Is calling the Messiah by his true name important? I have listed below some pretty strong statements, each of which is followed by scripture to support them. These Scriptures should be read in context to grasp the full meaning of the text.
By the time you are finished reading each of these scriptures, there should be no doubt as to how important Yahushua’s name really is.
Definition of the word “name” in scripture
Knowing that some may object to the idea that “name” only means character or reputation, this will show that “name” no only means “character and reputation” but also a literal written and spoken name.
This is the definition of the Hebrew word “shem” which is translated as “name” all throughout scripture.
Strong’s #8034 Shem; a primitive word [perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064]; an appellation, AS A MARK or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: – + base, [in-] fame[-ous], name[-d], renown, report.
As you can see from the above definition, a name not only represents one’s character but also HIS MARK. What is a mark but something that is written? This fits with the statement that the name of Yahweh, for instance, is His memorial of individuality:
Exodus 3:15 (KJV) And Elohim said moreover to Moses, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, YAHWEH Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, hath sent me to you: this [is] my name for ever, and this [is] my memorial to all generations.
Man has set up many memorials for himself such as “The Unknown Soldier” or “The Wall” for instance. Can you imagine the punishment one would receive if someone had gone up and destroyed one of these memorials? Their names, their marks of individuality would be destroyed.
Now if we wouldn’t desecrate one of man’s memorials, then why would anyone want to replace Yahweh’s memorial with some generic title? We do not have the authority or right to change His name, or His Son’s name, to whatever we want to call Him. Yahweh named His Son and we have no business changing it.
Yahushua’s Name is supreme over all!
Acts 4:12 (KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved.
Philippians 2:9- Wherefore Elohim also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 – That at the name of Yahushua every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] on earth, and [things] under the earth; 11 – And [that] every tongue should confess that Yahushua Messiah [is] Master, to the glory of Elohim the Father.
Hebrews 1:4- Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
The Holy Spirit is sent in Yahushua’s Name
John 14:26 (KJV) But the Comforter, [who is] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.
True believers call on His Name.
Acts 9:14 (KJV) And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Acts 9:21 (KJV) But all that heard [him] were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here for that intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?
Acts 22:16 (KJV) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Master.
1 Corinthians 1:2- To the church of Elohim which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Messiah Yahushua, called [to be] saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Yahushua Messiah our Master, both theirs and ours:
True believers call on His Name for salvation.
Acts 2:21 (KJV) And it shall come to pass, [that] whoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved.
Acts 4:12 (KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved.
True believers are anointed in His Name
James 5:14 (KJV) Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Master:
True believers are baptized in His Name
Acts 2:38 (KJV) Then Peter said to them, Repent ye, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:16 (KJV) (For as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Master Yahushua.)
Acts 10:48 (KJV) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Master. Then they requested him to tarry certain days.
Acts 19:5- When they heard [this], they were baptized into the name of the Master Yahushua.
True believers are forgiven in His Name
Luke 24:47 (KJV) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 10:43 (KJV) To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Acts 22:16 (KJV) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Master.
1 John 2:12 (KJV) I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
True believers are justified in His Name.
1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Master Yahushua, and by the Spirit of our Elohim.
True believers are protected by His Name
John 17:11 (KJV) And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given to me, that they may be one, as we [are].
John 17:12 (KJV) While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest to me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
True believers assemble in His Name
Matthew 18:20 (KJV) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
1 Corinthians 5:4- In the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Master Yahushua Messiah,
True believers bear His Name
Acts 9:15 (KJV) But the Master said to him, Go: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
True believers believe in His Name
John 1:12 (KJV) But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of Elohim, [even] to them that believe on his name: {power: or, the right, or, privilege}
John 3:18 (KJV) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of Elohim.
Acts 3:16 (KJV) And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
1 John 3:23 (KJV) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Yahushua Messiah, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1 John 5:13 (KJV) These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of Elohim; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of Elohim.
True believers command and make appeals in His Name
1 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV) Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. {divisions: Gr. schisms}
2 Thessalonians 3:6- Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received from us.
True believers do everything in His Name
Colossians 3:17 (KJV) And whatever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Master Yahushua, giving thanks to Elohim and the Father by him.
True believers do miracles and heal in His Name
Acts 3:6- Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give thee: In the name of Yahushua Messiah of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Acts 3:16 (KJV) And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Acts 4:10 (KJV) Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yahushua Messiah of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom Elohim raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you in good health.
Acts 4:30 (KJV) By stretching forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Yahushua.
True believers drive out demons in His Name
Mark 9:38 (KJV) And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
Luke 10:17 (KJV) And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Master, even the demons are subject to us through thy name.
Acts 16:18 (KJV) And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Yahushua Messiah to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
True believers give thanks in His Name
Ephesians 5:20 (KJV) Giving thanks always for all things to Elohim and the Father in the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah;
True believers honor His Name
2 Thessalonians 1:12 (KJV) That the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah may be honored in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our Elohim and of the Master Yahushua Messiah.
True believers have life in His Name
John 20:31 (KJV) But these are written, that ye may believe that Yahushua is the Messiah, the Son of Elohim; and that believing ye may have life through his name.
True believers make requests in His Name
John 14:13 (KJV) And whatever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 16:23 (KJV) And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say to you, Whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you. 24 – Until now ye have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 – These things have I spoken to you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly concerning the Father. {proverbs: or, parables. 26 – At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not to you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 – For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came from Elohim.
True believers speak, preach and teach in His Name
Acts 4:18 (KJV) And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Yahushua.
Acts 5:28 (KJV) Saying, Did we not strictly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Acts 5:40 (KJV) And to him they assented: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Yahushua, and let them go.
Acts 8:12 (KJV) But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of Elohim, and the name of Yahushua Messiah, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 9:27 (KJV) But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Master in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Yahushua. 28 – And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
True believers suffer for His Name
Luke 21:12 (KJV) But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute [you], delivering [you] up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
John 15:20 (KJV) Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
John 15:21 (KJV) But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Acts 5:41 (KJV) And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Acts 9:15 (KJV) But the Master said to him, Go: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts 9:16 (KJV) For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Acts 15:26 (KJV) Men that have risked their lives for the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah.
Acts 21:13 (KJV) Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Master Yahushua.
1 Peter 4:14 (KJV) If ye are reproached for the name of Messiah, happy [are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of Elohim resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Revelation 2:3- And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.