Be Called by the Name God Has Designated

Note from today’s Bible reading: Isaiah 59-63

Toward the end of the book of Isaiah, the prophet foretold of a time when the people of God would receive a new name from the Lord: “The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate” (Isaiah 62:2).

This prophecy was looking ahead to the time of the church. As the gospel spread to the Gentiles (“the nations will see your righteousness”), the Jews and Gentiles first joined together in Antioch. Here in Antioch, “the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26).

This was the name designated by the Lord. Though His people were and still are disciples, the name the disciples of Christ were given by God was the name Christian.

Because of this, we should proudly wear the name of Christian. Even if we must “[suffer] as a Christian, [we are] not to be ashamed, but [are] to glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:16).

So be called by the name God has designated. We should not choose to identify ourselves as Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, or any other such designation. Instead, we should recognize the great privilege it is to wear the name that God has given (Christian) and be content to simply be called by that name.