God has revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God, the holy scriptures, and through all of creation itself.
Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Lighthouse Bible Tabernacle based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
Jesus, The Name Above All Names
Zechariah 14:9. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. God’s plan of Redemption is so marvelous; it truly is the greatest of all. It is the master plan. Redemption’s story of the God who became the Savior fills the heart with wonderment to even imagine that the Almighty God would become flesh and dwell among us for the purpose of restoring mankind’s fellowship with Him. The most important purpose of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth was that of reconciliation. He came as Redeemer to seek and save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). Even though Jesus performed miracles, preached the Word, fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, the ultimate purpose behind each of those actions was salvation. Defeating sin and death in order to restore fellowship between man and God was the reason He came. Have you ever thought about what the name “Jesus” means? Names are significant in the Bible, and they have a variety of functions. A biblical name could record some aspects of a person’s birth. For example, Moses was given his name because his mother drew him out of the water (Exodus 2:10). His name literally means “to draw out”. Biblical names sometimes expressed the parents’ reaction to the birth of their child. An example of this is Isaac (Genesis 21:6), which means “laughter”. Biblical names also were used to convey God’s message. The prophet Isaiah named his first son Shear-jashub, which means “a remnant shall return” (Isaiah 7:3). This was in line with God’s message to the Israelite people that declared they would be reduced to a mere remnant of what they once were, and would eventually return from exile to the promised land. Biblical names were also used to establish affiliation with God. All the names ending with -jah or -el (and there are hundreds of those) are saying “with the Lord” or “with God”. Then you have the giving of a new name. This was used to establish authority over another, or to indicate a new beginning or new direction in a person’s life. For example, Pharaoh changed Joseph’s name to Zephenath-paneah when Joseph entered his service (Genesis 41:45). While in Babylonian captivity, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were forced to change their names to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:6-7) . Name changes indicating a new life direction include Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), Cephas to Peter (Mark 3:16), and Saul to Paul (Acts 13:9). Sarah was a barren woman until her name was changed from Sarai, which meant barren, to Sarah which meant “a princess”. She was to become the princess or the queen of the Israelite race, so her name had to be changed from barren to princess. Sarai’s new name was given to express what God was going to accomplish through her, making her the queen mother of the seed of Abraham. The same is true of Jacob. His name was “deceiver or supplanter”, and that’s what he did until God came along and gave him a new name. That name signified what God was going to do in him. His new name was Israel which means “a prince with God”. Throughout the Bible, you can see examples of where the character of a person was displayed in the name. Names were often used to express the nature and role of a person. They were used to indicate a person’s purpose in the world. The greatest example of this type of naming is Jesus. In this, God was specific in the name given to the Son of God. Matthew 1:20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. The name Jesus is used in salvation all through the New Testament for salvation is only in His Name. Knowing who Jesus is, is of vital importance for the greatest of all revelations is the supreme deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the mystery of God revealed. In the revelation of Jesus Christ is also the mystery of His Church, and every other subsequent unfolding revelation of God. In fact, the entire revelation of God is encapsulated in the person Christ Jesus because in Him, God was revealed to mankind.
The God of Unfolding Revelation
All through the Bible, God revealed Himself in an unfolding and progressive revelation. He revealed Himself as “God Above Us” as He led Israel with a Pillar of Fire. In this same manner, God revealed His Word to the prophets in the Old Testament and they knew Him as LORD God, who created the Heavens and the earth. Genesis 2:4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, In the King James Version of the Bible, there is always the capitalization of all the letters of the name LORD when referring to Jehovah. Scofield’s Commentary states in reference to this verse in Genesis 2:4: The primary meaning of the name LORD (Jehovah) is the "selfexistent One”. Literally (as in Ex 3:14), "He that is who He is, therefore the eternal I AM:” But Havah, from which Jehovah, or Yahwe, is formed, signifies also "to become," that is, to become known, thus pointing to a continuous and increasing self-revelation. The name Jehovah then would mean "the self-existent One who reveals Himself.” In God’s continuous unfolding revelation He is first known to Abram as LORD (Jehovah) and was called by that Name. Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: It was the name Jehovah that Abram called upon as He worshipped. Genesis 12:8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. Later in His unfolding revelation in Genesis 14:18, there is the mysterious appearance of Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God and King of Salem (King of Peace). The book of Hebrews speaks of this Melchizedek as one without beginning of days or ending of life. He was the high priest unto God continually. He was the Eternal One for only in God dwells immortality. (1 Timothy 6:16) Melchizedek foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ who became our High Priest and is the King of Saints. In the Old Testament, the king was to come from the lineage of Judah, and the priesthood was to be of the lineage of Levi. A king in Israel was not permitted to perform the duties of a priest. (2 Chronicles 26:18-19) Neither was a Levite allowed to be king, for the king was to be of the lineage of David from the tribe of Judah. However, Melchizedek was both King and Priest. Jesus was of the same priestly order of Melchizedek, for He is the true King and our intercessor.
