Acts 11

26...For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Previously, I think they had been called Followers of the Way. But it doesn't matter what they were called as they were obviously having "church" ~ the Holy Spirit moving, salvation,21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. The fact that they hadn't been "Christian" before this didn't seem to affect the work of the Holy Spirit. This reminds me that it doesn't matter what you are called or not called; salvation is of the Lord. If the Spirit is moving and saving and people are repenting and believing then their religion-label doesn't matter. Believers are believers. Flavor doesn't matter to God ~ why do we make it a hill to die on? It can be The Big Fat Greek Church or the First Church in Antioch, O'Sullivan's Tavern's Gathering or The Discipletarians; God knows us by name and that's probably how He addresses us...not Presbyterian # 3071 or Baptist #4952308. And to that I am thankful; for if God were to call me names rather than call me by name...and shouldn't we focus on the name and not the names (or the look, smell, personality, politics, ...) too? And this reminds me that even as they became known as a particular group, it was being made of Gentiles and Jews and Cypriots & ... it was Whose they were which defined them not their heritage.

18...“We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” Praise You Jesus for the PRIVILEGE of repenting of my sins and receiving eternal life. May I never view it any differently than a pure privilege, a gift from God. May we never fail to share this privilege with other Gentiles like ourselves...and even quite a few Jews. {Romans 11: 25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.}