The Beautiful Name God Gave the Believers

God gave them the name of Christian, a royal name given to all who join themselves to Christ. Of this name James wrote later, “Do not the rich ... blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” (James 2:6, 7). And Peter declared, “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you” (1 Peter 4:14).ULe 60.1

Living among a people who seemed not to care much about things of eternal value, the believers at Antioch tried to get the attention of the honest in heart. In their humble ministry in the various walks of life, they bore testimony every day to their faith in Christ.ULe 60.2

Today God intends that chosen, talented workers be stationed in important centers of population. It is also His purpose that church members living in these cities use their God-given talents in working to draw others to Christ. Such workers will find that many who never could have been reached in any other way are ready to respond to intelligent personal effort.ULe 60.3

God is calling on ministers, physicians, nurses, literature workers, and other consecrated, talented church members who know the Word of God and the power of His grace to consider the needs of the unwarned cities. We must use every possible means to put today’s opportunities to wise use.ULe 60.4

Working with Barnabas strengthened Paul’s conviction that the Lord had called him to work for the Gentile world. When he was converted, the Lord told him that he was to minister to the Gentiles, “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18). The angel had said to Ananias, “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).ULe 60.5

So the Lord had given Paul his commission to enter the mission field of the Gentile world, to make known “the mystery” that had been “kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25), “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which,” says Paul, “I became a minister. ... To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:6-8).ULe 60.6

Neither Paul nor Barnabas had yet been formally ordained to gospel ministry, but God was about to entrust them with a difficult task for which they would need every advantage that the church could provide them.ULe 60.7