Revealed as Almighty God
In Genesis 17:1, God revealed Himself again to Abram, but this time as El Shaddai. This was not another person nor another god, but rather another unfolding of revelation of the same Person. Genesis 17:1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD (Jehovah) appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Almighty in the Hebrew is translated from the word Shadday and means: almighty, most powerful. 5 Regardless of what form or name that God revealed Himself to Abraham, Abraham knew there was but one God. In all of these various manifestations, whether it was as Jehovah, Melchizedek or as in the case of Genesis 17, El Shaddai, the Almighty God there were never three different gods or persons or multiple deities in the mind of Abraham. He knew it was the same God revealing Himself in a different manifestation.
The Importance Of The Name
In each of the appearances and unfolding revelations of God to Abraham, He was revealed in a new name. In these appearances, God would unfold the revelation of His Name. The name by which He was called revealed an aspect of the nature of God, whether it was the priest-king as Melchizedek, or El Shaddai (who is the Almighty God), or Jehovah (the Self Existing one), or Elohim. No matter what manifestation He revealed Himself in, it was only one God. The name was expressing the revelation of what He was doing at that time. When God reveals Himself by a new name, the meaning of the name contains the message concerning what He is about to do. The name of God always reveals who He is and what He is. This is what God did when He spoke His word to Moses. In His message to Moses, God revealed His Name and encapsulated in His name was a message expressing what He was going to accomplish at that time as He brought deliverance to the children of Israel. There is something that seems rather unusual in Exodus 6:1-8. If you are not careful, you will miss its meaning. Notice how many times in the following passage that God declares what He is going to do and by what name He is going to express Himself. He wants Israel to know that in His name is deliverance. Exodus 6:1. Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 6 (He is declaring Himself, “I am Jehovah.”) In Exodus 6:3 is where it becomes rather unusual. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El Shadai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. God is saying, “I have appeared in the past to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but this time I am going to reveal myself to them by the name JEHOVAH.” Exodus 6:4. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Notice how many times God says “I am the LORD” (4 times), “I will” (8 times), “I have” (3). In these 8 verses, God uses the personal pronoun “I” eighteen times. He is making it clear to them that the LORD is going to reveal something about Himself that they have not seen or realized before.” Exodus 6:6. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, [JEHOVAH] and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7. And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord [JEHOVAH] your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. [JEHOVAH]. Note in Exodus 6:3 the words God spoke to Moses regarding His name. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El Shadai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Abraham in his time had called on the name Jehovah, but he didn’t know the full significance of that name. He didn’t know God as the 7 God of deliverance. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, they were going to know Him in a new way, in a way that the name had never been expressed before. He would show Himself as Jehovah the Deliverer. God was literally saying to Moses, “I have come down to reveal My Name in a manner greater than what I have in the past for I am going to make my name JEHOVAH known to you with a greater depth of meaning than what it was known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You are going to know Me as Deliverer. In this passage, He repeatedly reassures Moses saying, “I will, I will, I will; this is what I will do.” God reveals His nature and character progressively through the scriptures to mankind by often expressing a new name. For example, when God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice, He was expressing Himself as Jehovah-Jireh, the God who provides. Upon that mountain, Abraham saw depths of the name Jehovah that had not been revealed before. When people wanted to know more about God Himself, they sought to know His name. This is why Moses said, “Who am I going to tell them is sending me?” He says, “I, Jehovah, I that I am who I am, the Self-Existing One is sending you. I will reveal Myself as a deliverer to the children of Israel, “Jehovah the Deliverer.” By doing this, God unfolded another aspect of the revelation of His Name, Jehovah. Over and over, throughout the Scriptures, it was the Name of the Lord that His people sought to know Him by. Genesis 32:29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 8 Judges 13:17. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? I Kings 8:43. Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. All down through the ages, when people wanted to know more about God, they sought to know His Name. Who do we honor? Who is it that we give credit to for all of this? We want to know His name. