What's in a Title?

And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
~Acts 11:25-26

A title can tell you a lot about a person. It can tell you their gender whether they are "Mr." or "Ms." It can reveal a lady's marital status pending on whether she is a "Ms." or "Mrs." It might tell you someone's job or qualifications for a job whether they are a "D.D.S.," "Ph. D.," or "RN." Nicknames may reveal certain characteristics of individuals or embarrassing moments they will never be able to forget. For instance, I have been known by several nicknames which all have a unique meaning in relationship to something about me. I have been called "General" (a reference to General Robert E. Lee), "Destructo" (a name I "earned" at Wal-Mart for my tendency to drop and bust things like yogurt as well as knocking over beer), "SpaZZ" (a name resulting from a reaction I had when a bee decided to land on my arm), "Preach" or "Preacher" (reason not needing an explanation) "Obadiah" (due to my so-called "Amish look") and "Levi" and "PaulLee" (both a play on my name). A title can also provide a clue to one's theology through whether one classifies himself or herself as a "Methodist," "Baptist," "Brethren," "Lutheran," "Calvinist," "Reformed," "Dispensationalist," or "insert other denomination or theological school here."

I struggled during college with what title or titles to hold. I entered college calling myself "Brethren" identifying with my denomination. However, when my professors who also called themselves "Brethren" taught against everything that I had come to know through the teachings at my church and on my own I was reluctant to continue to use the title. (This is why I tell everyone that I "serve in the Church of the Brethren" but will not identify myself as belonging to it by claiming to be "Brethren"). But when these professors did describe the positions that I held, they dismissed them as belonging to the "Evangelical" group. So I thought that I must be an "Evangelical" and not a "Brethren" then. This also led me to feel comfortable possibly being called a "Fundamentalist" depending on the definition of the term. After all, I do affirm the historic "Five Fundamentals" which started the movement and coined the title. Upon an intense study of the book of Romans three summers ago the Lord opened my eyes to see His sovereignty in salvation. This led me to classify myself as a "Calvinist". However, it did not take me too long to realize that several people have come to understand this label differently and many of my positions and understandings of God's Word became misinterpreted and skewed so the label had to go in order for people to not get the wrong idea of what I believed. Then I started reading wonderful godly men such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John MacArthur, John Piper, RC Sproul, and Charles Spurgeon and found much of what they were saying to be in accord with Scripture. Since all of these men are identified as part of the "Reformed" group I began to openly call myself "Reformed." However, further study of many of these men's views (with the exception of MacArthur), I struggled with their claim that the Church is the "New Israel" and that all of the OT prophecies were spiritually fulfilled in them. This led me to read some dispensationalists and adopt that title, until I could not agree with "seven dispensations" and seemed to struggle with many of the soteriological (study of salvation) views of these theologians. It seemed that every theological title which I tried to hold was lacking because my study of God's Word would not put me into a certain "camp" or "group" because my views were a mixture of all of them. I finally realized that I did not need to align myself with any of these titles because I had a far greater one: "Christian."

The early church did not have several titles to distinguish themselves from others. They referred to themselves as "The Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22) indicating that they proclaimed the true and only way of salvation (Acts 16:17) which was Jesus Christ. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). The title of "Christian" was first given to them in Antioch. Prior to this title, the group had referred to themselves as "saints" and "believers." While those who gave the believers this label probably meant it as derogatory, the name became fitting for this group and one in which they adopted (I Peter 4:16). Unfortunately, I believe that many of us take this title for granted and fail to recognize the full weight of its significance.

The English word, "Christian," comes from the Greek word "Christanos" which means "belonging to Christ". This title reminds us of whose we are. For those who are in Christ, we have been bought by the blood of Christ (I Corinthians 6:20). Christ died for us so that we would be able to live for Him. and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf (2 Corinthians 5:15). Many of us though do not live like we belong to Christ but as though we belong to the world. Scripture is clear that we cannot have divided allegiances (Matthew 6:24; James 4:4-5). A question we need to ask ourselves is: "Do our lives reflect our title?" "Are we living as if we belong to Christ or as if we belong to the world?" Does this title fit us as well as it did for the early church?

The title is also one of the biggest reminders of God's grace. We do not deserve to belong to Christ. There is nothing in us good that would merit His favor. In fact, He purchased us on the cross while we were still sinners when we hated Him (Romans 5:8). None of those who received this title during that time in Antioch deserved to be said to belong to Christ. In fact, Saul (Paul) was in the group and he at one time persecuted Christ by attempting to destroy His body, the Church. Now He could be called by this title since the Lord had worked in His heart and brought him to repentance and to place his faith in Christ.

Notice what the title does not mean. It does not mean anyone who is a member of a local church. It does not mean anyone who is an American or lives in the West. It does not mean anyone who merely believes the teachings of Christ and attempts to live them out. It is someone who belongs to Christ. One who has been brought into a relationship with the Son of God.

For those of you who are born again and "partakers" of Christ (Hebrews 3:14) and can genuinely carry this title, may it bring encouragement to you that you belong to Him, convict you to how you should be living, and remind you of the grace which God has lovingly shown to all of those who come to Him. For those who are not, the message of Scripture is clear. You must repent of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, earnestly believing in your heart that He died for man's sins and physically rose again, trusting only in Him for your salvation. Only in being brought into a relationship with Him are you able to truly carry such a title.

In Christ,
Lee Smith
Soli Deo Gloria