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[Note: <\/strong>This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles-2<\/strong> page.]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There is more to Christianity than wearing a certain name. I could put a \u201c<\/strong>Ford\u201d nameplate on a Chevrolet, but that wouldn\u2019t make it a Ford. I could call a worldly person a \u201cChristian,\u201d but that wouldn\u2019t make him one. Likewise, a church building may have the name Church of Christ<\/em> on its building, but that doesn\u2019t make it so by Biblical definition. Such obviously accurate observations give rise to the question, \u201cIs there anything in a name?\u201d Sometimes it is positively stated, \u201cThere\u2019s nothing in a name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 While other things in this world and in religion are important, one flies in the face of reason and Scripture to say a name has no importance. Why does any car have Chevrolet<\/em> instead of Ford<\/em> or no name at all on it? Because there is<\/strong> something in a name. That name is important to the manufacturer who advertises, to the customer who buys, and to the state that registers said vehicle. If there is nothing in a name, why not sign someone else\u2019s name when you write a check or borrow money? When you buy insurance, why not put Benito Mussolini\u2019s name in the beneficiary blank? No need to make a will if names are unimportant. Obviously, names of people, places, and things are the most basic \u00a0and universal forms of identity among us human beings. There would be no order or civilization without them.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Is God concerned about names? He had an angel tell Joseph to \u201ccall His name Jesus\u201d before Mary gave birth to our Lord (Mat. 1:21). Later, Jesus taught the apostles, \u201cWhatsoever ye shall ask in my name<\/strong>, that will I do\u201d (John 14:13, emph. DM). Peter preached repentance and baptism unto remission of sins \u201cin the name of Jesus Christ<\/strong>\u201d (i.e., by His authority) (Acts 2:38, emph. DM). Peter later stated that in Jesus\u2019<\/strong> name<\/strong> alone<\/strong> could\/can anyone be saved (Acts 4:12). Isaiah had promised that God\u2019s people would be called by \u201ca<\/strong> new name<\/strong> which the mouth of the Lord shall name<\/strong>\u201d (Isa. 62:2, emph, DM). The fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in Acts 11:26 where we read that \u201cthe disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n With such emphasis on the sacred name, can we imagine that God has no concern for the name of His church? If we are truly concerned with honoring the name of Christ and being only His church, we will wear only His name. Every designation applied to the church in the New Testament reflects honor on the name of its owner. This is why Paul speaks of \u201cthe churches of Christ\u201d in Rom. 16:16. While a church can be wrong while wearing the right name, it cannot be right while wearing the wrong name. There is something in a name.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [Note:<\/strong> I wrote this article in 1976 for, and it was published in the Granbury Gospel, <\/em>weekly bulletin of the Granbury Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor. Exact date of publication is unknown].<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution:<\/strong> From www.thescripturecache.com<\/em>; Dub McClish, proprietor, curator, and administrator.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Views: 0[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles-2 page.] There is more to Christianity than wearing a certain name. I could put a \u201cFord\u201d nameplate on a Chevrolet, but that wouldn\u2019t make it a Ford. I could call a worldly…<\/p>\n