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible says, "To know the name of God is to know God as He has revealed Himself..." "When used of God, 'name' in the Old Testament has a revelatory content." In other words, God is revealing Himself. Thus, when Jehovah came to earth and dwelled in the man Christ Jesus, God once again expressed Himself by unfolding yet another revelation of the name Jehovah. Matthew 1:21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Note that the name JESUS is capitalized just like LORD is in the Old Testament. Jesus means “Jehovah, the Savior”, showing that God was coming to dwell among us as a man with the express purpose to “save His people from their sins”. When Jehovah came to earth, He was coming as Savior so He took on a name that would characterize His work as Redeemer. The Old Testament spoke of Him as Redeemer, but man had not known Him fully as Savior for man had not yet been redeemed. Complete redemption was not realized under the blood of bulls and goats as animal blood could not atone for sin nor could it change the sinner’s 9 nature. Israel had never known God as Savior from sins. Israel had previously only known God as one who saved them from slavery but still needed to be redeemed from the slavery of sin. To know redemption from sin, you would need to know God in the revelation of His Name of Jesus as Savior. This was of tremendous importance because those Jewish believers who had previously known of Jehovah, would now need to know God as Emmanuel, meaning “God with us”, who had come in the unfolding of the Name Jehovah: JESUS, “Jehovah Savior”. To know Him only as Jehovah, who had revealed Himself through the prophets, was no longer sufficient for salvation. They had to know Him now as Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world. Jehovah of the Old Testament had taken on a new name -- Jesus! Jehovah had come to earth and took on flesh for the purpose of salvation. Mankind was now required to know God in the revelation of His new name. Only in the name of Jesus could men be saved. This agrees with the Old Testament verse found in Hosea 13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. If there is no Savior besides Himself, then we must conclude His name is Jesus, not merely one of a set of three persons comprising a single God. When Saul, (later known as Paul), repented, Ananias instructed him, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). What name was it that Saul must call upon? His instructions were that in order for his sins to be washed away, he was to arise and be baptized, invoking the name of the Lord. What was the name for salvation that he was to call on? Just a few days earlier, Saul had asked the same question: "Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" (Acts 9:5). It was here on the road to Damascus that Jesus had revealed Himself to Saul as the Lord. Saul knew about the Lord God of the Old Testament, but at that time he did not know nor serve the Jesus of the New Testament. But from the Damascus Road encounter, he learned that the Lord of the Old Testament was the same Lord of the New Testament, and to his amazement the Lord’s name was Jesus! The knowledge of Jesus as Savior is old news to you and me. It is something that we learned from the cradle. Everyone who has heard of Jesus knows that He came to save. However, in that day, it was not old news. This had never happened before. This was totally something different, and they were having trouble seeing it. When God begins to operate in another unfolding revelation of His Name, people often have difficulty seeing it, and this was especially so with the Jews as the Gospel turned to the Gentiles. Here God was revealing Himself in the expression of His name Jehovah, the Savior, (Jesus) and He came to His own (the nation Israel) and His own wouldn’t receive Him in the name Jesus, (Jehovah the Savior). If Jesus had come as a prophet as did Elijah or Moses preaching about Jehovah of the Old Testament, they would have received Him but Jehovah had come as the Savior and there wouldn’t be salvation in any other name but the name of Jesus. John 8:23-24. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Jesus is saying very clearly, “Unless you recognize me as Jehovah the Savior, you will die in your sins.” That still holds true today. Jehovah had spoken through the prophets, but now God was speaking through His Son, the Man Christ Jesus, whom He had begotten through creation. In times past, there was only one God and He spoke through His prophets, and in the days of His earthly pilgrimage, there was but one God and He spoke through Jesus Christ. Did it ever occur to you that Jesus never said, “Thus saith the Lord!” Why? He was the Lord. Hebrews 1:1. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he 11 hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. This is what was spoken of the Son by the Eternal Spirit all through the Old Testament. He received a more excellent name by calling Him His Son, not just “a” son but the only Son, and He would express all that the Father was as Spirit down through the Old Testament. The fullness of the Godhead would dwell in Him, this created body. ”Thy throne, O God” will last forever and ever. This was not another angel nor another ministering spirit, but this was God in flesh. The angels were told to worship Him.
