THE NAME OF THE CHURCH by R. C. Foster

"CHURCHES OF CHRIST"

The Church is called by various names in the New Testament.

  • "The Church." Acts 2:47; 5:11; 8:1, etc.
  • "Church of God." 1 Cor. 1:2.
  • "Churches of Christ." Rom. 16 :16.
The name "Church of Christ" (or its synonym "Christian Church") is the distinctive name of the Church.
  • This is the only Scriptural title that honors its head. "And he is the head of the body, the church . . . that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." Col. 1: 18. "Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof." 1 Cor. 12:27.

  • No other title so fitly proclaims the mystical union of Christ with His church. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for it." Eph. 5:25.
  • No other title so completely reveals the ownership of Christ. "On this rock I will build my church." Matt. 16:18.
The individual followers of Christ are called by various names in the N. T.
  • Disciples-Luke 14:26; Acts 6:1, etc.
  • Believers-Acts 5 :14.
  • Brethren-Acts 10:23.
  • Saints-Acts 9: 13, etc.
  • But the distinctive title is "Christian."

  • "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Acts 11 :26. Whether called by the Holy Spirit or by the heathen does not matter-for the inspired apostles accepted and used the name; cf. the following passage.'

  • "If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name." 1 Pet. 4:16.
  • "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26:28.
  • We should wear the name of Him who was crucified for us and into whose name we were baptized. Paul besought the Corinthians not to wear his name, for "was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?" 1 Cor. 1:13; cf. Acts 19:5.

  • No other name honors Christ as our Saviour. "Neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved." Acts 4:12; cf. Acts 3:6; 4:10.

QUOTATIONS FROM FAMOUS SCHOLARS
Martin Luther -"I pray you to leave my name alone, and call not yourselves Lutherans, but Christians. Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I have not been crucified for anyone. St. Paul (1 Cor. 1:13) would not have any should call themselves of Paul, nor of Peter, but of Christ. How, then, does it befit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes, to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to these party names and distinctions; away with them all; and let us call ourselves only Christians after Him from whom our doctrine comes." Life of Luther by Stork, p.289.

John Wesley (Methodist) -"Would to God that all party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgot; that we might all agree to sit down together as humble, loving disciples at the feet of the common Master to hear His word, to imbibe His spirit and to transcribe His life in our own."

And again he wished that "the very name (Methodist) might never be mentioned more, but be buried in eternal oblivion." "Universal Knowledge," Vol. IX., p. 540.
Alexander Campbell -"But alas, the enemies have blasphemed the blessed gospel by pasting our sinful names upon it to bring it into disrepute."

EMINENT BAPTISTS ON THE NAME "CHRISTIAN"

Of course, Dr. Dawes' terminology to which exception was taken is but the accommodation of. my good brother to a name given us as a people in opprobrium. In the records of all our older churches will be found the name "The Church

of Christ.' - M.P. Hunt, Field Sec., Southern Baptist Convention, Kansas City, MO., June 9, 1904.  

I sometimes feel sorry that the word "Baptist," which was flung at us by our enemies and stuck, should be our name, for often its accent of an act obscures to others our great mission to the world. Perhaps yet we will go back to the name "Christian." - Dr. Henson, in the general convention of Baptist churches at Cleveland, 0H., May 19, 1904.

If the church is the bride of Christ, the bride must have been the same as the bridegroom. If the church is the body of

Christ she must have the same name as her head. It would be strange if my body and my head should bear different

names: In some comments on the passage "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch," it is held that this

name was given in derision. I think not. If you study the use of the Greek word "called," you will conclude that they

were divinely called Christians. God gave them that name. James speaks about rich men blaspheming that "beautiful name by which you are called." - A. J. Gordon, in "Select Northfield Sermons."

The name "Presbyterian," .'Congregationalist," "Methodist" and "Baptist," however much we love it, and however loyal we are to it now, is to give place to that name which is above every other name. The day will come when those dashing waves of time and eternity shall strip off every name but one-not our name, but the name of our Lord and Saviour, our Prophet, Priest and King, will abide, and amid the light of earth and the increasing glory of eternity, that name shall alone be read, Jesus Christ. - R. S. McArthur, New York City.

"I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living. I hope they will soon be gone. I hope the Baptist name will soon perish; but let Christ's name last forever." - Spurgeon Mem. Library, Vol. I., p. 168.