THE NAME OF GOD'S PEOPLE.
By R. F. Cottrell
The name by which the people of God are designated is not immovably fixed in the Scriptures, but varies with circumstances, and with the progressive fulfillment of the plan and purposes of God. Hence, from time to time, new appellations have been given them, as they have become appropriate. The object of the name is to distinguish them by something descriptive of their faith and practice—something which will be expressive of their distinguishing characteristics. These distinguishing features have varied with circumstances and surroundings, as the divine plan has been unfolding. The first chosen title of the righteous, after the hope of salvation had been set before fallen man, seems to have been, “Sons of God,” calling themselves “by the name of the Lord.” See Gen. 4:26, margin; Chap. 6:2. After this, Abraham, the father of the faithful, separated himself from the idolatry of his native land, and sojourned for a time at Hebron, in the land of promise. From this circumstance, he and his family were called Hebrews. Still later, the name of Jacob was changed to Israel, because he prevailed with God, and Israel became the distinguishing title of those who prevail with God; and this is still an appropriate name for the people of God, even in the present dispensation. Accordingly, the apostle to the Gentiles calls believers in Jesus Christ “the Israel of God.” Gal. 6:16. Again, from the fact that Judah, from whom our Lord descended, became the ruling tribe in Israel, they were called Jews. At the first advent of Christ, the Jews were divided into sects, as Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes; and those who believed in, and followed Christ, were simply denominated the disciples, or pupils, of Jesus; besides this, he himself was not ashamed to call them friends, and even brethren. Some years after Jesus had left his disciples and gone to the Father, after the conversion of Paul and the planting of a church at Antioch, the disciples were here first called Christians; and the name was so convenient and expressive that it was adopted by Peter, one of the first apostles. “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.” After the apostasy had succeeded to those primitive days of purity, and the greater number had become corrupt, and had corrupted the doctrines and institutions of Christianity, it was not inappropriate to distinguish those who declared in favor of the faith of Christ in its primitive purity as Reformers. And now that schisms and sects have multiplied, till the Christian world are a Babel of confusion, and the last divine warning to man is gathering out the remnant of the people of God, whose characteristics are the keeping of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, it is proper that these peculiar characteristics should be indicated by a comprehensive, convenient, and expressive name—a name that shall be expressive of their allegiance to the law of God and also of their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as the chief distinction between them and others, in respect to the law of God, is that they keep the day mentioned in the fourth commandment, and as the faith of Christ now demands that those who look for, and love, his second advent should know that it is near, even at the doors, what more comprehensive and expressive title could be applied to them than Seventh-day Adventists? The name introduced at Antioch, instead of being condemned as an innovation, was approved by the Spirit; and so we believe our chosen name, so strikingly descriptive of the remnant of the seed of the woman, has the approbation of the same Spirit. Rev. 12:17; 14:12.