No Other Name Given For Salvation
Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Isaiah 9:6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name shall be called Wonderful, (is that His name?), Counselor (is that His name?), the Mighty God (is that His name?), the Everlasting Father (is that His name?) the Prince of Peace (is that His name?). No, none of those titles is His name, but His name shall be called all of this. Encapsulated in the name of Jesus is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Every bit of that is in the name of Jesus. When you say Jesus, He is Wonderful. When you say Jesus, He is the Counselor. When you say the Mighty God, Jesus is the Mighty God. When you say the Everlasting Father, Jesus is the Everlasting Father. When you say the Prince of Peace, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Jesus says, in Matthew 19, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father.” Father is not a name, no more than Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God or Everlasting Father, and there is no salvation in the name Father, Son and Holy Ghost. You must know who the Holy Ghost is, for if you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you are none of His (Romans 8:9). There is but one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4-5). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. John 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. The Bible does not tell us that we have life through the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost no more than it says we have life through the descriptive titles of Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 20 or Prince of Peace, but it tells us that we have life and salvation only through the name of Jesus. All the other former revelations of God will not save you from sin. Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Jesus did not actually write the passage in Matthew 28:19, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matthew did. Matthew was there on the day of Pentecost and the apostles fulfilled the words of Jesus by invoking that Name. They all had the same instructions and they all fulfilled the instructions of Jesus by baptizing in the Name of Jesus Christ. When Jesus spoke of baptizing in the Name (singular) of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, they didn’t think of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as three different persons. The disciples of Jesus came from a Jewish concept that God is the Father, Jesus is His Son, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. He explains all of that in John 14. It was never that the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost were invoked in salvation. Salvation is only in the name of Jesus Christ. They weren’t saying, “I’m baptizing for the Father, for the Son and for the Holy Ghost.” They weren’t thinking of God as three different persons. The very term “three persons” had not yet even been invented. It wasn’t invented until some 300 years after the apostles’ death. That is when the Trinitarian formula was made. It was invented by a catholic priest and was never cleansed from the Protestants during the reformation. When you baptize in the titles instead of the name of Jesus Christ, you are being baptized into the Roman Catholic Church and not into the Christian Church! In the Christian Church you take on His name. Acts 2:21. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. There is no salvation in any other name. Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom. He has told them how they can be filled with God’s Spirit, because they asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 21 Acts 2:38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Remember, there is no other way to remit sins. Jehovah Rapha will not remit sins. El Shaddai did not remit sins. Only in the name of Jesus is remission of sins. Peter said, “To get remission of sins, then you must repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Baptism is a part of salvation and it must be done in His name. Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Mark 16:16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. If you believe and are baptized, then you will be saved. Baptism is a part of salvation. I Peter 3:21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Baptism is an essential part of salvation. One might ask, “What about the thief on the cross? He wasn’t baptized.” The thief on the cross would have obeyed the word if given the opportunity. You have the opportunity to do it, and if you won’t obey the Word of God, then you cannot be saved. To the thief on the cross, He told him, “You will be with me in paradise,” and he would have to be redeemed out of paradise, along with the Old Testament saints, by the blood of Jesus. In the New Testament, if you want to be saved, you must be baptized in His name. Nowhere in the Bible were believers baptized in any other way than in the name of Jesus Christ. There is not a single instance where any person was ever baptized saying, “I baptize you in the name of 22 the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” Every one of them were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 8:12. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. What did Philip preach? The name of Jesus Christ and upon hearing the Name preached, they were baptized. Acts 8:15. Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Acts 10:43. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (It’s through His name. If you want your sins remitted, it must be through the name of Jesus Christ, for there is no other name given unto men whereby you must be saved.) Acts 10:48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (The actual Greek text says: In the name of Jesus Christ) The New Testament is emphatically clear that that remission of sins is only through the name of Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Over and over, the Bible declares that remission of sin is only in His name. At Ephesus, Paul found believers that had been baptized, but not in the Name of Jesus, and he commanded them to be baptized over again. Acts 19:1. And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, 23 Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2. He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? (You have not heard about receiving a new nature? You have not heard about being filled with the Holy Spirit which is that new nature? Well then unto what then were you baptized?”) And they said, Unto John's baptism. Acts 19:4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. It wasn’t enough just to be baptized, but Paul affirms that baptism must be done correctly. It must be done invoking the name of Jesus Christ because only in the Name of Jesus can you be saved, and once they obeyed the word, the Holy Ghost came. Acts 19:6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. How do you get your sins remitted? Let’s consider again how Paul was instructed at his conversion. Acts 22:16. And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. How do you get your sins washed away? By being baptized, calling on the Name of the Lord. Paul did not call on the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost. That isn’t what he said. He said, “Call on the name of the Lord!” What was the name of the Lord? It wasn’t Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The name of the Lord was Jesus. Paul knew that. Because when he asked, “Who art thou, 24 Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus.” He knew the name of the Lord. The Damascus road experience revealed to Paul that the name of the Lord of the Old Testament was Jesus in the New Testament. What is the instruction of Peter, the man who was given the keys to the kingdom? “Repent and be baptized in the name of the Jesus Christ, calling on the name of the Lord.” Do it invoking that name because there is no salvation other than in this name, and baptism is a part of salvation. Romans 10:13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Paul talks about those who are converted: I Corinthians 6:9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified (declared righteous, your sins washed away) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. It’s all done in His name! Philippians 2:8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Ephesians 1:20. Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in 25 that which is to come: 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Name any name you want, the Name of Jesus is far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion not only in this world but the world to come. There will never be a greater name than Jesus. It is the highest of all names. Colossians 3:17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. His Church is to have His name just as a woman takes on her husband’s name when she marries. When a believer comes in union with Jesus Christ, he is to take on His name. When a child is born, he takes on his father’s name.
