Our verse Acts 11:26 “...in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians.”

A concept here on the Mountain is this- Words are important, and really have a meaning. This is true of one of the most important words you will ever hear- Christian.

Youve probably heard it used as an adjective- “That's not very christian...”, but the Bible word Christian is not an adjective. It means little Christ, or a human copy of Christ. It is a noun meaning a human with an actual relationship with Jesus. Those people in Antioch began to act like Jesus, doing the things He did and saying what He said. They were human versions of Jesus Christ. Just using the name Christian is not proof that one actually is.

Some use the name Christian, then act badly. These people are fake! They don't have new life from Jesus, that actual relationship. It's tempting to blame God for these people, but more accurate to blame them!

There are 2 ways a person really is a Christian: The eternal way and the earthly way.

Here's the eternal way- authentic Jesus followers possess a unique life force different from physical life. The Bible calls this “born of the Spirit”. (John 3) We cannot detect this eternal life force, God alone sees the inside- the heart.

Now... the earthly way to spot a real Christian- True Jesus followers become new people. The way they talk and act demonstrate they are real Christians. When you watch them, they are doing good and giving God the credit. That is a Christian!

Jesus said, “...by their fruits you shall know them.” (Matt 7:16) By “fruits”Jesus means their deeds, what they produce, how they live and treat others. If the “fruit” is good, that person demonstrating love, honesty, kindness and truth, its likely you are watching a real Christian!