05.05. NAMES AND TITLES OF CHRIST (No. 2)

NAMES AND TITLES OF CHRIST

(No. 2).

Jesus said: "If a man love me, he will keep my word." (John 14:23). Indifference, negligence, and disobedience cannot dwell in the heart full of love for Christ. We often put forth much time and labor in an earnest effort to show people what the Lord would have them do, when they care nothing about him, or what he says. Could we stir up in their hearts a consuming love for him, all the powers of darkness could not keep them from learning and doing his will. How shall we kindle this love, and cultivate it? Association, together with what a person is, and that for which he stands, begats love, if he and claims meet our ideals. It is the purpose of these lessons to lead the student into a deeper, closer association with Christ, and a more intimate acquaintance with the principles of his kingdom; and to encourage him to be Christ-like in his’ influence over his associates. life. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14:6).

"When Christ who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." (Colossians 3:4). ’

"I am the resurrection, and the life." (John 11:25).

"And the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifest unto us." (1 John 1:2).

Jesus is called "life" because he is the source of all life, from him life conies. "In him is life." (John 1:4). He possesses life inherit and is not dependent on conditions or circumstances.

"For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself." (John 5:26). The life in the divine beings is inherent, underived, independent. Not so with us. Our life comes from Deity, and is dependent on him.

"He himself giveth to all life and breath." (Acts 17:25).

"In him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28).

Without him there is no life.

"He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life." (1 John 5:12).

We must come in vital connection with him to have life. Apart from him there is no life. "Ye will not come to me, that ye may have life." (John 5:40). This vital connection with Christ is established through a living faith in him. Christ came to the earth to make it possible for us to partake of the life that is in him. (See "Faith" in Sound Doctrine, Vol. 2, p. 127f).

"Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31). The life inherent in Christ he imparts to his words "The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life." (John 6:63). "Christ liveth in me." (Romans 2:20).

FOUNDATION. Every institution, whether political, civic, fraternal, moral or religious, must have a foundation, person, principle (or principles) upon which its claims rest. Every building must have a foundation, whether, therefore you consider the church an institution or a building, you must realize that it has a foundation.

"Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11). The church is not built on Peter, nor upon any other human being. It is built upon the living Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world. In him rests our faith and our hopes, and upon him we build, and are builded When we accept Christ the Son of God, as our Savior, we are builded upon him, and when we lead others to trust and obey him we are building upon the foundation. bread of life. Humanity is hungry for that which they know not. The restlessness of the age indicates this. The great bulk of humanity has not yet found that which satisfies. In their blindness the people now, like Israel of old, spent their money for that which is not bread, and labor for that which satisfies not. (Isaiah 55:2). A worse state than dumb brutes, the world knows not where to find its food.

"The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not con­sider." (Isaiah 1:3). This would be amusing were it not tragic.

Bread, and also drink that satisfies, is within reach of all. Jesus said:

"The bread of God is that which cometh out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world." (John 6:33).

Again: "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35).

We eat of his flesh and drink of his blood when we learn, love, and faithfully follow his teaching. It is a mistake to think that we eat of his flesh and drink of his blood only in the Lord’s Supper. The observance of every command is food for the soul. Jesus himself said:

"My meat is to do the will of him that sent me." (John 4:34).

PROPHET. A prophet is one who speaks for another. The true meaning of "prophet" is illustrated in the relation of Aaron to Moses and Pharaoh.

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh." (Exodus 7:1-2).

Moses told Aaron what to say, and he delivered the message unto Pharaoh, that is, he spoke for Moses. The prophet may foretell future events, or he may teach present truths and duties, but the essential idea is, a prophet is one who speaks for another, whether revealing present duties or foretelling events. In New Testament times one who taught prophesied. (1 Corinthians 11:1-6).

Jesus Christ is God’s great prophet to man.

"God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son." (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Hence he delivered God’s message to man. He himself says, "For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what T should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life eternal; the things therefore which I speak even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." John 12:49-50).

"Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like me; to him shall ye harken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you." (Acts 3:22).

