Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-04-04

Then the church at Jerusalem sent
Barnabas as far as Antioch. who. on
his arrival, saw clear evidences OF the
working of Gods grace in the trans
formed lives Of those who had pro-
fessed faith In Christ. His message
to them was largely one Of exhorta:
tion. He appealed to them to "cleaye
unto the Lord" with full purpose Of
heart. Then. departing from Antioch,
he went as far as Tarsus to seek Saul,
and when he had found him, he's
brought him unto Antioch And II
came to pass that for a whole year
they assembled themselves with the
church and taught much people. AS a
result Of this teaching, the disciples
were called christians" g.
What Is the significance of this new
nameq It is said to have been given
by the pagans as a party name TO dis
tinguish the followers Of Christ from
Jews and other religious bodies. While
this may be true. It Is not all Of the
truth. The connection shows that this
new name is closely linked with the
labors Of Paul. who. together with
Bsrnahas, exercised a teaching minis
try in the church at Antioch for a
whole year, and as a result Of that
teaching, this new name of Christian
was applied to the disciples.
The peculiar and distinguishing fea-
lures Of the Christian faith have been
given to the church through the
Apostle Paul, VINO Is to be regarded
as the divinely chosen interpreter of
Christ. The commission which he re-
ceived from the risen Lord at the
time of his conversion. confirms this
fact 81 have appeared unto thee for
this purpose, to make thee minister
and witness both of these things
which thou hast seen. and of those
things in the which Will appear unto
thee. Acts 90 10. These appearances
were Of, frequent occurrence and the
witness of the apostle was based on
the revelations Of truth made to him
by the risen Lord. Concerning his
message, he asserted that It was not
received from man, nor taught to him
BY man, but by the revelation Of Jesus
Christ (Gal. I'LL, 12). In another
place he declares, Unto me, who am
less than the least of all saints, is
this grace given. that I should preach
among the Gentlles the unsearchable
riches Of Christ"-Eph s:s.
These unsearchable riches, entered
into by the way Of faith. give signifl-
canoe to the name Christian. A Chris
tian is not one who has simply turned
to God and Joined church. He is
one who has been born from above
and united to the risen Lord in
union that is vital and eternal This
gives to a Christian a position which
finds repeated expression in the
phrase Sin Christi or, "in the Lord
and may be regarded as the distin-
gushing mark of Christian. He is
more than believer, or a disciple, or
a follower Of Jesus He Is one who is
"in Christ Jesus" and by virtue Of
this, occupies a special and unique
position before God. The complement
Of this is that Christ dweIls In the be-
lever. He is en-Christed. This tran
scendent spiritual truth is referred to
by the apostle in Colosslans l :28, q,
where we read Of mystery hidden
from ages and generations past, but
now made manifest to Gods people.
This mystery which is now a matter
of revelation. and which It is the de-
sire of God that every one should
know. is Christ in you. the hope Of
glory"
These were the truths that Paul
emphasized all through his ministry.
They transcend In spiritual value and
Transforming power every other ,reve-
lation from God. They mark in Pc
culiar way this present dispensation
of grace. during which time sinners
who believe In Christ unto salvation,
are united to Christ in death and res
direction and indwelt by Christ
through the power Of His risen life.
and hence bear upon them the name
of Christ As woman in marriage
takes the name Of the husband upon
herself. end does things in his name,
SO does believer take upon himself
the name of Christ. and is exhorted to
do all things in that name.
This truth grips the hidden life of
prayer and purpose. Christians pray
Sin His name" its authority, its value,
its virtue. We purpose to exalt His
name, rather than to make name
for ourselves in this world. Then. in
practical ways, this hidden life is
manifested in giving, In going, in
serving in suffering. Thus the apos-
tolic counsel and command to glorify
God in this name. the name OF Chris
tian, is fulfilled. (see 1 Peter 4:16.
u