When my wife and I named our first baby, we drew from a well of various family names. We limited ourselves to family names not just because we liked the way they sounded, but also because they had a deeper significance and meaning to us. As we think of names for future children, we consider names that not only sound good but mean something good as well. Some names sound strong, some sound pretty, some sound old-fashioned, and others sound biblical. Parents tend to choose names that fit the person they want their child to grow up to be.
Nicknames are the same way, except that they are earned. Whether it is because of something they did or look like or act like, we sometimes assign labels to them based on a major characteristic.
Names convey meaning for groups as well as individuals. Consider the early church. One of the names the early church gave itself was “the followers of the Way” (Acts 9:2). This summed up who they viewed they were: followers of the one true Way (Jesus Christ).
But the church also had a few nicknames. “Christian” is the one that stuck: “…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 11:26).
Throughout history, different groups of Christians had different labels, often given to them by other people as derogatory names. The Puritans were so called because of their carefulness to live holy lives, as well as their desire to purify the then-straying church from within. “Puritanical” is still used today as a negative term. The Separatists were identified as those who, instead of purifying the sick church, wanted to separate themselves and leave it. In America, we know the Separatists as the Pilgrims who came to Massachusetts. The Methodists earned their name early on for their methodical approach to biblical disciplines, the Baptists for their interpretation of biblical baptism, and so on.
Unfortunately, the name “Christian” has lost much of its meaning over the years. Now we have to use terms such as “cultural Christian,” “born-again Christian,” and “practicing Christian” to clarify what we mean. There are even some hate-filled groups who adopt the name “Christian” and further confuse the matter. The only way the world can see whether or not someone is a follower of Christ is by examining their lives.
Here is my challenge to you: If someone were to label your worldview or religion based on how you appeared or how you lived your life, what would that label be? Would you be an “entertainment-ist?” A “complain-ist?” A “self-ist?” Or would Jesus Christ be so clearly visible in your life that He becomes the label?
Or to put another spin on it, if you could choose a label or nickname for your religion, what would it be? And what do you think it would take for you to earn that label?
