WHAT'S IN A NAME?

There seems to be a new virus circulating around prosperity/word-faith institutions these days. It seems that the denizens of deficient doctrine no longer want to be called "Christians". As it was explained to me, this is so because the followers of Jesus Christ were first called "Christians" derogatorily by the unbelievers in Antioch. "And when he (Barnabas) had found him (Saul/Paul), he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called 'Christians' in Antioch", Acts 11:26(NKJV). As someone very close to me explained,"sons, citizens, friends, ambassadors would be okay . . . not a title thrust upon a group of folk by heathens".

So let me get this straight . . . because the heathen called you "followers of Christ"(which is what "Christians" means)you don't want to be known as "followers of Christ"?! I am severely tempted to make a very sardonic statement here, but I am going to resist. Just when I thought that I could not be amazed anymore by anything those who sit in these churches would swallow, I am slack-jawed again. A supposed preacher of God's infallible Word stands in front of a congregation of people (many of which have been honored by the title "Christian" for years), tells them that to be called a "Christian" a follower of the LORD Jesus Christ is an insult because the heathen came up with it . . . AND THEY APPLAUD IT !!!! This can only mean that: pigs can fly, a snowball can make it in hell and a one-legged man does stand a chance in a butt-kickin' contest!!!

I have said it time and time again that I'm not all that surprised by what these false teachers will say. What befuddles me is what their listeners will believe. Somewhere among these thousands of deceived people, I have to believe there was one person who went to his Strong's concordance, his Bible dictionary or even to his Webster's dictionary and looked up the word "Christian". Somewhere, one conscientious person went to the Scriptures and studied how the word, "Christian" is used in the Holy Writ. Some student of God's Word observed that the Apostle Peter used it positively and that none of the writers ever denounced it. Someone had to notice that it was only their guru who differed from all the fathers of this faith who embraced the term. What possible stain could be left on the word because it first fell from the lips of someone who did not believe in its root word? If a heathen called you "rich" would you reject that title? No, you'd say, "I receive that!"

I'm sure that I will receive vehement denials and harsh castigation for the following statement, but I believe it is true. This denial of the name that 2000 years of Christian (that's right, CHRISTIAN) history has venerated is the first step toward eliminating the name of Jesus altogether from the vocabulary and ultimately the theology of these prosperity/word-faith institutions. Time will tell. My plea to those of you to whom the Holy Spirit is making it clear that you are sitting under an apostate ministry is: FLEE! Please FLEE! Remember Lot's wife! Remember Joseph! Remember the Alamo!

In my book it is a privilege to be called a "Christian", no matter who came up with the word. What others may have meant for evil against us "God meant it for good . . ." (Genesis 50:20). "Sons"? "Citizens"? "Friends"? . . ."Tares"? Oops, the devil made me do it!



Keith
B.L.B.B!
(Be Like the Bereans Baby!!!)