After man has sinned against God, and polluted himself, it is a glorious thing for Christ to speak to him. Man would rarely go and hunt up his fellow-man who has so sinned against him, and speak tenderly and compassionately to him to bring back his good will and fellowship. But Christ pursues rebellious man with his message of love, seeking to reclaim him from the sins and evils into which he has plunged,

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her own brood under her wings, and ye would not! (Luke 13:34). Even so he would do to all mankind. high priest. The priest is the one who officiated in the tabernacle and approached God with the people’s offerings. Only the high priests, who was over the other priests, might enter the Holy of Holies. Christians are priests under God (Revelation 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5-9), and over us is Jesus Christ our High Priest.

"Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:17).

"For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to Cod. that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." (Hebrews 5:1).

Through him alone; through his name only as high priest, may one approach God. This gives added significance to the requirements that one approach God in prayer in the name of Christ. "In the name of Christ" does not always mean "By the authority of Christ."

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask anything in my name, that will I do." {John 14:13-14).

"Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he will give it you." (John 15:16). In prayer you approach the Father in the name of Christ, that is, it is through him in his priestly office that we approach God in prayer. To fail to approach God in prayer in the name of Christ, is to ignore his priestly office. We cannot think of God hearing one in prayer, when he ignores the priestly office of Christ, and presumes to approach God in his own name. Both prophets and priests are representative persons; or more accurately, persons through which an approach is made to another. The prophet is God’s representative to man; the priest is man’s representative to God—through him we approach God. Through Christ as prophet God speaks to man; through Christ as high priest we go to the Father. The prophet, Christ, brought to man a message. Christ intercedes for man. (Hebrews 7:25). friend of sinners. We enjoy friends at all times, but there frequently comes a time when we need a special friend, one who is a friend indeed; one to whom we can go in grief and humiliation; one to whom we can go in the darkest hour of need; and have abiding conviction that he will understand and with no feeling that we are imposing on him. Such a friend is Jesus. He understands oui sorrows, for he was a man of "sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3). He knows our weakness, and can be touched by our infirmities, for he partook of our nature, (Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 5:2). While his attitude towards sinners gains for him the appellation of "friend of sinners." (Matthew 11:19). He contacted sinners that he might lift them to a higher life, and made himself approachable so they might feel free to come to him. He made the supreme sacrifice showing his friendship, and desire to help sinners." "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13).

Christ did not wait for man to become his friends before he extended to them love and friendship; but "while we were yet sinners he died for us." (Romans 5:8). He is your friend; are you his friend?

"Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I com­mand you." (John 15:14). head of the church. "And gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is the body." (Ephesians 1:22-23). "And he is the head of the body, the church." (Colossians 1:18).

Here the church is conceived as a body. The head directs and controls the body. The church needs someone to direct and control it. Where the membership of the body cannot be controlled by the head, something is wrong. We see the lack of control of the body in paralysis. We see lack of control of the spiritual body of Christ, when the members do not move as the head directs. Some are paralyzed, others have St. Vitus dance. Where such is evident proper relationship with the head should be reestablished.

TEACHER. A teacher is one who is able to solve for us the intricate problems with which we are confronted, and to make known to us that which we can not without guidance understand. The teacher gives one a greater insight into the truths he knows. Many times we need be taught the relationship of one truth to some other truth. The character of the teacher will always determine the lesson he will teach. Evil teachers, those schooled in sin and iniquity, seek to teach such. Nicodemus, a teacher, a member of the Jewish sanhedrin, recognized in Jesus a teacher who could instruct him in things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and sought instruction from him. (John 3:1-2). Many came to Jesus with problems about the law of Moses. (Mark 12:19), and he taught them, giving an insight they did not have. Of him they said: "Never a man so spake." (John 7:46). He taught as one having authority. (Matthew 7:29). To him the rich young man went seeking instruction, asking how to obtain eternal life. (Matthew 19:16). The greatest jurists, lawyers, philosophers, poets and writers of all ages study the words of Jesus, the wonderful teacher. What an honor though we are ignorant and rebel against Jehovah, he sent this matchless teacher and permitted us to be disciples in his school. He teaches us the true way of life, the way of salvation, and the way of happiness. Having been taught of his way, let us walk therein. The textbook to be studied and taught is the Bible. advocate. An advocate is one who intercedes, or pleads the cause of another. Having been called into a new life, with new relationships as citizens of the kingdom of God, we frequently suffer a lapse; not being thoroughly conversant with the laws of the kingdom, or through the weakness of the flesh and sinful practices which have become "second nature" with us, we transgress the laws of the kingdom. It should be borne in mind that a law cannot exist without a penalty; also that laws are inflexible. When one transgresses the law, the one voice of the law is: "Inflict the penalty!" How sorely we do need an advocate—one to intercede with the Father for us; to plead our cause before him. On whom but Christ can we rely in our extremity? He is our friend. He was tempted in all points as are we. (Hebrews 4:15).

