WHAT’S IN A NAME?

[By Robert Arthur]

A Bible Class Booklet No. 14

Does name really matter or is name really important? I think this question would be answered without any hesitations and in boldness YES! Indeed yes we would all agree with the answer. Everything has a name, nothing in the world is without a name. Names identify, differentiate and distinguish between two or more things.

Names are so important that God gave Adam the authority to name all what He had created. Gen 2:19-20

There are several other people God himself changed their names or perhaps gave them new names.

1. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham – Gen 17:5

2. Sarai was changed to Sarah – Gen 17:15

3. He named Isaac before he was born – Gen 17:19

4. The Angel of God changed Jacob’s name to Israel – Gen 32:24-28   

The list goes on and on. Therefore we will all reecho our voices that God attaches greater and much more importance to names.

Ironically when it comes to Christianity a sizable number of religious groups or people attach little importance to names. Some say names are not so much important, others say it does not matter what name you may call it and so on.

However the New Testament attaches greater and valuable importance to names that……

1. The Promised Messiah was given a name before his birth – Isa 7:14, Mat 1:18-21

2. John the Baptist was also named by the Angel of God – Lk 1:8-13

Wouldn't it have been a suicidal to have shortchanged such a warning by the Angel of the Lord and given either of these two little children different names - Lk 1:57-65?

Much in the same vein Christ church is not exempted from calling it by the true scriptural names or designations clearly pronounced in the scriptures. It should not surprise us that the one true church and its membership were given a name or designation by God. Isa 62:2

The church which was promised, prepared, and established by Christ Jesus (Isa 2:2-4, Mat 16:18) was called;

1. Church(es) of God – 1 Cor 1:2, 1 Cor 11:16, 1 Thess 2:13-14, 1 Cor 15:9

2. Church of living God – 1 Tim 3:15

3. Church of the saints – 1 Cor 14:33

4. Churches of Christ – Rom 16:16

5. Church of firstborn – Heb 12:23

6. Church of the Lord – Acts 20:28 (ASV) etc.

Its members wear wonderful names as used by Christ and his apostles and not some other unscriptural names.

They are sometimes called;

1. Saints – Acts 9:13, 32, 41, Rom 1:7 

2. Christians – Acts 11:26, 1 Pet 4:16

3. Brethren – Acts 11:27, Rom 12:1 

4. Disciples – Acts 14:21-28; 19:1  

5. Believers – Acts 5:14, 1 Pet 1:21                                                                                             

6. Children of God – Rom 8:16-21 etc.

All these above names and designations honor and glorify Christ Jesus; they also give us a broader and fuller comprehensive view about what the church of God is and its memberships – Col 3:17

Remember therefore that the church is the Body of Christ, and that Christ Jesus shall save only one body. Col 1:18, Eph 1:22-23, Eph 5:23-24

My simple and humble question is do we have the prerogative to just name or call our churches by any name that might sound good or suit us or name them after the prominent and affluent people in the midst of our churches.

If your church wears any other name apart from these wonderful names then you are not of God, but rather a man-made church – Mk 7:6-9, 2 John 9-10, 1 Tim 6:3-5. And it shall be uprooted by Christ at the end – Mat 15:13-14

For all what we do and practice in Christianity must solely conform to the teachings of Christ and the Apostles – Acts 2:42, 1 Pet 4:11, 1 Cor 4:16

“And the Lord added to the church daily those He wants to save” Acts 2:47

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