Zechariah 14:9. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. God’s plan of Redemption is so marvelous; it truly is the greatest of all. It is the master plan. Redemption’s story of the God who became the Savior fills the heart with wonderment to even imagine that the Almighty God would become flesh and dwell among us for the purpose of restoring mankind’s fellowship with Him. The most important purpose of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth was that of reconciliation. He came as Redeemer to seek and save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). Even though Jesus performed miracles, preached the Word, fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, the ultimate purpose behind each of those actions was salvation. Defeating sin and death in order to restore fellowship between man and God was the reason He came. Have you ever thought about what the name “Jesus” means? Names are significant in the Bible, and they have a variety of functions. A biblical name could record some aspects of a person’s birth. For example, Moses was given his name because his mother drew him out of the water (Exodus 2:10). His name literally means “to draw out”. Biblical names sometimes expressed the parents’ reaction to the birth of their child. An example of this is Isaac (Genesis 21:6), which means “laughter”. Biblical names also were used to convey God’s message. The prophet Isaiah named his first son Shear-jashub, which means “a remnant shall return” (Isaiah 7:3). This was in line with God’s message to the Israelite people that declared they would be reduced to a mere remnant of what they once were, and would eventually return from exile to the promised land. Biblical names were also used to establish affiliation with God. All the names ending with -jah or -el (and there are hundreds of those) are saying “with the Lord” or “with God”. Then you have the giving of a new name. This was used to establish authority over another, or to indicate a new beginning or new direction in a person’s life. For example, Pharaoh changed Joseph’s name to Zephenath-paneah when Joseph entered his service (Genesis 41:45). While in Babylonian captivity, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were forced to change their names to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:6-7) . Name changes indicating a new life direction include Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), Cephas to Peter (Mark 3:16), and Saul to Paul (Acts 13:9). Sarah was a barren woman until her name was changed from Sarai, which meant barren, to Sarah which meant “a princess”. She was to become the princess or the queen of the Israelite race, so her name had to be changed from barren to princess. Sarai’s new name was given to express what God was going to accomplish through her, making her the queen mother of the seed of Abraham. The same is true of Jacob. His name was “deceiver or supplanter”, and that’s what he did until God came along and gave him a new name. That name signified what God was going to do in him. His new name was Israel which means “a prince with God”. Throughout the Bible, you can see examples of where the character of a person was displayed in the name. Names were often used to express the nature and role of a person. They were used to indicate a person’s purpose in the world. The greatest example of this type of naming is Jesus. In this, God was specific in the name given to the Son of God. Matthew 1:20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. The name Jesus is used in salvation all through the New Testament for salvation is only in His Name. Knowing who Jesus is, is of vital importance for the greatest of all revelations is the supreme deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the mystery of God revealed. In the revelation of Jesus Christ is also the mystery of His Church, and every other subsequent unfolding revelation of God. In fact, the entire revelation of God is encapsulated in the person Christ Jesus because in Him, God was revealed to mankind.
The God of Unfolding Revelation
All through the Bible, God revealed Himself in an unfolding and progressive revelation. He revealed Himself as “God Above Us” as He led Israel with a Pillar of Fire. In this same manner, God revealed His Word to the prophets in the Old Testament and they knew Him as LORD God, who created the Heavens and the earth. Genesis 2:4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, In the King James Version of the Bible, there is always the capitalization of all the letters of the name LORD when referring to Jehovah. Scofield’s Commentary states in reference to this verse in Genesis 2:4: The primary meaning of the name LORD (Jehovah) is the "selfexistent One”. Literally (as in Ex 3:14), "He that is who He is, therefore the eternal I AM:” But Havah, from which Jehovah, or Yahwe, is formed, signifies also "to become," that is, to become known, thus pointing to a continuous and increasing self-revelation. The name Jehovah then would mean "the self-existent One who reveals Himself.” In God’s continuous unfolding revelation He is first known to Abram as LORD (Jehovah) and was called by that Name. Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: It was the name Jehovah that Abram called upon as He worshipped. Genesis 12:8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. Later in His unfolding revelation in Genesis 14:18, there is the mysterious appearance of Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God and King of Salem (King of Peace). The book of Hebrews speaks of this Melchizedek as one without beginning of days or ending of life. He was the high priest unto God continually. He was the Eternal One for only in God dwells immortality. (1 Timothy 6:16) Melchizedek foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ who became our High Priest and is the King of Saints. In the Old Testament, the king was to come from the lineage of Judah, and the priesthood was to be of the lineage of Levi. A king in Israel was not permitted to perform the duties of a priest. (2 Chronicles 26:18-19) Neither was a Levite allowed to be king, for the king was to be of the lineage of David from the tribe of Judah. However, Melchizedek was both King and Priest. Jesus was of the same priestly order of Melchizedek, for He is the true King and our intercessor.
