* ALL Questions about the Christian Life *

[Patriot]

What is the meaning of the term Christian?​

Answer

The followers of Jesus Christ were first referred to as “Christians” by the Gentiles of Syrian Antioch, and the name was more than likely meant as an insult (see Acts 11:26).

In the New Testament, believers never refer to themselves as “Christians”; rather, they use such terms as brethren (Acts 15:1; 1 Corinthians 16:20, NAS), disciples (Acts 11:26; 14:24, NKJV), and saints (Acts 9:13; 2 Corinthians 13:13, ESV). Before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus sought out those “who belonged to the Way” (Acts 9:2), indicating that an early label for Christians could have been “people of the Way” (see also Acts 19:9; 24:22).

Believers in Christ came to be called “Christians” during a time of rapid expansion in the church. Persecution had forced many believers from Jerusalem, and they scattered to various areas, taking the gospel with them. The evangelism was at first limited to Jewish populations. That changed when “men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:20–21). Barnabas was there in Antioch, as was the newly converted Saul, and they were both teaching in the church. “And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26, BLB).

At the time that believers got the appellation Christians, it was common for the Greeks to give satirical nicknames to particular groups. So those loyal to the Roman General Pompey were dubbed “Pompeians,” and the followers of General Sulla were called “Sullanians.” Those who publicly and enthusiastically praised the emperor Nero Augustus received the name Augustinians, meaning “of the party of Augustus.” To the Greeks, it was all a fun word game and a verbally dismissive gesture. Then a new group cropped up in Antioch; since they were characterized by behavior and speech centered on Christ, the Greeks called them “Christians,” or “those of the party of Christ.”

In the first decades after the resurrection, the word Christ meant little to the general population. In fact, some ancient sources refer to believers as “Chrestians” and relate that their key figure was “Chrestus,” reflecting limited knowledge of the actual faith. This makes it seem even more likely that the word Christian was cobbled together by those who were not involved in Christianity themselves.

Non-believing Jews of that day would not have referred to believers as “Christians,” since Christ means “Messiah” and refers to the Son of David. Christ was exactly what they did not believe Jesus to be; such a term would not have been used by Jews until it became an established, stand-alone word. In the book of Acts, we see the unbelieving Jews referring to Christians as those “of the Nazarene sect” (Acts 24:5)—Nazareth being a city of low repute in the minds of most Israelites (see John 1:46).

Both the Bible and history suggest that the term Christian was probably meant as a mocking insult when it was first coined. Peter actually tells his readers not to be “ashamed” if they are called by that term (1 Peter 4:16). Likewise, when Herod Agrippa rejects Paul’s appeal to be saved, he says, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” and he was probably playing off of the negative reputation of that term (Acts 26:28). Why would he, a king, submit to the indignity of being called a “Christian”?

For Further Study​

The Quest Study Bible

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[Patriot]

Does God reward us for being obedient to His Word?​

Answer

There is a saying: “Good is its own reward.” But we may also wonder whether God rewards us in other ways if we obey His Word. Does being good earn us additional blessings and benefits aside from the pleasant feeling? This question can have two answers, so we’ll look at both of them.

First of all, God’s pleasure at obedience is documented over and over in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament (Psalm 91:14–15; Isaiah 58:13–14). God’s covenant with Israel at Sinai was very much conditional, as it was based on their obedience, and His promises to bless them depended on whether or not they kept His commands (Leviticus 3). The Old Testament records the consequences Israel experienced when they kept or broke the covenant (Deuteronomy 8:19–20; Daniel 9:11–12). When Israel obeyed, God prospered them (Exodus 15:26). When they defied Him, He brought judgment (2 Kings 24:2–3). During that time in human history, God offered tangible rewards for obedience to His commands.

By the time Jesus came to earth, the leaders of Israel had added to God’s law and turned it into a religious system without the relationship. They believed themselves righteous because they followed the system of rules they had set up. They assured themselves that they were God’s favorites because they were descendants of Abraham and because they were so religious.

However, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of the day, saying, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:7–9). The Pharisees were obedient to the letter of the law in some respects, but they nullified other parts of the law by their own traditions. They were rebuked because whatever show of obedience they had was motivated by self-righteousness, not love for God. Those who were promised rewards for obedience were rebuked many times because their obedience was not from the heart and was incomplete (Isaiah 29:13; Malachi 2:13–17; 3:8–15; Matthew 23:15–28).

