Acts 11:22-26
Citizens of a nation are called by the
names of their nation. Nigerians are citizens of Nigeria, Americans of America,
British of Britain, Togolese of Togo, etc. The people of a particular country
can be identified with certain characteristics prevalent in them such as
colour, culture, language, occupation, etc,. Also, within families (immediate
and extended), members can be referred to by the names of their families such
as the Philips, Owolabis, Okories, Musas, etc,. You find resemblance amongst
those members - physical, characters/habits, career/occupation, etc,.
Christians, therefore, are named after Christ and must definitely have marks or
characteristics found in Him that are prevalent in His members (the
Christians). What are those likely marks that were seen in the disciples which
must necessarily be in today’s disciples that set them apart and got them that
tag ‘Christians’.
The Indispensable Early Marks That Needs
Be.
For anyone to possess and manifest any of
the qualities and virtues in the Lord Jesus Christ, he must first have the
Spirit of Christ in him (Rom. 8:9). This happens at salvation when a sinner on
realizing the purpose of the death and resurrection of Christ for him, totally
submits to it, confessing all sin from a broken heart and consciously accepts
Jesus into his life (Tit. 2:14; 1Tim. 2:5-6; Gal. 1:3-4; Eph. 1:13; 2Cor. 5:5).
This is the first step, after which the saved youth surrenders his whole spirit
to the next operation of letting the Holy Ghost deal and destroy whatever
nature of sin that remained which could revive interest again in things he has
given up. Jesus hated iniquity, had dominion and victory over it and loved
righteousness (Heb. 1:9; Matt. 4:1-11). For the child of God, bearing the name
of the Saviour to tread this path as commanded (Rom. 6:11-14), he must also be
able to withstand and quench all the fiery darts (including those that are
technologically induced) and overcome compromising influences from ‘friends’,
‘peers’, ‘so-called Christians’ and from the pits of hell. This has to be by
the power of the Holy Ghost that comes into the saved and sanctified child of
God (Heb. 1:9; cons. Jn. 3:34; Act. 4:16-21, 31; 3:37-39; Eph. 5:18). The
beauty of Jesus will radiate more and more as this child of God learns more
about the Lord Jesus through these experiences and greater
commitment/consecration to His service, prayer and the word (Rom. 8:4-6; Gal.
2:20; 5:16-18; Phil. 1:21). The Spirit of God in him naturally manifests His
fruits in that individual (Gal. 5:22-25). These are sweet experiences for him.
The same were in Jesus and made it easy for Him to obey the Father, living to
please him, loving him, showing kindness, mercy and compassion, praying through
the night, eating the word, sacrificing his life, etc,. This is the mind all
must possess (Phil. 2:5) and the effects are those examples representing the
steps and path left for the believer to walk in and tread (1Pet. 1:21). At this
point, any youth having these testimonies can begin to say "he that
hath seen me hath seen ....." (cons.
Jn. 14:8-9). He has become a Christian.