Living in Christ

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

LIVING IN CHRIST

Acts 11:25-26

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

NIV

Luke makes such a little statement that covers a whole year of activity within the church at Antioch. It would be nice to have some of the details of all that went on this year. We do know that Saul and Barnabas spent their time teaching about the kingdom of God. Considering they did not have the Bible, to teach from, they would not be teaching them Old Testament theology, although the creation account would be something every new believer such be instructed in.  It is also good to know all about the exodus of the Israelites which shows the incomparable grace and provision of the Lord. Then there are all the prophetic words that spoke directly about Jesus being the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Then all the personal testimony of Saul, as well as the completeness of the gospel. This does show us the need for teaching as well as preaching. The most natural look at this is to see the two people, the teacher and those who are taught, or the student, which we would call the disciple. First, the teacher can only teach that which they know or have learned. The student must learn that which the teacher shares, which requires attention and study. It does seem that would not be the exact way it happened in Antioch, but we have evolved over the years and now almost everyone has more than one translation of the entire scripture. We all have the capacity to be the teacher, and most certainly to be the student or disciples. Today, we can be students of the word, that is we take time to not just read it, but study it, search out the truth and make every effort to adjust our lives in be in harmony with the truth. Antioch was the first-time believers were called Christians. If we examine that word, we will conclude that Christians are people who are in Christ. Just as a person who lives in Rome would call themselves Romans, or as we live in Ohio, we are called Ohioans. So, a Christian is one who lives in Christ. We have forfeited our citizenship in this world, and with our passport, the good news, accepting Christ, we have been given citizenship in the kingdom of God and we live in Christ now, and thus we are Christians. As such we must either teach more or learn more, it is a lifelong practice for one living in Christ.