THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 379

Call His name JESUS for He shall save His people from their sin! Immanuel meaning God with us. Indeed, the name of JESUS was a given name delivered by an angel. In the scriptures, angels were messengers of God. We also read that the Angel said, "Call His name JESUS." Therefore, again, we need to ask the question - what was His name?

If we pare this example down to our own personal lives, we can ask the same question - What is our given name? Yes, admittedly, we can abbreviate our names and/or be called by some other form of name but at the end of the day, our given name is our name. Indeed, if one so desires, he or she can even pronounce their name in another language. Nevertheless, it does not replace one's assigned given name. Certainly, when we sign official documents with another name we can see what chaos it causes. This analogy is intended to show that the same given name applies to God Almighty.

In Acts 2:7-11, we learn that on the day of Pentecost there were devout men from every nation saying among themselves, "How is it that we hear them speak in our tongues?" The answer is simple. The wonderful works of God. Peter, along with the other eleven apostles who had been given (by JESUS) the keys to the Kingdom of God delivered this first redemptive message to the gathered crowd, saying to them that they in their ignorance had indeed crucified the ‘Lord of Glory’ (whose given name was JESUS).

Upon hearing this message, the crowds were deeply troubled saying to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Men and brethren what must we do?"

The answer given to them was this. That each individual ought to repent of their sins, confessing before God their guilt and ask God for His forgiveness. Having done this the next step was to be baptized into a watery grave (symbolically they themselves being buried into the grave in like manner as was JESUS the Lord of Glory death and burial). In so doing, their sins would be forgiven and their sin transferred onto JESUS who willingly sacrificed His own sinless body for them.

In sacrificing His own sinless body, He would hereby provide eternal salvation to each and every one who repents and is baptized calling upon the Saviour’s given name JESUS, thereby washing away their sin. By doing this, each would arise from the watery grave in the likeness of JESUS' resurrection, as a new creation cleaned of all guilt. In fact, it would be just as if their sin had never been committed!

So into whose name were they all baptized? Of course, they were all baptized into the given name that was spoken of by the angelic messenger of God. This name is JESUS. His name is JESUS. On that day of Pentecost, 3000 persons repented and were baptized into the name given whereby we could be saved. JESUS. That's right - the same Jesus who came to save His people from their sin!

Everyone who received the Word of God repented and were that same day baptized into the given name JESUS! Why? For the remission of their sin. Yes, as Acts 2 presents, Jews out of every nation were baptized into the given name of JESUS.

So how can some believe that the first 3,000 believers were baptized wrongfully? Or that 2000 years later some still choose to resist the Holy Spirit teaching of baptism into the given name of JESUS. Do they prefer to be misled? Because the scriptures are very clear on this message.

First, JESUS said that the WORD of God should go forth beginning at Jerusalem. Second, this is the WORD of God that stated that all men and women everywhere are commanded of God to repent. Third, that all men and women were to be baptized into the given name of JESUS! And fourth, we read that the Lord added to His Church body daily such as were being saved. Yes, in Acts these believers continued steadfastly in the Holy Spirit teaching through the apostles who were later confirmed by God.

This is why when I say to you - save yourself from this untoward generation - it is because we all need to be reminded that the Word of God is not coming out from you or I. Rather, the Word of God is coming to us. Peace to all who are obedient to the Spirit of Christ in God!