Revealed as Almighty God
In Genesis 17:1, God revealed Himself again to Abram, but this time as El Shaddai. This was not another person nor another god, but rather another unfolding of revelation of the same Person. Genesis 17:1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD (Jehovah) appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Almighty in the Hebrew is translated from the word Shadday and means: almighty, most powerful. 5 Regardless of what form or name that God revealed Himself to Abraham, Abraham knew there was but one God. In all of these various manifestations, whether it was as Jehovah, Melchizedek or as in the case of Genesis 17, El Shaddai, the Almighty God there were never three different gods or persons or multiple deities in the mind of Abraham. He knew it was the same God revealing Himself in a different manifestation.
The Importance Of The Name
In each of the appearances and unfolding revelations of God to Abraham, He was revealed in a new name. In these appearances, God would unfold the revelation of His Name. The name by which He was called revealed an aspect of the nature of God, whether it was the priest-king as Melchizedek, or El Shaddai (who is the Almighty God), or Jehovah (the Self Existing one), or Elohim. No matter what manifestation He revealed Himself in, it was only one God. The name was expressing the revelation of what He was doing at that time. When God reveals Himself by a new name, the meaning of the name contains the message concerning what He is about to do. The name of God always reveals who He is and what He is. This is what God did when He spoke His word to Moses. In His message to Moses, God revealed His Name and encapsulated in His name was a message expressing what He was going to accomplish at that time as He brought deliverance to the children of Israel. There is something that seems rather unusual in Exodus 6:1-8. If you are not careful, you will miss its meaning. Notice how many times in the following passage that God declares what He is going to do and by what name He is going to express Himself. He wants Israel to know that in His name is deliverance. Exodus 6:1. Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 6 (He is declaring Himself, “I am Jehovah.”) In Exodus 6:3 is where it becomes rather unusual. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El Shadai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. God is saying, “I have appeared in the past to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but this time I am going to reveal myself to them by the name JEHOVAH.” Exodus 6:4. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Notice how many times God says “I am the LORD” (4 times), “I will” (8 times), “I have” (3). In these 8 verses, God uses the personal pronoun “I” eighteen times. He is making it clear to them that the LORD is going to reveal something about Himself that they have not seen or realized before.” Exodus 6:6. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, [JEHOVAH] and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7. And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord [JEHOVAH] your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. [JEHOVAH]. Note in Exodus 6:3 the words God spoke to Moses regarding His name. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El Shadai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Abraham in his time had called on the name Jehovah, but he didn’t know the full significance of that name. He didn’t know God as the 7 God of deliverance. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, they were going to know Him in a new way, in a way that the name had never been expressed before. He would show Himself as Jehovah the Deliverer. God was literally saying to Moses, “I have come down to reveal My Name in a manner greater than what I have in the past for I am going to make my name JEHOVAH known to you with a greater depth of meaning than what it was known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You are going to know Me as Deliverer. In this passage, He repeatedly reassures Moses saying, “I will, I will, I will; this is what I will do.” God reveals His nature and character progressively through the scriptures to mankind by often expressing a new name. For example, when God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice, He was expressing Himself as Jehovah-Jireh, the God who provides. Upon that mountain, Abraham saw depths of the name Jehovah that had not been revealed before. When people wanted to know more about God Himself, they sought to know His name. This is why Moses said, “Who am I going to tell them is sending me?” He says, “I, Jehovah, I that I am who I am, the Self-Existing One is sending you. I will reveal Myself as a deliverer to the children of Israel, “Jehovah the Deliverer.” By doing this, God unfolded another aspect of the revelation of His Name, Jehovah. Over and over, throughout the Scriptures, it was the Name of the Lord that His people sought to know Him by. Genesis 32:29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 8 Judges 13:17. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? I Kings 8:43. Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. All down through the ages, when people wanted to know more about God, they sought to know His Name. Who do we honor? Who is it that we give credit to for all of this? We want to know His name. