The Essentially of the Name of “Jesus in Baptism”
By O. F. Fauss
All through the ages past, it is a noticeable fact that God has demanded great respect and reverence for His name.
We have heard the statement, “What’s in a name?” The very tone of such in referring to any subject under discussion involving the name of the Lord, is very irreverent. It could only be an expression of the unlearned or willingly ignorant.
When God began leading Israel out of Egypt, He never waited until He brought them to the promised land, but enroute He warned them that, “I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way.” (Read Exodus 23:20-23.) He warned them to, “Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, . . .for my name is in him.”
In the giving of the ten commandments, God said, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
God introduced Himself to Moses and Israel, by His glorious and wonderful name, “JEHOVAH,” when He said to Moses, “I am the LORD, And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, our by my name JEHOVAH was I not known unto them. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I AM the LORD [JEHOVAH], and I will bring you out. . . and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm” (Exodus 6:2, 6).
The value of God’s name was so great until He threatens those who dare to profane it, “If thou wilt not. . .fear this glorious and fearful name THE LORD [or JEHOVAH] THY GOD; then the LORD [JEHOVAH] will make thy plagues wonderful” (Deuteronomy 28:58, 59).
David said, “And they that know thy name, will put their trust in thee” (Psalm 9:10). And Isaiah declared, “Make mention that his name is exalted” (Isaiah 12:4).
Solomon encouraged us by saying, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). And the prophet Zechariah speaking of Christ setting up His earthly kingdom, said, “And the LORD [JEHOVAH] shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one” (Zechariah 14:9).
The Apostle James acknowledged in Acts 15:14, how that God did visit the Gentiles, “to take out of them a people for his name.” To this agreed Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, when he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68). The angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph, also confirmed it by saying, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The very name of Jesus, means JEHOVAH-SAVIOUR, or JEHOVAH WHO SAVES.
To this agreed the prophet Isaiah, and repeated by Matthew (1:23), “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Jesus, in His prayer in John 17:6, said, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gayest me out of the world.” He had also stated in John 5:43, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”
How could it be possible for those men whom Jesus acknowledged had witnessed the manifestation of God’s NAME, be mistaken in the manner in which they obeyed His command, “That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name” (Luke 24:47)? Surely they knew what was the name of the Father, for He taught them to pray, saying, “Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).
Every reference of Christian baptism, or everything it symbolizes, points us to Jesus, the One that died and was buried and rose again. To be identified with Him, to be buried with Him in baptism, is the least one could expect to do to walk with Him. There is no other way to reach God or find God. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
“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). In the preceding verse (11), the Apostle emphasized that the name of JESUS, was the “stone, set at naught of the builders.” This is proven because of the question he was answering in verse 7, “By what name have ye done this?”
In James 5:14, we find definite instructions regarding prayer for the sick among us. All holiness and Pentecostal movements or groups have laid great stress on this verse, and we all believe it, because it is the inspired Word of God. Let us notice this verse very closely, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ” This is exactly the same words and language we read in Acts 10:48, “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. ” If you anoint the sick in the name of the Lord, which is Jesus (“Ye shall lay hands on the sick, in my name”) why try to avoid the truth and the true meaning of God’s Word in the matter of baptizing in the name of the Lord?
You can never claim the cleansing of His blood, without accepting and believing on His name. The blood is in His name. “Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish,” (John 3:16 also 18). “Because he believeth. . .on the name of the only begotten Son of God.” “And that believing, ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31).
Why sing any longer, “Where He leads me I’ll follow, and I’ll go with Him all the way,” and then refuse to bear His wonderful holy name in baptism? Why try and debate the question and resent being “buried with him in baptism,” in His name?
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY WORD AFLAME PRESS, 1985, PAGES 279-282. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
