“…And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26b
When I found this title online and clicked the link to read the article, I found just nine words forming an acrostic. The acrostic is compelling as it was, but I decided to flesh out the characteristics derived from the letters to encourage us all strive to let our lives spell out our God-given name.
Consecrated: Though rarely encountered in conversation, this term is central to our name. Christian implies being derived from, belonging to, and living in imitation of the Christ. When we consider that we were once His foreign adversaries living in the sinful ways of the world (Romans 5:6-11; Ephesians 2:11-22; James 4:4; etc.), the concept of consecration is pivotal. It means to be purified, cleansed, and set apart for a holy purpose. Such is the new nature granted to Christians (John 17:17).
Holy: Embedded in our changed station is a changed manner of life. Paul pleaded with the Thessalonians to steadily increase their adherence to God’s commandments (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8). God’s will for them was simple, their consecration (vs. 3). What follows defines the consecrated life in broad terms. The consecrated one must “possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (vs. 4). This is done by rejecting uncleanness and embracing holiness (vv. 5-8). This language is consistent throughout the Bible (cf. Exodus 19:-6; Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14-15; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 2:9-11).
Responsible: Fallen humanity’s default tendency is to blame others and justify ourselves (Genesis 3:12, 13). The Christian way is the way of owning and correcting our errors. We must examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith and honoring His expectations (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Corinthians 11:28; Galatians 6:3-5). We will give an account for our deeds, so we must take responsibility for them now (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 4:12-13).
Influential: Christians are to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and a city set on a hill (Matthew 5:13-16). The elements named above occur in a context of influencing the world around us, so we must never forget the outward focus of a consecrated, holy, responsible manner of life (Romans 2:23-24; Philippians 2:14-16; Titus 2:8; 1 Peter 2:11-12; 3:15-16).
Serving: Every element of Christianity comes back to service. Jesus left the disciples an example of servitude by washing their feet in John 13. So central is this attitude that Jesus framed the servant as the greatest in the kingdom (Matthew 20:24-28).
Thoughtful: How can we serve others without considering their needs? It is so easy to focus on our own wants and needs to the neglect of our neighbors, but we must imitate Christ in considering the needs of others (Romans 12:10-13; 14:19; Galatians 6:1-2, 10; Philippians 2:3-4).
Inspiring: In addition to influencing the world around us, we must also “…consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…” (Hebrews 10:24). This bleeds into every step we take. We must be mindful of one another’s needs to inspire greater faithfulness.
Allegiant: With so many elements competing for our affections, we must give our full allegiance to the Lord. There is no room for compromise or attempts to dabble in the things of the world (Matthew 4:10; 6:24; Romans 6:16-22). We must echo Peter’s reply when Jesus asked if they would leave Him too: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:69).
Neighborly: This is more than sending over a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. We must be good Samaritan sort of neighbors (Luke 10:25-37), willing to sacrifice our own security, wealth, time, energy, etc. to care for those in need. This is the outworking of the principles above.
As we ponder what it means to be a Christian, this reminds me again of the folly of our critics who claim Christianity is a crutch for the weak. If our lives are to truly spell out our God-given name, we must be fully dedicated to the cause of our namesake. What does your life spell?