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible says, "To know the name of God is to know God as He has revealed Himself..." "When used of God, 'name' in the Old Testament has a revelatory content." In other words, God is revealing Himself. Thus, when Jehovah came to earth and dwelled in the man Christ Jesus, God once again expressed Himself by unfolding yet another revelation of the name Jehovah. Matthew 1:21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Note that the name JESUS is capitalized just like LORD is in the Old Testament. Jesus means “Jehovah, the Savior”, showing that God was coming to dwell among us as a man with the express purpose to “save His people from their sins”. When Jehovah came to earth, He was coming as Savior so He took on a name that would characterize His work as Redeemer. The Old Testament spoke of Him as Redeemer, but man had not known Him fully as Savior for man had not yet been redeemed. Complete redemption was not realized under the blood of bulls and goats as animal blood could not atone for sin nor could it change the sinner’s 9 nature. Israel had never known God as Savior from sins. Israel had previously only known God as one who saved them from slavery but still needed to be redeemed from the slavery of sin. To know redemption from sin, you would need to know God in the revelation of His Name of Jesus as Savior. This was of tremendous importance because those Jewish believers who had previously known of Jehovah, would now need to know God as Emmanuel, meaning “God with us”, who had come in the unfolding of the Name Jehovah: JESUS, “Jehovah Savior”. To know Him only as Jehovah, who had revealed Himself through the prophets, was no longer sufficient for salvation. They had to know Him now as Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world. Jehovah of the Old Testament had taken on a new name -- Jesus! Jehovah had come to earth and took on flesh for the purpose of salvation. Mankind was now required to know God in the revelation of His new name. Only in the name of Jesus could men be saved. This agrees with the Old Testament verse found in Hosea 13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. If there is no Savior besides Himself, then we must conclude His name is Jesus, not merely one of a set of three persons comprising a single God. When Saul, (later known as Paul), repented, Ananias instructed him, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). What name was it that Saul must call upon? His instructions were that in order for his sins to be washed away, he was to arise and be baptized, invoking the name of the Lord. What was the name for salvation that he was to call on? Just a few days earlier, Saul had asked the same question: "Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" (Acts 9:5). It was here on the road to Damascus that Jesus had revealed Himself to Saul as the Lord. Saul knew about the Lord God of the Old Testament, but at that time he did not know nor serve the Jesus of the New Testament. But from the Damascus Road encounter, he learned that the Lord of the Old Testament was the same Lord of the New Testament, and to his amazement the Lord’s name was Jesus! The knowledge of Jesus as Savior is old news to you and me. It is something that we learned from the cradle. Everyone who has heard of Jesus knows that He came to save. However, in that day, it was not old news. This had never happened before. This was totally something different, and they were having trouble seeing it. When God begins to operate in another unfolding revelation of His Name, people often have difficulty seeing it, and this was especially so with the Jews as the Gospel turned to the Gentiles. Here God was revealing Himself in the expression of His name Jehovah, the Savior, (Jesus) and He came to His own (the nation Israel) and His own wouldn’t receive Him in the name Jesus, (Jehovah the Savior). If Jesus had come as a prophet as did Elijah or Moses preaching about Jehovah of the Old Testament, they would have received Him but Jehovah had come as the Savior and there wouldn’t be salvation in any other name but the name of Jesus. John 8:23-24. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Jesus is saying very clearly, “Unless you recognize me as Jehovah the Savior, you will die in your sins.” That still holds true today. Jehovah had spoken through the prophets, but now God was speaking through His Son, the Man Christ Jesus, whom He had begotten through creation. In times past, there was only one God and He spoke through His prophets, and in the days of His earthly pilgrimage, there was but one God and He spoke through Jesus Christ. Did it ever occur to you that Jesus never said, “Thus saith the Lord!” Why? He was the Lord. Hebrews 1:1. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he 11 hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. This is what was spoken of the Son by the Eternal Spirit all through the Old Testament. He received a more excellent name by calling Him His Son, not just “a” son but the only Son, and He would express all that the Father was as Spirit down through the Old Testament. The fullness of the Godhead would dwell in Him, this created body. ”Thy throne, O God” will last forever and ever. This was not another angel nor another ministering spirit, but this was God in flesh. The angels were told to worship Him.