So, what about now? Does God reward us for being obedient to His Word? We can better answer this question by recognizing that God’s Word is the instruction manual for our lives. When we apply its principles, our consciences are clean and our lives function as they were designed to function. Consider it this way: a man purchases an unassembled swing set for his children. He is not the engineering type and has no experience in working with tools. But if he reads the manual and consults with people who have assembled such things before, he will be able to set up the swing set the way it was designed, and he and his children will be greatly rewarded for his trouble. If he ignores the owner’s manual, however, he’s courting frustration and possibly disaster. There are built-in rewards for simply following instructions.

Psalm 1:1–4 explains it this way: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.” When we follow the way of wisdom, we reap better experiences, and those better experiences produce rewards such as material provision, relational benefits, and mental and emotional health. Those are God’s rewards for people who follow His instruction.

God’s reward to those who obey His Word can seem like natural consequences. For example, a child obeys God’s Word and honors his parents. He finds that he is blessed with closer familial relationships, less conflict, and more trust. Are these the direct blessings of God for obedience or the natural consequences of treating parents well—or both? Another example: a teenager obeys God’s Word and avoids sexual immorality. She finds that she is blessed with less complicated romantic relationships, fewer heartaches, and an absence of STDs. Is she experiencing the direct blessing from God for obedience or the logical outcome of choosing the path of abstinence—or both?

God does not always define reward the same way we do. When we think of God rewarding us for behaving well, we usually think of tangible, material goodies. But God has eternity in mind. The Bible and ensuing history are filled with examples of people who obeyed the Lord at great cost to themselves. Scripture’s godly men and women often did not appear to reap any earthly rewards for their obedience, yet many are listed in the Hall of Faith as people whose rewards are in heaven. Hebrews 11:39–40 summarizes: “All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.”

Obedience to the Word includes obedience to the gospel, and that carries great reward. When we accept God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, we are pronounced righteous in His sight (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13). There is no longer any condemnation waiting for us because, in His grace, God considered the sacrifice of His Son as sufficient payment for the great debt we owed Him (Romans 8:1; Ephesians 2:8–9; Colossians 2:14). As part of that salvation, we are promised an eternity in glory with Him.

None of salvation’s benefits are a reward for our performance. Forgiveness and heaven are gifts granted to us because of God’s great love. The most unworthy criminal who cries out in repentance on his deathbed will receive the same pardon and eternity in heaven as the missionary martyred on the mission field (Luke 23:39–43; Matthew 20:1–16). However, Jesus does promise many different kinds of rewards in heaven for every deed done in His name on earth (Mark 9:41; James 1:12; Revelation 22:12). When we walk in fellowship with Him, keeping our sins confessed and our lives free of besetting sins, we are rewarded daily with fruit from the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), communion with God (James 4:7–8), and power to resist the attacks of Satan (Ephesians 6:10–17). Whatever struggles we face on earth in order to obey God’s Word will be overly compensated in eternity with rewards we cannot even imagine (Romans 8:18).

For Further Study​

Your Eternal Reward: Triumph & Tears at the Judgment Seat of Christ by Erwin Lutzer

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[Patriot]

How should Christians respond when people use God’s name as a curse word?​

Answer

It is a clear violation of the third commandment to use God’s name in a vain and meaningless way (Exodus 20:7). It’s a sin. With that in mind, the profane use of God’s name should be treated like any other sin. Using God’s name as a curse word shows a heart that doesn’t have a proper fear of God, but it is not any worse than other sins.

It’s all too common today to hear people using God’s or Jesus’ name as a curse word in television shows and movies. The response of a Christian when that happens might be as simple as turning off the television set or finding something different to watch. Other situations, such as when a co-worker uses profanity, require a different approach.

First, when a friend or co-worker is using God’s name as a curse word, we should understand the nature of the problem. Profanity is not the root problem; it is the symptom of a deeper heart issue. If people know and fear God, they will have respect for God’s name. The need is for spiritual transformation in Christ, and that is what we should be pointing people toward.

When we hear people using God’s name in vain, it should be an occasion for us to pray silently for them. As we have opportunity, we can explain to them how it hurts us to hear our Lord’s name profaned. In our conversation, we don’t demand that people cease from cussing, but we do ask, as a favor, that they refrain.

There should be a standard we hold believers to that is different from our standard for unbelievers (see 1 Corinthians 5:12–13). We shouldn’t expect non-Christians to be living up to God’s standards, and it shouldn’t surprise us when they sin. We do have a responsibility to be a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14). This doesn’t mean that every time people say, “Oh, my God,” we tell them they’re sinners. It does mean we look for appropriate opportunities to speak with them about their heart condition, their enslavement to sin, and how Jesus can save them (see 2 Timothy 4:2).

Often, when people around us know that we are Christians, they will be more careful in their speech. Some who normally use God’s name as a curse word may even catch themselves and apologize when they do let a word slip. This is an example of believers being salt in the world (see Matthew 5:13), and it may lead to deeper conversations about the reasons why they should not profane the name of God or Jesus.

