The term “Christian” first came into use soon after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was used to describe those who had made Him their Savior and Lord and became examples of the way of life He taught. Since that time, Christianity has spread throughout the world, influenced governments, and changed people’s way of life.
One Christian teaching is the common origin of all people. “(God) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth . . . that they should seek the Lord, . . .” (Acts 17:26, 27).
Scientists have learned that all humans have the same blood, and that human blood is different from animal blood. Indians, Chinese, Blacks, and Anglos all have the same kind of blood cells. Within all of the races each of the blood types are found, such as A, B, AB, and O.
John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (Jesus) to die for us. “The Lord is . . . longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). “But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
Christ first offered salvation to the Jewish people. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). When Jesus came to earth almost two thousand years ago, He lived among the Jews. Some of them accepted Him, but the rulers and many of the people made fun of Him, persecuted Him, and even crucified Him on the Cross. Because they would not listen to His Gospel, Jesus then sent His disciples to the Gentiles. Gentiles are people in all countries of the world who do not belong to the Jewish race. In the Great Commission, Christ told His followers, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
The early apostles and church leaders taught that Christianity was for everyone. “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34, 35).
When the Christians were persecuted by Jews and others, they escaped to all parts of the world and spread the Gospel to people of many countries. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:29, “Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” God said to Paul, the missionary, “I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47).
Philip witnessed to the Ethiopian and baptized him. Ethiopia is an African country and this man is thought to have been a Black person (Acts 8:2640).
In modern days, with worldwide communication (radio, TV, newspapers) the Gospel of Christ has been taught to people of all countries and has been accepted by many of them. Even under persecution, Christians in many lands remain faithful. All people, no matter what color their skin, can become Christians by giving up their lives of sin and letting Jesus make them new persons.
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