, and many had come to faith in the Lord Jesus. Persecution from the Jews arose following the stoning of Stephen. Believers went from Jerusalem to Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch and Cyrene preaching the Word. Many converts were made. The church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch of Syria to investigate the preaching there and no doubt to examine the faith of the new converts. Barnabas was described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit. He had heard of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the Road to Damascus. Barnabas found Paul in Tarsus, invited him to go to Antioch with him, and the two Christian leaders spent a whole year there preaching and teaching “a great many people.” Because the followers of Christ were increasing, they got the name, “Christians”—those committed to Christ. Prior to this time, followers had been called ‘the church,’ ‘the Way,’ or the ‘sect of the Nazarine.’ Bestowing the name Christians upon believers in Christ indicated that it was more than a new Jewish sect. Both Jews and Gentiles were in the group called “Christians.” Although believers were called Christians (probably by non-Christians, even Romans), the name became an acknowledgement that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the long-expected Messiah.

Later, Paul the Apostle was arrested by the Jews for preaching the gospel. On the basis of his Roman citizenship, he appealed to the Emperor of Rome, and was on his way there to be tried when he was heard before King Agrippa (Herod Agrippa II, one of the Roman rulers of Palestine) in Caesarea of Philippi. Before Agrippa, Paul gave his own defense, his personal testimony of how, in the midst of being a persecutor of the followers of Christ, he had been converted and became a spokesman for Christ, taking the message “throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:20). Following Paul’s testimony, King Agrippa said, ‘in a short time, would you persuade me to be a Christian?’ (ESV) We are more familiar with the King James Version rendering of Agrippa’s response: “Amost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Song writer Phillip Paul Bliss heard evangelist Rev. Brundage preaching a sermon on the text in 1871. The preacher ended with this haunting thought: “He who is almost persuaded is almost saved; and to be almost saved is to be eternally lost.” With that thought clearly in his mind, the gospel song writer penned the words of “Almost Persuaded” and also wrote the music for his words. Perhaps you recall the words:

“Almost persuaded” now to believe,
“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive.
Seems now some soul will say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way;
Some more convenient day
On Thee I’ll call.

Paul the Apostle answered King Agrippa’s response by an invitation, saying that he wished King Agrippa and all who heard the apostle that day would be as he—a Christian.

The third use of the word Christian was by Peter in his general letter to the churches. Persecution was rampant in the period of the early church. Peter strongly urged that any who must suffer for the gospel count it as to the glory of God. In many periods of history from then until now, Christians have suffered for their faith. Whatever comes of hardship and suffering, we are to endure with the full assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We bear His name. We are Christians.