Honoring the Name of Christ

By Royce Frederick

Christ “is the head of the body, the church” and should have “the preeminence” in all things (Col. 1:18). In every city, churches which truly obey Christ are “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). They are not churches of John, Paul, Peter, Mary, or any other person (1 Cor. 1:10-13; 3:4, 21-23). Christ is the one who died for His church, built it, owns it, rules it, and will deliver it to God. We must “...do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). There is “...no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We honor God the Father by honoring His Son (Jn. 5:23; Eph. 3:20-21; 1 Pet. 1:21). Followers of men use religious names which they have chosen, but followers of Christ merely wear the name “Christian” (Acts 11:26; 26:28). And as we wear that name, we must not dishonor it by doing evil, but honor it by enduring evil (1 Pet. 4:15-16).