A Name For Ourselves
Genesis 11 lists three actions the people of Babylon erred in. They were bad because they were meant to glorify themselves instead of glorifying God. We are instructed to do everything in Christ's name and to God's glory. They did everything for their power and glory.
1. They built a city for themselves.
2. They built a tower for themselves.
3. They made a name for themselves.
All of this was for their glory. None of this was directed by God. It was out of their own mind that they were acting. Paul said that Christians had the mind of Christ. Christ said everything he spoke was from the Father. He did not speak anything doctrinally from himself, or his own mind.
Joh 14:10 BelievestG4100 thou notG3756 thatG3754 IG1473 am inG1722 theG3588 Father,G3962 andG2532 theG3588 FatherG3962 inG1722 me?G1698 theG3588 wordsG4487 thatG3739 IG1473 speakG2980 unto youG5213 I speakG2980 notG3756 ofG575 myself:G1683 butG1161 theG3588 FatherG3962 that dwellethG3306 inG1722 me,G1698 heG846 doethG4160 theG3588 works.G2041
Keep in mind it was God who directed the name of our savior and the name of the church. Joseph and Mary got the name of Jesus from God and they were commanded to use the name God gave them. It was while Joseph thought about the situation that God instructed him to name the child. Joseph could have acted of his own mind, but out of honor he did God's will.
Mat 1:20 ButG1161 while heG846 thoughtG1760 on these things,G5023 behold,G2400 the angelG32 of the LordG2962 appearedG5316 unto himG846 inG2596 a dream,G3677 saying,G3004 Joseph,G2501 thou sonG5207 of David,G1138 fearG5399 notG3361 to takeG3880 unto thee MaryG3137 thyG4675 wife:G1135 forG1063 that which is conceivedG1080 inG1722 herG846 isG2076 ofG1537 the HolyG40 Ghost.G4151
Mat 1:21 AndG1161 she shall bring forthG5088 a son,G5207 andG2532 thou shalt callG2564 hisG846 nameG3686 JESUS:G2424 forG1063 heG846 shall saveG4982 hisG848 peopleG2992 fromG575 theirG846 sins.G266
Jesus did not make for himself a name. Joseph and Mary did not use names of their own liking. They used the name God gave.
We can also see the same name in a different language was given by a prophet of old. It wasn't from an Angel or prophet, but was from the Lord and they were messengers of God's prophecy. It came from God's intuition.
Mat 1:22 NowG1161 allG3650 thisG5124 was done,G1096 thatG2443 it might be fulfilledG4137 whichG3588 was spokenG4483 ofG5259 theG3588 LordG2962 byG1223 theG3588 prophet,G4396 saying,G3004
Mat 1:23 Behold,G2400 a virginG3933 shall be with child,G2192 G1722 G1064 andG2532 shall bring forthG5088 a son,G5207 andG2532 they shall callG2564 hisG846 nameG3686 Emmanuel,G1694 whichG3739 being interpretedG3177 is,G2076 GodG2316 withG3326 us.G2257
Thus the name of Christ and his people were named by God himself. The church did not devise a name for itself, it was given by God. As a people we are named after the office of Jesus, his office was "Christ", thus we are as a people Christians. As distinct congregations we are "Churches of Christ" or assemblies of Christ. We are not named after anyone's personal ministry or their personal name.
When people designate their own name legally they want to control content and revenues as a business. To me this is the same violation as Genesis 11, they build a building and business under their legal control instead of God's.
Col 3:17 AndG2532 whatsoeverG3748 G302 ye doG4160 inG1722 wordG3056 orG2228 deed,G2041 do allG3956 inG1722 the nameG3686 of the LordG2962 Jesus,G2424 giving thanksG2168 to GodG2316 andG2532 the FatherG3962 byG1223 him.G846
We should use Christ's name and his authority to name ourselves with the name he has given us. Just because we have ministries doesn't give us the right to glorify ourselves by naming the church after ourselves.
Col 4:17 AndG2532 sayG2036 to Archippus,G751 Take heedG991 to theG3588 ministryG1248 whichG3739 thou hast receivedG3880 inG1722 the Lord,G2962 thatG2443 thou fulfilG4137 it.G846
All ministries are "In the Lord", therefore they bear his name and authority.