The Name of Jesus

What is in a name? What is in the name of Jesus? What could be so important about the name of Jesus?

We’ll start off with one statement that Jesus said about His name. Jesus said that if anyone would deny or reject His name, He would deny or reject them before God and the angels in Heaven. Well that does sound to be a little serious doesn’t it? So what is so important about that name that a person would be rejected by God because of denying or rejecting it?

First of all we know from the scriptures that instructions from an angel of God were given that when Mary’s child was born they should call His name Jesus. Yes, a message from Heaven and from God Himself, who had the right to chose the name of His only begotten son and He did. So because this name of Jesus was so important to God, the Father of Jesus, no matter what His reason was it should not be questioned and should be given reverence because it was God’s choice and His right to do so.

The scriptures have told us that the unpardonable sin was to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, but it appears that to deny or reject the name of the Son of God could very well be something else that is unpardonable in the sight of God.

There is at least one certain Church Denomination that I have witnessed denying the name of Jesus as a part of their doctrine which concerned how they baptized new converts to the faith. Where the bible teaches us that the scriptural method of baptism is in the name of Jesus, this particular church says that’s not valid. They contend that Peter’s instruction in Acts 2:38 really means to baptize by the authority of Jesus Christ and not by His name. Obviously they chose to hold to the words that Jesus spoke about baptizing in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and they believed that His words have more authority than those of the Apostle Peter. So in doing what they do, they are rejecting and denying Jesus’ name.

There is also another way that certain people reject and deny the name of Jesus. If anyone denies that Jesus is the Son of God they in essence call God a liar because it is recorded in scripture that God spoke from Heaven and said about Jesus: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. So if God accepted and recognized Jesus as being His Son and personally named Him Jesus, who are we to deny what God has affirmed. If it is denied that Jesus is God’s Son, it’s the same as denying His name.