For quite some time now as Alice and I have been driving, we’ve been noticing and making note of the names that people have placed on their church signs and buildings. Here are a few of the names that we’ve recorded: Lifesong Church, God Family Church, Living Word Church, The Church Alive, Victory Life Church, River of Life Church, Cowboy Church and, if you can believe it, Whatachurch. It’s amazing! Folks have really gotten creative, and I can only guess that the effort is to try to establish individuality. That seems to be a really big ego booster today, and I know of no other reason anyone would attempt to put a name on an entity that God Himself already named.
Some of these “church” names might interest someone enough that he or she would be curious enough to just go there to see what else was being offered. Someone might be enticed to become a member because of the newness and the excitement found there. However, what about the Truth? One must always be concerned that the truth of God’s Word is the number one priority in a body of people who claim to be His children.
We’ve all heard the old question, “What’s in a name?” Does it make any difference anyway? Of course, it does! How do you think a husband who married the wife that he loves would feel if she took another man’s name rather than his? Some might say they wouldn’t care, but don’t you believe it! If he truly loves his wife, he wouldn’t want her to wear another man’s name.
So it is with our Lord. In speaking of Christ being in God’s presence, Paul told the Ephesian brethren that God “set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, power, might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church which is His body…” (Ephesians 1:20-23). God gave His Son the name of Jesus, which means Messiah or Savior. It is a name that is blessed above all others. Did you notice that it says in this Scripture that God made Jesus the Head of the church because the church is the body of Christ? This thought is reiterated in Colossians 1:18, “He [i.e., Christ] is the head of the body, the church.” God gave the designation of “the head of the church” to Christ, not to someone else.
Paul told the Roman brethren that “we, being many, are one body in Christ” (Romans 12:4). Though a congregation may be made up of many members or only a few, they are still the one body of Christ if they are practicing His teachings. Without a doubt, God has made it plain and clear in His Word that Christ is the Head of the church. God made Jesus head over all things and especially head over the church. So, there can be no doubt that the church should wear His name, not some made-up name that humans have created—to their shame.
The definition of “church” is “a body of Christians.” The word “Christian” means “belonging to Christ.” So, if Christians belong to Christ, why would they even want to wear another name? Paul made it really easy for us to understand in Ephesians 5:23, “The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and He is the saviour of the body.” How can anyone misunderstand that?
Don’t be enticed by a fancy, exciting name. It may sound good, but in reality, it will lead you to a place of eternal punishment. It’s my prayer that, if you’re not already a member of Christ’s church, you will study and learn what He wants you to do and become a part of Christ’s body. The name is important!
