Bible Questions Answered: Christian-Who Was The First

Bible Questions Answered:
A friend and I have a debate going as to who was the first Christian. What does the Bible say?
Ryan/ Salvador, Brazil S.A.

Bible Answers:
Acts 11:25,26 KJV tells us that....
[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.

Cursory, investigation, would seem to limit the answer to this.

But this knowledge, however wonderful, would seem to negate, something called the "Magnificat."

Luke 1:46-55 KJV Mary's song of rejoicing.
[46] And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
[48] For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
[49] For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is His Name.
[50] And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.
[51] He hath shewed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
[53] He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away.
[54] He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
[55] As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to His seed for ever.

How many times have you read these wonderful words?
How many times have you spoken these wonderful words?
But did you ever notice?
Did you ever happen to see, that Mary made a confession in this song of rejoicing?
What was Mary's confession?

It was verse ...
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

The angel Gabriel, had visited Mary and told her...
Luke 1:26-38 KJV
[26] And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
[27] To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
[28] And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed (Greek-Eulogeo: To speak well of) art thou among women.
[29] And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
[30] And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
[31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
[32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David:
[33] And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
[34] Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
[35] And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
[36] And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
[37] For with God nothing shall be impossible.
[38] And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.


This was in confirmation to Joseph's dream visit by the Angel of the Lord.
Matthew 1:20,21 KJV
[20] But while he (Joseph) thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
[21] And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.

Jesus was to be the Saviour of the world.
Mary knew she was not sinless, she needed to be saved, by this miraculous Saviour come into the world.

[47] And "my" spirit hath rejoiced in God "my Saviour."

Romans 3:10,23 KJV
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 5:12 KJV
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

I Kings 8:46 KJV
If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;

Isaiah 53:6 KJV
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 64:6 KJV
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

I John 1:8 KJV
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

I John 5:19 KJV
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Psalm 14:2,3 KJV
[2] The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
[3] They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Psalm 53:3 KJV
Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Proverbs 20:9 KJV
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Galatians 3:20 KJV
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Yes, Mary knew, she too was under the curse of sin, she too, needed the Saviour!

Now then, getting back to the question at hand.
Who was the first Christian?

Seeing how that Mary confessed that Jesus was her Saviour, without a doubt, makes her the first Christian, as that is what one does to become a Christian.

See The Bible Prayer Line -Index-Bible Lesson: Salvation Prayer