The Name in the Gospel of John

The Name in the Gospel of John

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” John 1:12.
Salvation here then comes by believing on the Name. “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed on His Name, beholding His signs which He did.” John 2:23.

Christianity would have a new element in it if we taught the people intelligently what it meant to believe ON the Name as a sinner and then to believe IN the Name as a believer. As a sinner, I believe ON the Name; as a believer, I am baptized INTO it, and then I walk and live IN the Name; and this Man is the Head of the Church.

Jesus is the Head: we are the Body. We are baptized into the Head. To the Head belongs the Name, and the Head gives us, the Body, the right to live, to walk, to use the power of that Name. “He that believeth on Him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the Name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18.

Judgment is coming to man because he has not believed on the Name. “Whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My Name, that will I do.” John 14:13-14. This is the first time that man had ever been taught to pray in the Name of a Mediator.

Here, Jesus gives to His disciples the unique privilege of praying in His Name.
Up to that time, they had prayed through the High Priest; now, they were to pray through this new High Priest. Wherever they go, whatever they do, they are to bear with them the Name of this One Who is seated at the right hand of the Father; and Jesus says that the Father is glorified in the Son by our praying and asking in His Name.
“If ye shall ask anything in My Name, that will I do.”

Jesus is seated there at the Father’s right hand to endorse our petitions when they come tip to the Father in His Name. “That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Fattier in My Name, He may give it you.” John 15:16.

“And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, He will give it you in My Name. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.” John 16:23-24.
This is the Great Charter Promise in the Name of Christ.

In this, we can plainly see the legal foundation for a wonderful prayer life for the Church-a legal right to use the Name of Jesus without any restrictions.
If we are children of God, all that is in that Name belongs to us.
It is not a question of our worthiness: it is a question of His standing in heaven, and as sons and daughters we take our place and claim our rights.