What Could be in a Name ?

Names? I have read in the bible various instances of God changing the name of a person to reflect their new “changed” nature (not to mention, the names of God and the character traits they communicate as well).

Abram became Abraham, (see Gen 15:5; Abram means exalted father while Abraham means father of the multitude signifying that the biggest change in this man was simply the ability of God to keep His own promise to bless him)

Jacob became Israel, (Jacob=contender Gen 32:22-32, while Israel=he prevails with God, God contends or perserveres)

Simon becomes Peter, (Simon=listen, Peter=little rock)

Saul becomes Paul, (Saul=inquired of God, Paul=small, humble)

• Abraham became the father of our faith and of many nations
• Israel learned to cooperate with God and be victorious with God (rather than contending against Him)
• Simon learned the strength of forgiveness and serving others with his strength
• Paul sought God and found Him along with humility and becoming less so Christ could be revealed more.

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So I have no problem agreeing with the fact that names are important. Names establish identity. they often are given by a parent to reflect some character trait they find desireable and hope to see in the child to whom the name is given.

Some people reading this may know the real meaning of their given name (i.e. mine, David means “gift”) and some of you may have even been given a new name by God in your new relationship with Him. I have one of those as well, which I have shared with some of my closest friends.

What even less of us know, is just how many names we already have in our relationship with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. These names tell us something about us and often something about the One who gave us the names.

 

• Anointed (1 John 2:20, 2 Cor 1:21-22, Heb 1:9)
• Believers (Acts 5:14, 1 Tim 4:12)
• Beloved (Rom 1:7, 2 Thess 2:13, 1 John 4:10-11)
• Blessed (John 20:29, Gal 3:19)
• Born Again (John 3:3-7, 1 Pet 1:23)
• Children of God (Matt 5:9, Gal 3:26, Rom 8:16)
• Children of the Highest (Luke 6:35)
• Children of Light (Eph 5:18, 1 Thess 5:5)
• Children of the Resurrection (Luke 20:36)
• Children of the Covenant (Acts 3:25)
• Children of the Living God (Rom 9:26)
• Children of Abraham (Gal 3:7)
• Children of Promise (Gal 4:28)
• Christians (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, 1 Pet 4:16)
• Disciples (John 8:31-32, John 13:34-35)
• Elect of God (Col 3:12-13)
• Faithful (Psalm 31:23, 1 Cor 4:2, Rev 2:10, Rev 17:14
• Followers of Jesus Christ (Eph 5:1)
• Heirs of promise (Gal 3:29, Heb 6:17, 1 Pet 3:17)
• Instruments (Acts 9:15)
• Israel of God (Gal 6:15-16
• Justified (Rom 3:28, Rom 5:1-2, Acts 13;39, Titus 3:7)
• Light (Matt 5:13-16)
• Overcomers (Gal 3:26, 2 Pet 2;19, 1 John 4:4)
• Partakers of Christ Eph 3:6, 2 Cor 1:7, Col 1:12, 1 Pet 4:13)
• Pilgrims (Heb 11:13, 1 Pet 2:11)
• Prisoners of Christ (Eph 3:1, Philemon 1:1, Philemon 1:9
• Reconciled (Rom 5:10, Gal 3:26, Eph 2:15-16)
• Redeemed (Gal 3:13)
• Regenerated (Luke 9:23, Titus 3:5)
• Renewed (Rom 12:2, Eph 4:23-24, Titus 3:5-6)
• Salt (Matt 5:13-16)
• Sanctified (John 17:17-19, Rom 15:16, Acts 20:32, 1 Cor 1:2, Heb 10:10-14)
• Saved (Rom 10:13, Acts 16:31)
• Saints of God (1 Cor 1:2)
• Servants of God (Rom 6:22, 1 Pet 2:15-16)
• Servants of righteousness (Rom 6:16-18)
• Sons and Daughters of God (John 1:12, Rom 1;1, Rom 8:14, 1 John 3:2)
• Sheep (John 10:7, 9, 11, 14, John 10:25-30, Heb 13:20-21)
• Strangers (Heb 11:13, 1 Pet 2:11)
• Temple of God (1 Cor 3:16-17, 2 Cor 6:16-18)
• Vessels (2 Cor 4:7)
• Witnesses (Luke 24:48, Acts 2:32, 1 Thess 2:10-12)

How much do you rely on how God sees you compared to how to let others tell you how to see yourself ?

 

What’s in a name ?  Everything !  🙂

 

εν διακονια τω θεω, Dave Cadieux