What name are you known by?

[PATrobas]

Reminders – What name are you known by?

            People are sometimes confused when different Bible characters have the same name. The name Mary is a good example. God chose a virgin named Mary to become the mother of Jesus. After His birth, like all newlywed brides, she assumed the role of Joseph’s wife, and became the mother of James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude, along with several unnamed sisters. ^{Matthew 13:55-56; Mark 6:3}  In addition to her, there are five other women named Mary in the New Testament. Mary Magdalene, ^{Mark 16:9} Mary, a sister to Martha and Lazarus, ^{John 11:1} Mary, the wife of Zebedee and mother of the apostles James and John, ^{Matthew 27:56} Mary, the wife of Alphaeus and mother of another of the twelve apostles named James, ^{Mark 15:40} Mary the mother of John Mark, ^{Acts 12:12} and finally a Mary who labored much ministering to Paul. ^{Romans 16:6} It is also difficult to distinguish between the four men named James. There’s James, brother to John, sons of Zebedee, who were two of the twelve apostles nicknamed “sons of thunder,” ^{Mark 3:17} This is the same James who was martyred by Herod in Acts 12:2. Then we have another apostle named James, the son of Alphaeus, called James the less. ^{Mark 15:40} Next is James, the father of the apostle Judas (not Iscariot.) ^{Luke 6:16} And finally we have the author of the epistle of James, the half-brother of Jesus. This is the James who was converted after Jesus’ resurrection and became a leader of the church in Jerusalem as recorded in the book of Acts. ^{15:13; 21:18}

            All these multiple people having the same name is complicated, making it difficult to keep track of who is who. But there is one name that has precedence above all others, about which there should be no confusion, Jesus. This name is above all names. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” ^{Acts 4:12} “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:” ^{Ephesians 1:21}  “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 2:9-11} Jesus is identified as Emmanuel, or, “God, with us.” His name. His identity. His authority. Jesus is Lord God.

            Final Thoughts: We should be careful to be known only by the name of Christian, rather than be labeled by a denomination or favorite doctrinal teacher or stance.  No denomination, no church, no supplemental book or teaching, no office holder or authority, no teacher, pastor, evangelist, or leader, will ever stand in our place, nor advocate for us, nor be our excuse at the Judgement seat of Christ. ^{2 Corinthians 5:10} He won’t care if we’ve called ourselves a Messianic Jew, or a Catholic, or a Protestant, or a Charismatic, or a Calvinist, or an Arminian, or anything else. We will each stand alone and give answer to Jesus, about whether we believed Him. Our Savior by the cross, our Lord by the resurrection, the Judge of all. ^{Acts 10:42} He alone is our mediator and advocate. ^{1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1}  So the question now is, what name are you known by?

[R. Hartono]

Better a good samaritan then the names parroting verses such as the Priest and the Levits who had no compassion.

[Neighbor]

Call me anything but late for dinner.

The Holy Spirt called me specifically to my own turning about from denial of God to acceptance of Yeshua as my Lord God and personal savior. Can't remember his calling me any  name whatsoever, when the Holy Spirit spoke I listened.

I have been led by The Holy Spirit to many a local church  body  ever since. They each had a name different from the others and that was just fine with me, for they all worshipped  the same Lord to whom I had been led.

If I were today to be called Sojourner I think I would hear and understand it was me being called.

[Ghostdog]

im simply known as last

[enoob57]

 oh that made a mess over everything   Oh sticky buns yoo hoo sticky buns

[Sower]

5 hours ago, PATrobas said:

So the question now is, what name are you known by?

      My Savior calls me friend.
      My Abba calls me His child.

[TrueFollowerOfChrist]

My favorite names to go by are husband and father, but I'm proud and honored to go by Christian, despite what the modern world has done to that name. 

[LiveWire]

Simple Man

 

from

The Charlie Daniels Band - Simple Man