When the gospel was preached in the first century, those who obeyed it were not Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Lutherans, or members of any other denomination.
Those religious organizations did not yet exist.
What were the followers of Christ called?
“And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
(Acts 11:26, KJV)
They were simply Christians.
But the biblical pattern takes us further. If we follow the same gospel, obey the same commands, and become part of the same church revealed in the New Testament, we should be content to be what they were.
CHRISTIANS ONLY.
And if the New Testament identifies those who belong to Christ as Christians, why would we want to be anything else?
WHAT NAME DID THE DISCIPLES WEAR?
The disciples were called:
CHRISTIANS
Acts 11:26
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Agrippa understood that becoming a follower of Christ meant becoming:
A CHRISTIAN
Acts 26:28
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Peter said that if anyone suffered because of his allegiance to Christ, he should suffer:
AS A CHRISTIAN
1 Peter 4:16
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The New Testament gives us the name:
CHRISTIAN
Peter wrote:
“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
(1 Peter 4:16, KJV)
WHO DO CHRISTIANS BELONG TO?
Paul confronted religious division at Corinth:
“For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.”
(1 Corinthians 1:11, KJV)
Some were saying:
“I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 1:12, KJV)
Paul immediately challenged such division:
“Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
(1 Corinthians 1:13, KJV)
Notice the pattern:
WHO WAS CRUCIFIED FOR US?
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CHRIST
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IN WHOSE NAME ARE WE BAPTIZED?
↓
CHRIST
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TO WHOM SHOULD WE BELONG?
↓
CHRIST
Why, then, should Christians wear religious names that distinguish them from other Christians?
CHRISTIANS ONLY
The goal is not to become a particular kind of Christian.
The goal is to become exactly what people became when they obeyed the gospel in the New Testament.
The gospel was preached.
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People heard the Word.
Romans 10:17
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They believed in Christ.
John 8:24
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They repented of their sins.
Acts 2:38
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They confessed Christ.
Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9–10
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They were baptized into Christ.
Galatians 3:27
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Their sins were washed away.
Acts 22:16
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The Lord added the saved to His church.
Acts 2:47
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They continued in the apostles’ doctrine.
Acts 2:42
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They were called:
CHRISTIANS.
Acts 11:26
No denominational name was necessary.
BUT WHAT DOES “THE ONLY CHRISTIANS” MEAN?
When we say:
“We are Christians only, and the only Christians,” we must understand the statement according to Scripture.
It does not mean that we personally possess the authority to decide who belongs to Christ.
Christ determines that.
“The Lord knoweth them that are his.”
(2 Timothy 2:19, KJV)
Nor does it mean that merely putting the words “church of Christ” on a building automatically makes everyone inside faithful to Christ.
A sign cannot save anyone.
The statement means something far more fundamental:
There is only one biblical way to become a Christian.
ONE GOSPEL
↓
ONE LORD
↓
ONE FAITH
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ONE BAPTISM
↓
ONE BODY
↓
ONE CHURCH
↓
ONE PEOPLE BELONGING TO CHRIST
Paul wrote:
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
(Ephesians 4:4–6, KJV)
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
CHRIST DIED FOR US
1 Corinthians 15:3
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THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS PREACHED
Mark 16:15
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WE OBEY THE GOSPEL
Romans 6:17
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WE ARE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST
Galatians 3:27
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WE ARE BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY
1 Corinthians 12:13
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THE BODY IS THE CHURCH
Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:18
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THERE IS ONE BODY
Ephesians 4:4
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THE LORD ADDS THE SAVED TO HIS CHURCH
Acts 2:47
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THE DISCIPLES ARE CALLED CHRISTIANS
Acts 11:26
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WE BELONG TO CHRIST
1 Corinthians 3:23
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CHRISTIANS ONLY
WHY ADD ANOTHER NAME?
If Christian was sufficient for the disciples in the first century, why should it be insufficient today?
If Christ established His church, why should we establish another?
If Christ gave His doctrine, why should we adopt another creed?
If Christ gave us the name Christian, why should we need another religious identity?
We are not trying to be one denomination among many.
We are trying to be Christians without denominationalism.
Not hyphenated Christians.
Not Christians identified by the names of religious reformers.
Not Christians divided according to competing creeds.
Simply:
CHRISTIANS.
CHRISTIANS ONLY — AND THE ONLY CHRISTIANS
There are not multiple biblical ways of becoming different kinds of Christians.
There is one gospel.
There is one Lord.
There is one faith.
There is one baptism.
There is one body.
And those who obey the gospel of Christ and belong to Him are Christians.
Therefore, our plea is:
NOT A NEW CHURCH.
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NOT A NEW CREED.
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NOT A NEW DENOMINATION.
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NOT A NEW NAME.
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BACK TO CHRIST.
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BACK TO THE GOSPEL.
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BACK TO THE CHURCH OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
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BACK TO BEING CHRISTIANS ONLY.
Don’t accept that conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read these passages in their context.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Ask whether the religious name you wear, the church to which you belong, the gospel you obeyed, and the doctrine you follow can be found in the New Testament.
Then follow the pattern you find there.
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV)
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 