BUILDING FAITH WITH
THE NAME
‘JESUS’
A Good name is rather to be
chosen than great riches. . . Proverbs 22:1
Howard Barnett
Most of us that call ourselves Christians can relate to the scripture of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." But the believing in Him relates, as the writing continues in verse 18, to "believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
We hope in this writing to show that there is more to believing in His name than just knowing there was a carpenter’s son called Jesus.
Whenever we hear, any persons name who we have had exposure to, our thoughts are directed a particular way. Good exposures - good vibes, negative exposure - negative vibes. Upon hearing a name, several mixed thoughts, within us, identify the human sound, writing, personality or awareness associated with that name. So in essence a name represents a ‘nature of’ all that we have been exposed to.
Being of any particular parentage, depending on your nationality and gender, results in two, three or more names being assigned to us. But the family name that is passed from grandfather to father to a son is one name. It is the same way with the name Jesus. There are almost two hundred different titles that refer to Jesus, Lord and Christ being the most used. Every title is a special tribute or praise that honors and pays homage to Him. But his name is still ‘Jesus’ and his father’s name is ‘Jesus’. You could add the title Jehovah to Jesus, just as it was added to the twelve names of God’s nature in the old testament. This makes Jehovah Jesus as accurate as Lord Jesus or Christ Jesus, knowing that it is a family name. If you can receive it there is only one name written in the ‘Lamb’s book of Life’. Your name, or nature, is also His.
When we hear the name ‘Jesus’, the following scriptural truths should be quickened within us, according as we have believed. Do we fully believe as Isaiah identified Him in Isaiah 9:6? "And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Chances are that we are a little heavier in one part of this revelation. Most of us know Him as Wonderful and the Prince of Peace, when his nature/name in these roles touches us. "In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee" (Exodus 20:24). And we all love the blessings. But we can’t be partakers of dessert only from the master’s table. We also need the meat.
Counsellor
The nature of counsellor in the role of instruction and leadership, is the same as the nature of the comforter. Adding the nature of the Holy Ghost into His name was done by Jesus in John 14:26, when he said "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. . ." The enemy begins to tremble when the power of your faith believes that the name ‘Jesus’ includes all we know the Holy Ghost to be. When Jesus said in John 14:18, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you", there is no room left for doubt. He again reaffirmed this promise in John 14:21 when he said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." Surely, "the Lord is that Spirit. . .!" (2 Corinthians 3:17)
The Mighty God
Jesus said, "I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" (John 5:43).
Jesus said (John 17:26), "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." His name/nature creates a door for His love within us.
When Jesus began to speak about his name and the Father’s name being the same, his critics began to prepare to stone Him. The darkness in the world doesn’t want that light! How dare you say ‘Jesus’ and mean also the Mighty God.
John 10:25, "I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me." I"ve never had any problem knowing that my Father as well as my sons have my name, Barnett, for surely it is a family name. No doubt Paul was explaining this in Ephesians 3:14-15 when he spoke, "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is, named." Praise God it’s a family name! No wonder "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"(Acts 4;12). "And to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43).
Isaiah (Isaiah 56:5) spoke of God giving an "everlasting name, that shall not be cut off." Micah put it into a walk when he revealed (Micah 4;5), "we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." Zechariah spoke of the single name to adorn the coming King, "And the Lord shall be king over the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one" (Zechariah 14:9). WOW!! There is Mighty God power in the name of ‘Jesus’. Paul declared he was worthy in Philippians 2:9-11 when he wrote, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
His nature as Everlasting Father
When Isaiah was speaking prophetically of Jesus in Isaiah 53, he first revealed his healing stripes (Isaiah 53:5), then revealed (Isaiah 53:8) that he was cut off out of the land of the living, and finally revealed (Isaiah 53:10) that he shall see his seed. To die and produce children is an amazing statement, even when coming from such an anointed mouth as Isaiah’s. Isaiah 66:22, "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain." Thank you Jesus for eternal life!!
Paul makes it very plain to us (Galatians 3:26-27), "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." We are everlasting children of an everlasting father whose name is ‘Jesus’. But every child who is loved by their parent will be corrected and reproved till a state of maturity is reached. We are bent but never broken, tried but never mistreated, directed but never mislead, all because He loves us.
The early church
The early church had no problem with the name ‘Jesus’. When they were instructed in Matthew 28:19, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost", they didn’t just go out and repeat his instructions. They knew that the commission given unto them was to use the name ‘Jesus’ when traveling and baptizing. The instructions say "in the name" - not names.
In Acts 2:38, Peter full of the Holy Ghost, instructed, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Further in Acts 8;12, "But when they believe Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." They were baptized in the name of the Lord, Jesus. "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48). The disciples who had been baptized by John’s baptism were re-baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5). And as it continues (Acts 19:6), "the Holy Ghost came on them." Even Paul was told (Acts 22:16), "arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Paul changed more than his name though. He later commissioned the church in Colossians 3:17, "and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Peter with this knowledge declared (Acts 2:36), "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, who ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
The early church continued to preach and teach this revelation of the name ‘Jesus’ for more than 200 years, baptizing and doing all in the name Jesus. The first elected pope began just repeating the instructions (see Encyclopedia Britannica).
When taking the name of ‘Jesus’ in baptism there is a union not unlike the wife taking the name of her husband. The old nature/name falls away and a new nature/name is begun. Romans 7:4, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." In Ephesians 5:30-32, Paul revealed a great mystery, "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
(I Corinthians 6:15) "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?" (vs.17)"But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." Paul has declared that we are married. That we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. We are, regardless of our location, a member (part) of his body through marriage. It was an upper room wedding on the day of Pentecost.
Lord I pray for ears to hear what you are speaking in these words, (Revelation 12:2) that "his bride is with child." Jesus has never left his bride, (Hebrews 13:5), "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." A new nature/name is coming forth. All of creation awaits it (Romans 8:19-22).
(Revelation 2:17) "For he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
(Revelation 3:8) "I know thy works; behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
(Revelation 3:12) "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."
He who hath an ear to hear, let him hear!
| |
| |
| |
|