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with .the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1).

"Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercessions for them." (Hebrews 7:25).

How great should our love be for Christ our advocate. king. Had it not been for man’s need of government for his own welfare and happiness, Jesus would have never become our king. Men strive to become rulers to satisfy their own ambitions, but not so with Jesus. He was moved by no ulterior motive. He had no selfish ends to gain. The same spirit that prompted him to die for us moved him to reign over us. Realizing this we should be more ready and willing to place ourselves under his beneficent reign. As king he directs our way.

"O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."

(Jeremiah 10:23).

It is now, in this life, that we need him as our king. That he is our king, thus supplying our present and constant need for government, is clearly set forth in the word of God: He now has a kingdom and his servants are ir. it.

"Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." (Colossians 1:18).

"He is the Lord of lords, and King of Kings." (Revelation 17:14). the Christ—the Messiah. In places too numerous to mention he is called "the Christ." "Jesus Christ." "Christ" means "anointed." The corresponding Hebrew word is "Messiah." The meaning of the word "anoint" is, "To smear or run over with oil or an unctious substance; also, to spread over, as oil. To apply oil or to pour oil upon, as a sacred rite, especially for consecration." This was done as part of the ceremony of inducting into office or any special function. In Old Testament times, prophets, priests, and kings were thus consecrated. (See Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 8:2; Leviticus 3:12; 1 Samuel 10:1-16; 1 Samuel 13:2; 1 Kings 19:16). No literal oil was used in anointing Jesus, but he was anointed with "the oil of gladness." (Hebrews 1:9). He is the anointed prophet, high priest, and king. Because he is above all others he is referred to by way of preeminence as the Anointed, or the Christ, and the Messiah. prince of peace. Among a number of other exalted titles, Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah as the Prince of Peace. He came to make peace between God and man and to teach such principles as would, if practiced, lead to peace in all the earth. But he did not come to make peace between right and wrong. He came primarily to bring man back to God. He was an uncompromising fighter against everything that hindered the accomplishment of that grand object. Read his scathing denunciation of those who hindered him in his great purpose. When we become full of the spirit of Christ we will fight every form of evil, everything that comes between God and man. Said he:

"I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire if it is already kindled?" (Luke 12:49). Again:

"Think not that I came to send peace on the earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law: and a man’s foes shall be those of his own household." (Matthew 10:34-36).

Think not that you are imitating the Prince of Peace by remaining quiet in the face of evil, or failing to oppose that which is wrong. In order to promote peace between God and man Jesus stirs up the spirit of opposition against everything that is wrong. There is peace between all who are at peace with God!. Would peace come if the Prince of Peace reigned supreme in every heart? the way. The sinner is lost—the world is lost. Man has lost his bearing. Aside from Christ we are hopelessly entangled in the vexing problems of life. The brightest minds have sought to find the way out, and we have listened to them only to discover ourselves deeper in the wilderness. There is no one today who can show us the way out—even of our financial fog. We are in all these vexing problems because we follow blind guides. Jesus said:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6).

He is the true way of life. He says to the lost sinner: I am the way out, follow me. He is the only hope for this sin-cursed earth.

JUDGE. "For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son; that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." John 5:22-23). The following passages refer to "the day of judgment." (Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22; Matthew 12:36; 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:7; 1 John 4:17).

"It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27).

"But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

"To those on the left hand he will say: Depart from me, ye cursed into eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:31-41).

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION

• The significance of names.

• The power of a name.

• Human names for preachers.

• Baptized "into name" signifies what?

• The "New Name."

QUESTIONS

You are your own judge and witness to the things contained on the "Scroll" of your life presented before you.

God can dwell in humble hearts; but none other.