OUR NAME

1. Until about 900 years ago people in Europe only had one name—a first name.

2. As the population increased it became difficult to distinguish one person from another.

3. This problem caused people to take on a surname (last name).

4. These new surnames came from basically one of four areas:

5. Some surnames were taken from a person’s occupation like “cook” or “miller.”

6. Others were based upon location such as “overhill” or “brook.”

7. There were also names based upon family: John’s son became “Johnson.”

8. The fourth basis for surnames was personal characteristics such as “small, short, Longfellow.”

9. For a long, long time, people have recognized the important and value of names.

10. Lawsuits have been waged over the use and or ownership of names.

IN THE BIBLE WE READ ABOUT NAMES, AND ONE PROMINENT EXAMPLE OF THIS IS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

a) God’s people are referred to in at least three distinct ways: Hebrew, Israelite, and Jew.

b) I frequently use these three words interchangeably.

2) There are, however, some distinctions between these three names/descriptions.

3) When describing the Old Testament people as “Hebrews,” a specific point is being made.

4) The name Hebrew was used by the Israelites to describe themselves to foreigners.

5) Today we might say to someone, “I am an American;” the Jews said, “We are Hebrews.”

6) Using the word Hebrew expressed nationality.

7) In the New Testament we also find this word but the meaning is slightly altered.

8) Hebrews were those who spoke the languages of Hebrew and Aramaic instead of Greek.

9) A second term for God’s people in the Old Testament was Israelite.

10) This term was more restrictive; it described someone who belonged to God’s special nation.

11) An Israelite was a descendent of Jacob (Israel), and in line for certain promises.

12) Our third term is Jew—a word denoting someone who belonged to:

a) Either the tribe Judah,

b) Or, after the Babylonian Captivity, someone who returned from that exile.

13) As time passed, a “Jew” was someone who practiced the Old Testament law of Judaism.

14) I cite this information to make a single point.

15) 900 years ago in Europe, names were important.

16) When God had a special people in Old Testament times, names and descriptions were important.

17) We now live in a much later time and names and descriptions have not lost their significance.

18) What if someone from UPS suggested that their company paint FED EX on UPS trucks?

a) After all, both trucks are about the same size.

b) Both companies are engaged in the same type of business.

c) Since they are so similar, would UPS mind having a FED EX log on their vans?

19) What about Ford Motor company replacing all of its signs with the word Chevrolet?

20) Once a month some area preachers get together; I’ll share a little story about one of those fellows.

21) We meet at Pizza Hut and this restaurant serves only Pepsi products.

22) One of the men at that meeting knows that because he has been going there for a long time.

23) The waitress asks for drink orders and that preacher says, “COKE.”

24) Without exception the waitress says, “We only serve Pepsi; is Pepsi okay?”

25) In the world names matter, and they matter a lot.

26) In the spiritual realm, however, many do not believe this same standard applies.

27) A man who has debated some members of the church is Bob L. Ross.

28) Mr. Ross has made his views fairly public through printed books as well as the Internet.

29) I respect the fact that this man is willing to stand up and defend his views.

30) One of his publicly stated positions relates to names or descriptions.

31) Mr. Ross faults those within the church because we contend that names/descriptions are important.

a) In one of the articles Mr. Ross has written he said this:

b) “Where in the Bible are we commanded to wear a certain name?”

c) He has asked for “book, chapter, and verse” – no theories, opinions, and reasoning.

32) Mr. Ross and others are fussing about a question that has no foundation.

33) He and others argue against a position no mature Bible student will take.

34) There is no “official name” for the church built by Christ.

35) Neither is there an “official/exclusive name” for the people in the church built by Christ.

36) God has given us names and descriptions, but He has not offered one particular name.

a) In the past God had His people referred to in ways such as Jew, Hebrew, and Israelite.

b) Under the New Testament we have some new terms and there are a variety of them.

c) Acts 20:7 (KJV) says when the “disciples” came together on the first day of the week.

37) Who were these disciples?

38) They were part of the group that is designated as saints in verses like 1 Cor. 1:2.

39) Disciples and saints are the “beloved of God” in Rom. 1:7.

40) Another Biblical description for these persons is “brethren” (1 Cor. 15:6).

41) “Sons of God” describes this same group in Rom. 8:14.

42) 1 John 3:1 refers to these same people as “children of God.”

43) Rom. 8:17 speaks of brethren, disciples, saints, and sons of God as “heirs of God.

44) Now God’s people are known as a “royal priesthood” and “priests” (1 Pet. 2:9).

45) Christian is another description of them, Acts 11:26.

46) A similar thing is true concerning the church.

a) This body built by Christ is described in various ways, but it has no specific name.

b) Church of Christ is a description in Rom. 16:16.

c) “Body of Christ” is the description in 1 Cor. 12:27.

d) At the beginning of this letter (1 Cor. 1:2) it is known as the “church of God.”

e) Acts 13:1 simply refers to it as “the church.”

f) Heb. 12:23 says it is “the church of the firstborn.”

g) It is the “church of the living God” and the “house of God” (1 Tim. 3:15).

