The disciples of Jesus were called Christians for the first time in Antioch (Acts 11:26). In fact to be a Christian, means “to belong to Christ” or “Christ Ones”. In other words, the disciples belonged to Christ.

In our materialist realm, when we say that, something (say a house or a car) belongs to us, it means that we have paid for it completely. As long as a someone, other than you (like a lienholder) has a claim on that property, you cannot truly say that that property belongs to us. The same is true in our spiritual realm as well. If we are to be called a Christian, then we must belong to Jesus completely. Jesus paid for us in full and so we cannot be encumbered by anyone or anything else, other than Jesus Christ, if we are to be his disciple. To be a disciple of Jesus is to be a Christian and to be called a Christian means we are God’s property, paid in full by Jesus and we belong to Christ Jesus.

Point(s) to ponder:
Are you a Christian? In other words, do you belong to Christ i.e., Are you God’s property or can anyone other than Christ Jesus have a claim on your life?

Acts 11:25-26 (KJV)
25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.