No Other Name Given For Salvation
Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Isaiah 9:6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name shall be called Wonderful, (is that His name?), Counselor (is that His name?), the Mighty God (is that His name?), the Everlasting Father (is that His name?) the Prince of Peace (is that His name?). No, none of those titles is His name, but His name shall be called all of this. Encapsulated in the name of Jesus is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Every bit of that is in the name of Jesus. When you say Jesus, He is Wonderful. When you say Jesus, He is the Counselor. When you say the Mighty God, Jesus is the Mighty God. When you say the Everlasting Father, Jesus is the Everlasting Father. When you say the Prince of Peace, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Jesus says, in Matthew 19, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father.” Father is not a name, no more than Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God or Everlasting Father, and there is no salvation in the name Father, Son and Holy Ghost. You must know who the Holy Ghost is, for if you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you are none of His (Romans 8:9). There is but one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4-5). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. John 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. The Bible does not tell us that we have life through the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost no more than it says we have life through the descriptive titles of Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 20 or Prince of Peace, but it tells us that we have life and salvation only through the name of Jesus. All the other former revelations of God will not save you from sin. Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Jesus did not actually write the passage in Matthew 28:19, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matthew did. Matthew was there on the day of Pentecost and the apostles fulfilled the words of Jesus by invoking that Name. They all had the same instructions and they all fulfilled the instructions of Jesus by baptizing in the Name of Jesus Christ. When Jesus spoke of baptizing in the Name (singular) of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, they didn’t think of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as three different persons. The disciples of Jesus came from a Jewish concept that God is the Father, Jesus is His Son, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. He explains all of that in John 14. It was never that the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost were invoked in salvation. Salvation is only in the name of Jesus Christ. They weren’t saying, “I’m baptizing for the Father, for the Son and for the Holy Ghost.” They weren’t thinking of God as three different persons. The very term “three persons” had not yet even been invented. It wasn’t invented until some 300 years after the apostles’ death. That is when the Trinitarian formula was made. It was invented by a catholic priest and was never cleansed from the Protestants during the reformation. When you baptize in the titles instead of the name of Jesus Christ, you are being baptized into the Roman Catholic Church and not into the Christian Church! In the Christian Church you take on His name. Acts 2:21. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. There is no salvation in any other name. Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom. He has told them how they can be filled with God’s Spirit, because they asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 21 Acts 2:38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Remember, there is no other way to remit sins. Jehovah Rapha will not remit sins. El Shaddai did not remit sins. Only in the name of Jesus is remission of sins. Peter said, “To get remission of sins, then you must repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Baptism is a part of salvation and it must be done in His name. Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Mark 16:16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. If you believe and are baptized, then you will be saved. Baptism is a part of salvation. I Peter 3:21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Baptism is an essential part of salvation. One might ask, “What about the thief on the cross? He wasn’t baptized.” The thief on the cross would have obeyed the word if given the opportunity. You have the opportunity to do it, and if you won’t obey the Word of God, then you cannot be saved. To the thief on the cross, He told him, “You will be with me in paradise,” and he would have to be redeemed out of paradise, along with the Old Testament saints, by the blood of Jesus. In the New Testament, if you want to be saved, you must be baptized in His name. Nowhere in the Bible were believers baptized in any other way than in the name of Jesus Christ. There is not a single instance where any person was ever baptized saying, “I baptize you in the name of 22 the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” Every one of them were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 8:12. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. What did Philip preach? The name of Jesus Christ and upon hearing the Name preached, they were baptized. Acts 8:15. Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Acts 10:43. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (It’s through His name. If you want your sins remitted, it must be through the name of Jesus Christ, for there is no other name given unto men whereby you must be saved.) Acts 10:48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (The actual Greek text says: In the name of Jesus Christ) The New Testament is emphatically clear that that remission of sins is only through the name of Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Over and over, the Bible declares that remission of sin is only in His name. At Ephesus, Paul found believers that had been baptized, but not in the Name of Jesus, and he commanded them to be baptized over again. Acts 19:1. And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, 23 Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2. He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? (You have not heard about receiving a new nature? You have not heard about being filled with the Holy Spirit which is that new nature? Well then unto what then were you baptized?”) And they said, Unto John's baptism. Acts 19:4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. It wasn’t enough just to be baptized, but Paul affirms that baptism must be done correctly. It must be done invoking the name of Jesus Christ because only in the Name of Jesus can you be saved, and once they obeyed the word, the Holy Ghost came. Acts 19:6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. How do you get your sins remitted? Let’s consider again how Paul was instructed at his conversion. Acts 22:16. And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. How do you get your sins washed away? By being baptized, calling on the Name of the Lord. Paul did not call on the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost. That isn’t what he said. He said, “Call on the name of the Lord!” What was the name of the Lord? It wasn’t Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The name of the Lord was Jesus. Paul knew that. Because when he asked, “Who art thou, 24 Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus.” He knew the name of the Lord. The Damascus road experience revealed to Paul that the name of the Lord of the Old Testament was Jesus in the New Testament. What is the instruction of Peter, the man who was given the keys to the kingdom? “Repent and be baptized in the name of the Jesus Christ, calling on the name of the Lord.” Do it invoking that name because there is no salvation other than in this name, and baptism is a part of salvation. Romans 10:13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Paul talks about those who are converted: I Corinthians 6:9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified (declared righteous, your sins washed away) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. It’s all done in His name! Philippians 2:8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Ephesians 1:20. Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in 25 that which is to come: 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Name any name you want, the Name of Jesus is far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion not only in this world but the world to come. There will never be a greater name than Jesus. It is the highest of all names. Colossians 3:17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. His Church is to have His name just as a woman takes on her husband’s name when she marries. When a believer comes in union with Jesus Christ, he is to take on His name. When a child is born, he takes on his father’s name.