My wife and I named our middle daughter ‘Evangeline,’ hoping that she will embody that name’s meaning: a bearer of the good news of Jesus. We’re certainly not alone in this convention — it’s common to give and be given names with the intent that they become reflections of who we are and how we live.
Our culture certainly doesn’t have a corner market on this concept. Consider how the names of God—Yahweh, the self-existent ‘I am;’ El Elyon, God Most High; Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide; for example — each reflect some truth of who he is. They declare his character and identity.
This also extends beyond formal names. The title “Christian” has become so common that we can disassociate it with its meaning. But for those in Antioch to whom the title was first applied, it likely bore great weight. “Christian” means “belonging to Christ,” “follower of Christ,” or even “little Christ” — definitive association with Jesus, even an identity as one who’s life reflects his. A badge of honor, to be sure.
Yet the word “Christian” appears only three times in Scripture. What the members of the early church were most commonly called gives a powerful glimpse into our identity in Jesus:
- Disciples: used throughout Acts as a title for all believers, it means ‘learner’ — we are not passive followers but active learners of Jesus’s ways.
- Saints: pure and holy ones; in the Bible this refers to all believers. It’s not reserved for a select few. Jesus definitively sets us apart as holy.
- Brothers: encompasses both men and women, an indicator of our familial bond through our common adoption by God.
These names define who we are, and are bestowed on us by grace. What might it look like to more fully embrace and live out these permanent, irrevocable identities?
Lord, thank you for the wonderful new identity you give through Jesus. You call me a pure and holy saint, a reflection of Jesus, a learner of him, a child in your family. These are priceless treasures. Help me to grow in putting these truths of who I am into practice through my choices and actions. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Throughout This Day: Continue meditating on the different names and descriptions given to the first Christians.
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