Only 3 times in the Bible is the word Christian mentioned. See the verses below.
Many, many years after God’s Son died some people in Turkey in the city of Antioch started calling the people of THE WAY by the name Christians. This was a few decades after Messiah died and rose again.
Christians means Christ LIKE or just like Christ. The Apostle Paul told them to be Christ’s IMAGE or exactly like Christ.
The word Christ was a Greek word and not used in Israel where the Hebrew word Messiah was used. It is merely a language difference established by YHVH God the Father, at the Tower of Babel. Messiah means the Anointed Word of God the Father.
What were disciples/followers of God’s Son called before they were called Christians? See Acts 9:1-2 THE WAY.
Now, if we do a search of the Bible for “THE WAY” then we get 326 results:
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=%22THE+WAY%22&qs_version=NKJV&limit=500
I have posted a few of those at the bottom.
It should be noted that disciples of Christ never called themselves Christians, in the Bible. They never said “we are Christians”. They also never said they were Messianics. They always referred to themselves as followers of THE WAY.
See how Paul refers to himself:
Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to THE WAY which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in THE LAW and in the Prophets.
I think calling oneself a Christian is a good thing if you know what a Christian IS!
You are like Christ if you honor your father and mother to the glory of YHVH God the Father, just like His Son did.
You are like Christ if you do not steal, murder, or commit adultery, to the glory of YHVH God the Father, just like His Son did.
You are like Christ if you remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy, to the glory of God the Father, just like His Son did.
You are like Christ if you do not bear false witness, to the glory of God the Father, just like His Son did.
You are like Christ if you do not covet/lust after anything of your neighbor’s, to the glory of God the Father, just like His Son did.
You are like Christ if you keep God the Father’s Feast Days, to the glory of YHVH God the Father, just like His Son did.
Remember, Paul said this:
1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
In all that you do, do everything you do to the glory of YHVH God the Father.
And definitely remember and do what Peter said:
1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the Oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Remember, to be Christ LIKE you have to be in and living by the Oracles of YHVH God the Father.
Shalom!
Scriptures.
Christian:
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, 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 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
Acts 9:1-2 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Master, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of THE WAY, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
THE WAY:
Genesis 24:27 And he said, “Blessed be YHVH God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on THE WAY, YHVH led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Exodus 13:21 And YHVH went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead THE WAY, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
Exodus 18:20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them THE WAY in which they must walk and the work they must do.
Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by THE WAY, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Deuteronomy 31:29 For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from THE WAY which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of YHVH, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.”
Judges 2:17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from THE WAY in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of YHVH; they did not do so.
Psalm 1:6 For YHVH knows THE WAY of the righteous,
But THE WAY of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is YHVH;
Therefore He teaches sinners in THE WAY.
Psalm 119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in THE WAY,
Who walk in the law of YHVH!
Psalm 119:14 I have rejoiced in THE WAY of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
Psalm 119:27 Make me understand THE WAY of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
Psalm 119:30 I have chosen THE WAY of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
Psalm 119:33 Teach me, O YHVH, THE WAY of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
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