Bible 346

NAMES OF CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES

Names of Christians
1. brother (about 220 times) [sister: four times]
  Acts 9:30; 21:7; I Cor. 3:1; Rom. 16;1; Christ--Heb.2:11-12
2. saint (about 60 times) [plural except for Phil. 4:21]
  Acts 9:32; Phil. 1:1; Jude 3; Christ--Mark 1:24
3. disciple (28 times in ASV Acts; about 230 times in Gospels, but mostly of those with Jesus)
  Acts 6:1-2; 9:26; 14:21; Matt. 28:19; Christ--Matt.10:24-25
4. Christian (3 times)
  Acts 11:26; 26:28; I Peter 4:16
5. believer (twice in KJV)
  Acts 5:14; I Tim. 4:12; Christ--John 14:1
6. friend (twice)
  III John 14-15; John 15:14-15
7. Nazarene (or Nazorean) (once)
  Acts 24:5; Christ--Matt. 2:23
Observations
1. No sectarian names (after doctrine, organization, man)
2. Not names of denominations (not to be taken in a sectarian way: Friends, Brethren, Disciples, Nazarene)
3. What to call misbaptized believers--Acts 19:1
Names of Churches
1. church (about 70 times)
  universal--Eph. 1:22
  local--Acts 15:41
  places of regions--I Cor. 16:1, 19a; II Cor. 8:1
  places of cities--I Thess. 1:1; Rev. 2:8
  races--Rom. 16:4
2. church of God (10-11 times)
  universal--I Cor. 10:32
  local--I Cor. 1:2
3. church of the living God (once)
  universal--I Tim. 3:15
4. churches of Christ (once)
  local--Rom. 16:16b
5. churches in Christ (once)
  local--Gal. 1:22
6. church of the Lord (once?)
  local?--Acts 20:28 ASV; RSV notes; NIV notes
7. church of the firstborn [ones] (once)
  universal--Heb. 12:23
8. churches of the saints (once)
  local--I Cor. 14:33-34
Observations
1. Not denominations or buildings
2. Not "New Testament Church"
3. "Church of Christ" not adjective (as in Church of Christ members, preachers, doctrine, colleges, children's homes, Bible chairs, congregations)

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