In His Name
I recently had fraudulent activity on one of my credit cards. The person went on a shopping spree, purchasing at various cell phone stores, online stores, grocery stores, etc. All in all, over $2500 worth.
I had to call my credit card company and explain that I had not authorised those transactions; they had been purchased “in my name” without my consent.
Have you ever wondered about the meaning of the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7 NKJV)?
What does it mean to “misuse His name,” as another translation says?
I think it’s referring to misusing His name outside of His will.
Jesus said told His disciples, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it”( John 14:13,14 NLT). But this wasn’t a carte blanche to do whatever we want and tack on “In Jesus’ name” at the end of the prayer.
His disciples understood that the context of this promise was within God’s will; John later told his churches, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 NLT).
Just as we grant power of attorney to someone we trust to act within our best interest, Jesus gives us His authority to advance His cause. As agents of His power, we have to be faithful to His cause.
I believe this extends to all aspects of the Christian life and not just to our prayers. Taking on the name of “Christian” means taking on the message, ministry and mission of Jesus; whatever we do becomes then a reflection of Christ.
Gandhi said, “I like your Christ but I don’t like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Yet there is hope:
Paul, writing to a group of Christians in Corinth who were unChristlike in many ways, said:
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 1 Corinthians 1:1-4 (NLT)
You see, when we call on the name of Jesus, we are asking for His power and grace to transform us into His image. He makes us holy through the works of Jesus; it’s the work of a lifetime.
My children bear my husband’s and my last name; they look like us and share our DNA. We share our lives with them and try to pass on our values, which we hope they will live out in their own unique ways.
Similarly, when we take on Jesus’ name, we are committing to learning and growing in Him to reflect His image in our unique personalities and callings.
Then we can bring honour to His name.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14