What’s in a name, Christian?

And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (Acts 11:26c).
So, what’s in a name?

We are Christians because we belong to Christ and therefore we are named after him. We are members of his party. We are his followers. We love the Lord Jesus Christ. So, we are called Christians. We are called Christians because we are called to take after Christ, to show his character and to make him known by the words we speak and the lives we live.

Who is Christ? He has many names in Scripture. And all these names reflect his character, his nature and his calling.

In Isaiah 9: 6 it says of the Messiah (Hebrew for Christ) that "His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." The names of our Lord, the Christ of God, abound in Scripture.
He is called the Second Adam, the Alpha and Omega, the Ancient of Days, the Amen, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, the Blessed and Only Emperor, the Captain of our Salvation, the Chief Shepherd, the Cornerstone. He is the Dayspring, the Desire of the Nations, the Faithful Witness, the First and the Last. He is our Great High Priest, the Holy One of God. He is the Great I Am, the Judge of Israel, the King of the Jews, the King of Saints, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Lord of Glory and he is the Light of the World. He is the Messiah, the Mediator between God and Man, the Man of sorrows, yet, the Mighty God. He is the Prince of Peace, the Resurrection and the Life, the Rock of our Salvation, the Root of David, the Saviour of the World. He is the Great Shepherd, the Son of Righteousness, the Son of man, and the Son of God. He is the True Vine, the Truth, the Witness, and the Word of God. He is the Lamb of God, and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
This is who Christ is. What’s in a name? There is much in a name. These names in the Scriptures were symbolic. It spoke about the character, nature and calling of Christ.

And the name “Christian” speaks of the character and calling of his followers!

Might the Lord by revealing all of this, be saying to us, "Christian, change your life or change your name?"