The importance of a name
“ Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) A quick search in any search engine on the trusty internet will show that there is mass confusion in the realm of religion. This point can be seen when one begins to survey the many denominations in one general area, as there is a multiplicity of differing opinions regarding the Holy Scriptures in every city around the world.
Some have estimated that the number of divisions among “Christian churches” range somewhere around forty thousand different groups. Some of the denominations that exist began because there was a group of people that held a different opinion regarding doctrine and decided to branch off from a particular group. Among the many denominations there are many that hold to the idea that one can believe whatever they so desire, and everything is acceptable, and perhaps you have heard the famous phrase “we are all trying to go to the same place, just in different ways”. May I suggest that there is no way that a multiplicity of different opinions regarding the Holy Scriptures can result in anything except confusion. As a matter of fact, when we begin to read the Scriptures, we read that there is only One way to heaven (John 14:6), there cannot be any division among us, but we are to be perfectly joined together (1 Cor. 1:10), there is only one church that was established by Jesus (Eph.
4:4; Acts 20:28), there is only one inspired Word of God given to us for instruction in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Peter 4:11), and there is only one name given whereby we might be saved (Acts 4:12).
When one begins to deny that a multiplicity of ideas can be acceptable others quickly begin to question them but notice the importance of doing Bible things in Bible ways simply by noticing the importance of a name. The importance of a name is something that everyone is familiar with, yet there are many that argue that there is no importance in a name in the matters of religion. Many will argue that if one wants to be identified by their denominational name that there is nothing wrong with it.
Why would God be concerned if we call ourselves by whatever name, we so desire? Can it be true that man has the right to decide what name we will wear and be acceptable to God?
In 2006, for some strange reason, a beautiful young lady joined hands with me as we were joined together in marriage, and beginning on that day forward, she has agreed to wear my last name. I would not be pleased if my wife decided that she no longer wanted to wear my last name and decided to wear the last name of another man. My wife and I are the proud parents of two very beautiful girls, and I take pride in the fact that these girls wear my last name and would not like them being called by someone else’s last name. The importance of a name is understood when we begin to discuss our paychecks, and those that suggest that names are not important would not be pleased with their paychecks having someone else’s name on it when they have worked hard for the wages they will receive. When legal documents are signed, the name that one signs is very important, and if a deed to property was mistakenly made with the wrong name on the deed, the one that paid for the property would not be pleased. A man and woman at times have great difficulty when trying to decide what name they will give their child before they are born, and to further prove the point of the importance of a name, how many young ladies do you know named “Jezebel” or how many young men are named “Fido”? Names are very important and the name that we wear as God’s children is of utmost importance.
The importance of names is seen throughout the Bible as God is seen changing the names of certain individuals.
Adam was given the duty of naming every animal (Gen. 2:19) but the name “Adam” was a name that was supplied by God (Gen. 5:1-2). God has issued names to many throughout Scriptures before they were born.
Ishmael was named because “the LORD hath heard thy affliction” (Gen. 16:11), Sarah was told that she would name her son Isaac (Gen. 17:19), Zacharias and Elizabeth were instructed to name their son John (Luke 1:13), and Mary was to name her son Jesus “for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt.
1:21). God has also changed the names of some as He changed the names of Abram and Sarai (Gen. 17:5-15), and Jacob’s name was changed to Israel (Gen. 32:28).
God is concerned with names as there is only One name given whereby, we might be saved (Acts 4:12).
Why do we assume that there can be a multiplicity of beliefs and names and be acceptable to God? The church of the Bible is the church belonging to Christ (Matt. 16:16-18), as He has purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28). Those that wear the name of Christ, and only those that wear His name, are those that will be saved (Eph.
5:23). The only references that are seen in the New Testament referring to the body of the saved include a reference to Jesus. The church of God (1 Cor. 1:2; referring to the second member of the Godhead), the church of the firstborn (Heb. 12:23), and the church of Christ (Rom.
16:16) are all terms used to designate the church for which Jesus shed His blood. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11), doing Bible things in Bible ways, and call Bible things by Bible names, and if there is no authority in Scripture for a difference in beliefs, may we be pleasing to God and do as He commands.
Jeremy Thornton is Minister of Highway 77 Church of Christ in Marion, Arkansas.
Jeremy Thornton
Minute with the Minister Names are very important and the name that we wear as God’s children is of utmost importance.
