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The Promises of God - Lesson 25
To Call His People By a New Name

Introduction:

        1.    
In our study of God's promises, we have seen that they are "exceeding great and precious" (2 Peter 1:4).
        2.    We have also seen that God made many of His promises through the prophets in the Scriptures
               (Romans 1:1-3).
        3.    In our last lesson we studied "God's promise to establish a new covenant with His people" 
               (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
        4.    In this lesson we are concentrating on "God's promise to call His people by a new name."

Discussion:

I.                   GOD  PROMISED  THROUGH  THE  PROPHET  ISAIAH  THAT  HE  WOULD  CALL
                     HIS  PEOPLE BY  A  NEW  NAME


        A.   (Isaiah 65:15) Isaiah stated that God would "call his servants by another name."
               1.    According to Genesis 32:24-32, God's people were at one time called by the name "Israel."
               2.    A time would come when God would call His people by a different name.
        B.   (Isaiah 56:5) God stated that He would give His people:
               1.    "a name better than of sons and of daughters"
               2.    "an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off."
        C.   (Isaiah 62:1-2) Isaiah revealed when God would call His people by this new name.
               1.    (vs.1) Righteousness and salvation would go forth from Jerusalem.
               2.    (vs.2) The Gentiles would see God's righteousness.

II.                GOD  HAS  KEPT  HIS  PROMISE

        A.   The events prophesied in Isaiah 62:1-2 have occurred.
               1.    (Acts 8:1-4) Righteousness and salvation were going forth from Jerusalem.
               2.    (Acts 10) The Gospel was taken to Cornelius and his household.
               3.    (Acts 11:18) The apostles and other brethren in Jerusalem acknowledged that God had
                      "to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."
        B.   (Acts 11:19-26) When the conditions prophesied by Isaiah were met, God's people were called
               "Christians."
               1.    God's people under the new covenant are sometimes referred to as "disciples," "saints,"
                      and "brethren."
               2.    "Christian" is the name to be worn by God's people under the new covenant.

III.             ADDITIONAL  DETAILS  CONCERNING  THOSE  WHO  WEAR  THE  NAME  "CHRISTIAN"

        A.   Acts 11
               1.    (vs.26) A Christian is a "disciple" [a learner or follower of someone].
                      a.     Christians are learners or followers of Christ whose name is far greater than Israel's 
                              (Philippians 2:9-11).
                      b.    A Christian must be a disciple, but there is much more to being a Christian than just being
                             a disciple (John 8:31-32).
               2.    A Christian is "one who has been added to the Lord."
                      a.     (vs.24) The people in Antioch who were the first to be called Christians had been "added unto
                              the Lord."

                      b.    We learn how a person gets into Christ in Galatians 3:26-27.
               3.    A Christian is "a member of the Lord's church."
                      a.    (vs.26) The people in Antioch who were the first to be called Christians made up the church
                             there.
                      b.    We learn from Acts 2:47 that the Lord adds those who are saved to His church.
               4.    Summarizing, a Christian is a disciple of the Lord who has obeyed the Gospel, been saved from
                      his sins, and added to the Lord's church.
        B.   (Acts 26:28) A Christian is a changed person.
        C.   (1 Peter 4:14-16) A Christian is committed to doing the Lord's will.

Webmaster Gary L. Wade