Are you a hyphenated-Christian? What is that, you ask. A hyphenated-Christian is a person who wears the name "Christian" with an identifying qualifier before it. For instance, are you a "church of Christ" Christian? If one is a member of the church of Christ, that person is a Christian. There is no need for an additional qualifier. There is no other identifier for those who belong to Christ than the name "Christian." Charles Spurgeon, a well-known Baptist preacher of the nineteenth century, once said, "I say of the Baptist name, let it perish, but let Christ's name last forever. I look forward with pleasure, to the day when there will not be a Baptist living. I hope they will soon be gone. I hope the Baptist name will soon perish; but let Christ's name endure forever" (Spurgeon Memorial Library, vol. 1, p. 168, as quoted by Leroy Brownlow in Why I am a Member of the church of Christ, p. 33). To have the name of Christ is to have the only identifying name a person needs. A hyphenated Christian does not exist in Scripture. If we could all live by the sentiment that Charles Spurgeon expressed, then we would be more inclined to just go by the Bible. Wouldn't that be good?
- Ron Thomas serves as preacher and an elder for the Highway church of Christ, Sullivan, IL He may be contacted via the congregation's website: http://www.highwaycofc.com
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