YES, it is! The word “Christian” is found in 3 verses in the New Testament. We will look at each verse and we will see that one who believes in Jesus Christ should count themselves “blessed to be called a Christian.”

1) In Acts 11:26 we read, “And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS in Antioch” (NKJV). The gospel of Jesus Christ began eventually reached the Gentile city of Antioch where many “believed on the Lord Jesus Christ” and a local church was established. Barnabas and Saul (who later was named Paul, the great “Apostle to the Gentiles” (see Galatians 2:6-9) spent a whole year there establishing the new converts in “the faith” of Christianity (Jude 3, 20a). Our verse teaches us that at some point the residents of Antioch started calling them “Christians.” Why? Because they were boldly telling others about their newfound Savior and living a life of obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ. In other words, their “words” and “their behavior” reflected their faith in Jesus Christ. Some believe this name was a term of reproach by those who had rejected Jesus Christ and who were now persecuting believers for being “followers of Christ,” which, they believed, was a cult. But one has said that the ending of the word Christian ‘—ian’ means ‘belonging to the party of,’ thus ‘Christians’ were those of the party of Christ.” If that is the case, it wasn’t so much a “word of reproach,” but a “word marking them out as a party of earnest followers of Jesus Christ.” Again, for those of us who are “called Christians” today we should consider it a privilege and a badge of honor to be identified with Jesus Christ, the “name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9-11).

2) In Acts 26:28 we read, “Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” King Agrippa was a powerful king who was acquainted with the Jews and their various customs and beliefs (see verses 1-3). Paul was given a golden opportunity to give his personal testimony to him regarding his conversion to Jesus Christ and how he became a preacher of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (verses 4-23). Another ruler named Festus who was there responded by saying, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad” (verse 24)! Yet Paul said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe” (verses 25-27). These are the words that prompted Agrippa to say, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” I believe Agrippa was under conviction at this point and was truly considering becoming a “follower of Jesus Christ.” He knew what the word “Christian” meant and he was at a crossroads. Did he ever believe on Christ? We do not know, but the word “almost” is tragic, for at this moment he was NOT fully persuaded to be believe on Christ and join the happy followers of Jesus Christ.

3) In 1st Peter 4:16 we read, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” Peter had just said, “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” The subject here is clearly “SUFFERING for the name of Christ” and Peter encourages all believers by assuring them that if they do suffer for Christ’s sake 1) they are BLESSED, and 2) God is GLORIFIED. Then he warns them to never suffer for doing something wrong and when they do suffer, let it be “as a Christian” who should never be ashamed of bearing that precious NAME. We should all be like the early Christians of the First Century who left their persecutors “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).  (DO)  (597.1)