"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.The SAME was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not .... He was in the world, and the world was made by Him and the world knew him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God -- to them that BELIEVE ON HIS NAME." (John 1:1-18)
Lately, there appears a willingness by the religious culture of this day to accept the various names used by God in the old covenant as His only name -- rather than the name of Jesus as given for this current dispensation of grace. The Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, comes to mind. But there are others too. Indeed, more and more churches of all persuasions are using the Hebrew names for God Elohim and/or YHVH in their worship services -- as a memorial unto all generations.
The problem with this practice is that in this "current" dispensation of grace -- defined as the new testament in our Bibles -- there is only one name worthy of worship. That name? Jesus the Christ.
JESUS -- the only name given whereby we can be saved. "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)
JESUS -- "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." (Colossians 3:17)
JESUS -- "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)
JESUS -- "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men come to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For [there is] one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time ..." (I Timothy 2:3-6)
JESUS -- "So then faith [cometh] by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17)
JESUS -- "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved ...for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation ..." (Romans 10:9-10)
JESUS -- "I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world, thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me, and they have kept Thy Word ..." (John 17:6)
JESUS -- "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)
Now this brings me to my second point. These types of misunderstandings from the Word would not be happening if we -- as believers in Jesus Christ by faith took the necessary time to study the scriptures, as a workman doeth. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." (II Timothy 2:15)
There is an interesting scripture in Romans, which states: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
Again, too often, we have relied on "others" to provide us with His knowledge and wisdom, even though each and every one of us are all called to become ministers of the good news gospel of Jesus Christ to all creation. And as a consequence of not seeking Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we are destroyed, as the Word of the Lord says "for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected Thee." (Hosea 4:6)
Isaiah's vision, a prophecy for these days, also provides sobering insights worth reading:
And I will give children [to be] their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, [saying], "Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and [let] this ruin [be] under thy hand," in that day shall he swear, saying, "I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people. For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings [are] against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of His glory."
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that [it shall be well with him]: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be ill with him]: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." (Isaiah 3:1-12)
Jesus told us that He would lead us into all knowledge and truth, and that His truth would set us free. But if we want to know His truth, we have to get to know His Word -- the same Word that is above all of God's previous names throughout history -- the only name given under heaven whereby we must be saved.
But most of all, true believers should not ever be in a situation whereby "babes shall rule over them." (Isaiah 3:4)
Trust Jesus today! Stand firm with our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ in His offering plate.
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