David Bahn – Reflections

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Acts 11:19-30

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. ²² The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, ²⁴ for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. ²⁵ So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

²⁷ Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). ²⁹ So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. ³⁰ And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Maybe I’ve blocked it from my memory, but I don’t recall ever being called a name – as in a put-down, cruel appellation, or derisive dismissal. I do recall having been asked by my first grade teacher (who was also my Sunday School teacher, “Have you become a Christian, David?”

She didn’t mean by Christian what I believe it to mean today. She was asking if I had accepted Jesus into my heart, and been baptized. While that’s not a bad description of a Christian, I like Martin Luther’s understanding of what a Christian is. Luther’s core theology is summarized by five solas (“alones”): Faith Alone, Christ Alone, Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, and Glory to God Alone. Therefore a Christian in his view is one who has faith in Jesus, recognizes the depths of God’s grace, and while justified before God, is still – at the same time – a sinner, never outgrowing the need for forgiveness.

Interestingly, the term Lutheran is a derogatory term. It was given to those who aligned themselves with Martin Luther’s teachings (the five solas), and stood against the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church of their day. “Those Lutherans,” you can almost hear them say, “will do anything to spite the Pope and destroy the Church.” Such was not Luther’s desire. He didn’t even want those who stood with him to be called Lutherans.

The disciples in Antioch were first called Christians. The term Christian may hold the same place of dishonor in the minds of many today. Those Christians are a bunch of judgmental hypocrites. They are inflexible on social issues, resistant to scientific consensus, and religiously exclusive. Rather than trying to disprove those accusations here, I find it important to embody the qualities of Christ to whatever extent I am able. I’ll never do it perfectly, but if I can be gracious and truthful, merciful and faithful, good and humble, that may help at least one person gain a better understanding of what a Christian truly is: a sinner who has been saved by Grace through faith, loves God because of his great love, and desire his honor and glory alone.