Those who are called by God and are born again by the power of Christ are held to a different standard. They ought to know better than to use God’s name as a curse word. They should be expected to uphold God’s standards in their speech (Ephesians 4:29). Yet even when believers are using God’s name in vain, we are called to rebuke in a spirit of gentleness, and we should be quick to forgive (Luke 17:3, Galatians 6:1).

When we hear someone using God’s name as a curse word, our response should be rooted in meekness and fear, not pride. Someone who has better control of his mouth might think, “She is breaking a rule that I would never break!” or “He should be more like me and respect God’s name.” Such responses head dangerously in the direction of legalism. When we think our standing before God is based on our ability to keep rules, we lose sight of grace. We are all equally in need of God’s mercy, and we are all equally recipients of God’s grace.

For Further Study​

The ESV Study Bible

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[Patriot]

How should Christians respond to claims of a recent convert?​

Answer

Claims that one has converted to Christianity are almost always met with doubt from the non-Christian world. Sometimes, there is also skepticism from the Christian world. There are reasons for this skepticism, both good and bad. When the supposed convert is someone with a high profile, the scrutiny is amplified. Kanye West—who as of this writing, has indicated his conversion and begun promoting Christian music—is a recent example.

The book of Acts presents two “test cases” we should keep in mind when hearing news about someone’s purported salvation. Paul was an active enemy of the faith until his conversion (Acts 9:1–6), resulting in skepticism among believers (Acts 9:21, 26). Eventually, Paul’s actions proved his faith (2 Corinthians 11:23–30). Apollos was eloquent and passionate but imperfect in his doctrine, until more experienced believers gave him supportive guidance (Acts 18:24–28).

As believers, we are wise to be cautiously skeptical about spiritual claims (1 John 4:1). We ought to gauge what other people say and do against the Bible (1 Corinthians 4:6; Acts 17:11). At the same time, we’re not to be unfair or unkind, especially to those who are less spiritually mature (1 Peter 3:15–16). Christians are also not in any position to say, for certain, what is happening between another person and God (1 Samuel 16:7).

In short, the proper response to anyone’s supposed conversion is to say, “Praise God, and let’s hope it’s real!” So long as their words and actions represent someone sincerely seeking Christ, we ought to treat their claims with a charitable spirit. That does not mean pointing out every possible flaw or misstep as a sign of a false convert. Neither does it mean ignoring or brushing aside unbiblical statements or actions.

A cautious approach to claims of conversion is supported by clear principles laid out in the Bible:

• Coming to saving faith in Christ is inherently simple. A person doesn’t need to be an expert in theology to be saved (Luke 18:16). Salvation is possible for anyone, no matter how “unlikely” of a candidate he or she may be (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

• A recent convert should not be thrust into a leadership role. First Timothy 3:6 explicitly warns against this: “He [a church leader] must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.” A person being successful in life and/or in a leadership position before becoming a Christian does not qualify him/her for leadership in the Body of Christ. Spiritual growth and maturity take time.

• When a person claims to be a new convert, he needs discipleship and support (Acts 18:24–26). New believers don’t need nitpicky criticism or cynical dismissal (1 Thessalonians 2:11; 2 Timothy 2:24–25).

• Those young in the faith might say or support things that more mature believers would reject. This makes them spiritually immature—it does not automatically mean they are lost (Hebrews 5:14).

• False conversions are a real thing, so being hopeful and supportive does not mean being naïve (Matthew 7:21–23).

• Over time, a convert’s words, attitudes, and actions will either reflect saving faith, or they won’t (John 13:34–35; 14:15; 1 John 2:19). “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:20).

• As believers, we should celebrate positive attitudes toward Christ, even if it turns out the person expressing them has less-than-perfect motives (Philippians 1:15–18).

• Above all, Christians need to remember our calling to judge with right judgment (John 7:24). That starts by recognizing that only God knows exactly what happens in another person’s heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Whether or not someone is “truly saved” is not something we or anyone else can answer with certainty. Time will tell whether Kanye West’s claimed commitment to Christ is lasting or temporary. Time will tell whether a person’s claimed faith is secure and real or shallow and artificial. In that sense, Kanye West is no different than any other person who has ever lived. If he examines his own life, he will have the opportunity to see if he is truly “in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Until or unless West turns against the faith or stubbornly endorses heresy, Christians should offer measured support. Our response to those who newly claim the name of Christ ought to be along the lines of “that’s wonderful, let’s learn and grow together,” not some version of “yeah, right.”

For Further Study​

The New Christian’s Handbook: Everything Believers Need to Know by Max Anders

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