“Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a
man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. 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” (Philippians
2:5-11).
Introduction
In
Scripture we find that names were very significant and were chosen with care,
for they were meant to describe a person’s character and attributes. The name
of our Saviour is exalted above all other names; therefore we should honour Him
by using it correctly. We live in an age when His name is abused and used as a
swear word rather than giving Him honour through it.
The
precious name
The name
“Jesus” was not uncommon in Biblical days, and we know it is a derivative of
“Joshua” meaning “salvation.” But when we refer to the name we are
concerning ourselves with the One, who as God’s only begotten Son came to this
earth to be the Saviour by dying on the cross. Therefore Jesus is not one of
many religious teachers that the world honours; instead He is so far above them
that it appears that they cease to have existed at all. There has only ever been
one Saviour who has died a sacrificial death to save sinners, and that is the
Lord we call Jesus.
The
Bible uses over one hundred names or titles to describe the Lord Jesus Christ,
these include, “Son of God”, “Son of Man”, “Lamb of God”, “The
Good Shepherd”, “Immanuel”, “The High Priest” and “King of kings and
Lord of lords.” Each one reveals something of His ministry on earth, but Paul
tells us that the name of “Jesus” surpasses them all.
The
position of the name
The
apostle emphasises the fact that everyone who has ever lived, or will ever live,
must one day bow their knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. It does not
matter if they rejected Him on earth, for they will acknowledge that He is truly
the Saviour at the Judgement Seat of God. On earth they may have blasphemed and
dragged His name through the gutter, but one day they will be eternally punished
for taking His name in vain. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD
thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name
in vain” (Exodus 20:7). “That
name, by the exaltation, has become the name of the King of kings. It is
supreme. Hence, every knee in all the universe bows to its majesty” (The
People’s New Testament Commentary). If devils must acknowledge that Jesus is
Lord, then it is certain that every human, believer or atheist, must do so too.
We are stating that Jesus’ name is above all because He is God Almighty. “I
have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and
shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”
(Isaiah 45:23).
The
power of the name
On the
Day of Pentecost the apostle Peter declared, “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).
That was a bold statement, and it remains so today. If we believe these words,
as Peter obviously did, then we are saying that all other religions are
meaningless and lead people to everlasting torment in Hell. Peter was not
teaching anything more than Jesus taught about Himself, for He said in John
14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.” It is impossible for
anyone to be saved except through Jesus Christ, for no other paid the price to
purchase our salvation.
His name
is the highest of all because it is in God's word that we are taught to pray.
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may
be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John
14:13-14). We cannot even approach God the Father unless we come to Him through
His Son. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
So it is through the power and authority of His
name that we can come to God in prayer.
The
preaching of the name
As Paul
stated in Galatians, there are other gospels being taught in the world, and
sadly in the church too (Galatians 1:4). The Lord Jesus prophesied that there
would arise many false teachers heralding a gospel in their own name,
culminating in the Antichrist. “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). But the true church of Christ must only preach the Gospel that upholds
and glorifies His name. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20) …
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his
name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke
24:47). Only the true Gospel can save souls because it is the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. If this is replaced with anything or anyone else then souls cannot be
saved.
Conclusion
© 1/1/2010