Thread by @DennyBurk

I’ll refrain from speculating about the motives of those referring to Christians as “Easter Worshipers.” But I will say this, people would do well to understand how God’s word uses the term “Christian.” /1

The term “Christian” only occurs three times in all of the Bible—in Acts 11:26, 26:28, and 1Pet. 4:16.

In Acts, the term “Christian” designates those who are followers of Christ (i.e. disciples).

“The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” -Acts 11:26

/2

In 1 Peter, the term “Christian” designates those who are willing to be persecuted for following Christ.

“If anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.” -1 Peter 4:16

/3

The reference in 1 Peter is important because it commands persecuted believers to “glorify God” in the name “Christian.” The term allowed followers of Christ to identify themselves explicitly as partisans of Christ—to identify their own sufferings with Christ’s.

/4

There is a reason that persecuted Christians want to be known as “Christians.” They want the world to know that their suffering MEANS something. They want their suffering to bear witness to Christ’s suffering.

/5

“Easter worshipers” fails to capture this. “Easter worshipers” also fails to disclose how Christians actually identify themselves. We are followers of Christ, “afflicted in every way, but not crushed... always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus” (2 Cor. 4:8-10).

/6

The term Christian was originally assigned to Jesus's disciples by those outside of Christianity. Christians later came to use the name for themselves. The key thing, however, is that the term identified for WHOM Christians suffered when they were persecuted.

/7

"Easter worshipers" obscures the meaning of their suffering. The term "Christian" clarifies that they suffer not for any specific act of wickedness but simply for being followers of Christ. I cannot think of any good reason to deny such clarity. /8