47) We have numerous descriptions, but some tell us that names (descriptions) do not matter.

48) We can call spiritual things whatever we want. God doesn’t care.

a) This is a common allegation, but it is certainly not true in regard to the secular realm.

b) In fact, our world would be chaos without proper names and descriptions.

c) Suppose we are told someone has been taken to a hospital.

d) One of our first questions upon hearing that statement might be, “which one?”

e) If we describe the hospital as being in Goshen when it is really in Fort Wayne, does it matter?

f) Is the name or description of a hospital really that important?

49) What if we need surgery on a body part—let’s say our arm?

50) Is it enough for a doctor to know that we need an operation, or does he need a description of the problem area?

51) In society we rely upon names and descriptions to function correctly.

52) God put this principle in operation at the beginning of time.

53) Consider the first verse of the Bible; God created the heavens and the earth.

54) God not only created what now exists, He provided a name/description for what He made.

55) We have the word darkness in Gen. 1:2. Light is referred to in verse 3.

56) Day and night occur in Gen. 1:5.

57) God “named” the first couple Adam and Eve.

58) According to Gen. 2:20 the Bible tells us man “named” the animals upon the earth.

59) From the very beginning God has demonstrated His belief that names and descriptions are important.

60) If we were to use inappropriate designations in the secular realm, we would be viewed as weird.

61) What would we say about a man who calls a dog a cat and a bird a fox?

62) People instinctively recognize that in our day-to-day lives we need correct names and descriptions.

IF THIS IS SO ESSENTIAL IN THE SECULAR AREA OF LIFE, WHAT ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL PART OF LIFE?

1) Somehow people shift to a different mode of thinking when it comes to this segment of our existence.

2) There are people who believe the church can be called almost anything.

3) People make this claim, but I am not persuaded that this position is a deeply held belief.

a) What if someone of this mindset were asked to put up a free church sign at their worship place.

b) This sign is a very nice sign, it costs nothing, but the worshippers must accept the logo that says:

c) “The church of liars, thieves, and gossips.”

d) Would any religious group embrace that kind of sign?

e) Even if such a sign were free and the nicest available, people would not want it.

f) Suppose we did something less offensive: local fish market.

g) Someone says that is a dumb illustration.

h) No one would want that sign because it “sends the wrong message.”

4) When a person says a sign sends a wrong message they have revealed what is really in their heart.

5) When someone tells us a sign is unacceptable, they tell us that names and descriptions do matter.

6) Even in the spiritual realm these items matter.

7) In many parts of the world there are congregations which designate themselves as churches of Christ.

8) There is a reason that these three words appear on many signs.

9) Church of Christ is not an official name.

10) The words “church of Christ” do not describe a denomination.

11) Rather, these three words are a description.

12) It is a way of saying we strive to be the church built by Christ and owned by Christ.

13) By using these words we are saying Jesus is the head of this group.

14) Suppose the sign said “the church of Paul.”

15) Paul was a Christian, but he did not found Christ’s church so that sign would wrong.

16) Paul did not die for the church so he is not entitled to have the church associated with himself.

17) In fact, Paul said in very clear terms that this type of thing is wrong.

a) In 1 Cor. 1 Paul had to deal with Christians who were calling themselves by party names.

b) One group said, “We are of Paul”—we might call them the Paulites.

c) Another said they were of Cephas—we might say they were the Peterites.

d) If names and descriptions do not matter, Paul had no business correcting the Corinthians.

18) The opening chapter in this book says Paul did correct these Christians. He reproved them sharply.

19) Why would he clamp down on his brethren about names and descriptions if such does not matter?

20) Christians tried to introduce names other than the ones given by God and Paul said “no.”

21) The Jews tried a similar thing with various factions: Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, etc.

22) Jesus did not lend His approval to what the Jews did.

23) God has given us Bible names and Bible descriptions.

24) Anyone who reads the Bible in even a casual way must admit that.

25) When people do not use Bible names and descriptions, we can only ask why:

a) Have we come up with better names and descriptions than those given by God?

b) Are we embarrassed to use God’s words to describe spiritual things?

c) Do we believe God’s names and descriptions are outdated?

26) Earlier I said a man was looking for a verse; Mr. Ross wants book, chapter, and verse.

27) I have one for him: 1 Cor. 2:13.

28) Paul told the Corinthians he combined “spiritual things with spiritual words.”

29) God wants us to call Bible things by Bible names.

30) I am astounded by the attitude which says we need to clearly distinguish between Pepsi and Coca Cola, but in the spiritual realm, things can be called whatever we want.

31) That is not right. We hope you are here because you want to do things as the Bible describes.