No Other Name

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV 2016).

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1–2, NIV 1984).

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:34–35, NIV 1984).

Being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:6–7, NIV 1984).

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30–31, NIV 1984).

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NIV 1984).

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63–64, NIV 1984).

My Musings – No other person in history fulfilled the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah, and no one else ever will. Jesus is the One the Scriptures said He would be, the One He claimed to be, and the One the Father acknowledges. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17, NIV 1984).

Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is truly and fully human as well as truly and fully divine, co-equal with the Father and the Spirit in Godhead. We believe in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, and in His ascension to the right hand of the Father. (Articles of Faith, First Baptist Church of Sycamore, Church Constitution & Bylaws).

My Advice – Why is all of this important? “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10–12, NIV 1984).

But saved “from” what? Not popular to say it these days, but the truth is often unpopular — saved from eternal death in Hell. And saved “for” what? Something many no longer believe in these days, but the truth does not cease to be the truth just because you don’t believe it — saved for eternal life in Heaven.

The incredible thing is salvation is offered to all, and it is free, because Jesus paid the price. But we must choose to accept it. Read my musing series “The Born Again Experience” to learn how.