A CHRISTIAN

^[p. 471] A CHRISTIAN

Acts 11:22; Acts 11:30; Acts 12:5; Acts 12:20; Acts 12:24

I have in my mind to speak about the word christian. It appears first in Acts 11 in connection with Saul. In Acts 13 it is said of him that he is Paul, not simply, that he called Paul; he was called that, but the comment of the Spirit is, that he was that. He had been greatly reduced, made very little, as the name indicates.

The overpoweringness of grace is wonderful, for grace is on the throne! There is nothing else on the throne today. The Lord knew Saul and He would have him as a chosen vessel for His service. Saul had stood and held the clothes of those that stoned Stephen. It was a deliberate act. How the Lord watched him in the slaying of the Lord’s lover and follower. He says to Saul, “why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”. The Lord had noted that his conscience had been touched. The Lord had devised a way to reach him and His way cannot be improved upon. His way was by grace. “Grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Ananias goes and finds him and calls him ‘Brother’, and says, “the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost”. Saul was to be filled. Stephen was filled, and Saul was to be a counterpart of the martyr. This young man was introduced to the saints by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Wonderful for the Lord to introduce His converts to the saints, and to a place among them! This was the beginning of Saul’s history as a christian, and he was with the disciples before he said anything about Christ. He was in fellowship with them, and then he goes to the synagogue and announces boldly that Jesus is the Son of God. Now he is to be disciplined. That is important ^[p. 472] in the history of a convert to Christ, for we must be reduced. The fact that we are converted does not save us from being self-opinionated. Directly you have self in view, the work of God is hindered; the Spirit is grieved, and there is no more headway. Hence the Lord comes in, in discipline. This servant was let down over the wall in a basket so as to escape from danger; how very humiliating! In Acts 11. Barnabas brought him to Antioch to the disciples, and that little reduced man was with the disciples at Antioch a whole year. He was there twelve months, and is then called Paul, which means ‘Little’. He is now a little man, subdued and reduced outwardly. Now it is at Antioch, where Paul was twelve months, that the disciples are first called christians. They were called christians first at Antioch. A christian is a man who has been influenced by Paul, if you understand. Disciples had been known before, but not christians. Christianity is the embodiment of the Spirit of Christ serving the needs of the world; hence, Paul and Barnabas serving effectively, you find the name christian.

Now I want to show you the opposition of the spirit of antichrist. Agabus prophesies at Antioch of a dearth to come, and those with means immediately send help to Judaea. The occasion became a testimony to the Spirit of Christ in the gentile world, in their sending relief to the needy saints in Judaea, to Jews. What a triumph for God! The gentiles contributing according to God to Jews! That is christianity. Satan would blot that out, and at that time Herod the king stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the assembly; he laid his hand on some. I believe antichrist arises in the last phase, in opposition to the headship of Christ, and to the Spirit of Christ in those who acknowledge Him as Head. Who is a christian but one who is in the light of Christ as Head? A christian is the reproduction of Christ in service to men in the world. Satan would ^[p. 473] blot that out. Herod is the antichrist in figure. Herod vexed certain of the assembly and killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. Then, seeing it pleased the Jews, he goes further. That is the idea of antichrist. There are things done around now that are openly contrary to God and Christ. We have to face the antichristian spirit today. Something is done; say, the disestablishment of what has stood for long, in a way, in Christ’s name; and it pleases the people. The leaders of the world are dependent on the people. The christian is independent of the people. He is here for Christ, so he suffers. If anyone suffers as a christian, “let him glorify God on this behalf”. You suffer for you are not popular if you are a christian. The crowd is not pleased with you. Herod saw that what he did pleased the people, the Jews, so he went further. We have to face that today. The idea of christianity is the reproduction of Christ the heavenly Man in His own here in the world. Paul was the embodiment of it. He was a little man, out of sight, ready to serve, do anything, serve tables, or what else, and his influence and teaching brought about christians, and antichrist would blot out such. Satan takes a king to do it. A king may advance antichristian principles in this world. I am not saying anything against kings, but, thank God, there is a limit! Herod went further, and took Peter, but much prayer was made by the assembly, and that is the checking power, thank God! It is our privilege as christians, and prayer is not unavailing. Peter was delivered, and so we as christians may reckon on the delivering power of God in answer to our prayer. There is power to check antichristian principles, and it works by prayer. We may suffer as christians, but we glorify God; it is by being ‘little’, not by seeking a high position in the world, but being content to be obscure, glorifying God in that name, christian, by the Spirit of Christ. Look at Paul in ^[p. 474] chains at Caesarea! When he appears before all the pomp and glory of Agrippa, and Agrippa says to him, “In a little thou persuadest me to be a christian”, Paul answers, “I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether” — like Christ? No! “such as I am, except these bonds”. He was happy in them. He was a christian there, superior in those bonds, so that he could desire all present to be just as he was; it was love to say that. He was the product of the gospel, a triumph for God, and was himself triumphant. A christian suffers, and as such glorifies God; he does so in that name, as a christian. Let the name be true of us; and to meet the antichristian spirit our resource is in prayer. Herod was a good speaker, and the people said, “it is the voice of a god”. He was smitten when he assumed divine prerogatives. We need not smite them. God will smite when antichrist says he is God, “whom the Lord shall destroy ... with the brightness of his coming”. Let us be restful as christians, and glorify God in this name!