Why the Bible Emphasizes the Savior’s Name
Brothers and sisters, the Bible places great emphasis on the name of our Savior. It is not only because the name “Jesus” is precious, but because God teaches us that salvation is connected to a covenant relationship and covenant faith is expressed in worship, prayer, and obedience, not only in our thoughts.
Let’s begin with Peter’s testimony:
[Acts 4:11–12] He(Jesus) is 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Peter boldly proclaimed that salvation is found in no one else, because there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.
The Gospel of John also teaches that receiving Jesus is closely connected with believing in His name:
[John 1:11–12] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
John writes that receiving Jesus and believing in His name belong together. So we should ask: Why does the Bible emphasize the Savior’s name so strongly?
Because salvation is not only a confession in our hearts. It is also a covenant relationship expressed through worship and obedience. In other words, believing in Jesus begins with faith in the heart and mind—trusting who He is and what He has done. But believing in His name also includes calling on His name in prayer and worship—faith expressed in action.
So today, let us study what it means to call on the Savior’s name in a biblical way.
What is the Bible? The Bible consists of 66 books—the Old and New Testaments. In other words, it includes 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
At its heart, the Bible is about covenant—God’s covenant relationship with His people. And Scripture teaches that this covenant relationship was established through sacrifice.
[Psalm 50:5] Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
This verse helps us understand something essential: God made covenant fellowship with His people by sacrifice. That is why the sacrificial system is one of the central themes of Scripture especially in the time of Moses because covenant worship was established through sacrifice.
God Connected His Name to Covenant Worship
In the Old Covenant, God taught His people that worship was not “anywhere” and not “any way.” He appointed a place where His Name would dwell, and He commanded that sacrifices be offered there.
[Deutronomy 12:5–6] But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
God commanded His people to seek the place where He would put His Name and to bring their sacrifices there.
[Deutronomy 12:11] Then to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name--there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the LORD.
God repeats this instruction to show how serious it is. And then He gives a warning:
[Deutronomy 12:13] Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.
So what would happen if someone claimed to worship the LORD, but offered sacrifices in a place God did not appoint—outside the covenant order? It would mean they were misusing God’s name, because they were calling on His name in worship in a way God did not authorize.
[Exodus 20:7] "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."
Even if a person said, “I worship the LORD,” misusing His name would still bring guilt and judgment. That is why the Bible teaches that the Savior’s name is not casual. Under the old covenant, God’s people were to take part in worship according to the sacrificial system connected to God’s name. If they rejected covenant worship and offered the sacrifice in a place other than a temple, they could not continue as God’s recognized people.
And Scripture teaches that this principle does not disappear in the New Covenant. Instead, the New Covenant reveals its deeper reality. It was reason why the apostles emphasized the Savior's name.
So now we will move to the New Testament and learn how Scripture connects the name of Jesus to Christ’s priestly ministry.
Hebrews Reveals the Priesthood Reality Behind Covenant Worship
The book of Hebrews explains the sanctuary and priestly system of the Old Covenant—and then shows that it points forward to a greater, heavenly reality.
[Hebrewa 9:1–5] Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
After describing the sanctuary, Hebrews explains how the priests served:
[Hebrews 9:6] When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
The key point is that priestly ministry was carried out regularly. The Old Covenant was not random worship. It was worship according to God’s appointed time. There were many appointed times - the daily prayer time twice a day, the seventh day of the Sabbath every week, seven yearly feasts.
Then Hebrews 9 highlights something very specific:
[Hebrews 9:7] But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
This verse clearly points to the one day each year when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place: the Day of Atonement. The details matter because Hebrews is not only giving history—it is teaching a spiritual reality.
Hebrews 9 describes the sacrificial system that took place on the Day of Atonement. So what is the purpose of Hebrews 9? The chapter itself tells us:
[Hebrews 9:9] This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
Verse 9 says the old covenant system is an illustration for the present time. In other words, the old covenant sanctuary services point forward to a greater reality. Hebrews teaches that the earthly system was a shadow of a heavenly, spiritual priesthood reality.
That is why calling on Jesus’ name is not casual even in the New Testament era. Calling on Jesus' name belongs to covenant worship—because Jesus’ work is connected to a heavenly priestly ministry. Therefore, we should not treat His name as a mere phrase. We must call on His name through the invisible sacrificial system Scripture reveals, and we must respond in worship according to the appointed times.
Receiving Jesus and Believing in His Name
Let me summarize today’s lesson.
Receiving Jesus begins with accepting Him as the Christ. But the New Testament also calls us to live in covenant faith—approaching God through the priestly work of Christ and responding in worship. In Scripture, faith is not only mental agreement; it is also confidence in God’s unseen work and willingness to follow His ministry of the heavenly sanctuary.
[Hebrwes 11:1-2] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.
So what does it mean to have “confidence in what we hope for” and “assurance about what we do not see”? It means trusting God’s unseen work and responding to it with faithful obedience.
The Old Testament believers trusted God’s promises. They offered sacrifices of the appointed times at the place where God put His name.
And the New Testament reveals that Jesus, our High Priest, performs real priestly work connected to salvation at the heavenly sanctuary where God put the name of Jesus. That is part of the “unseen” reality the Bible teaches us to trust.
Sadly, much of the early church’s understanding of covenant worship has been obscured over time. Many believers today have never been taught how the apostles connected salvation in Jesus’ name with Christ’s priestly ministry. So they never remember the daily prayer time, the seventh day of the Sabbath, and seven yearly feasts including the Day of Atonement.
Why We Must Return to Scripture
That is why we must return to the Bible and examine everything carefully. God calls His people to endurance—holding onto His commandments and faith in Jesus.
[Revelation 14:12] This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus
John saw the vision of the last church and recorded its characteristics. The saints are described by two marks: obedience to God’s commandments and faithfulness to Jesus.
So if we want to walk the path of the saints, we must receive Jesus and also honor His name through God's commandments Scripture teaches. We must not treat His name lightly. We must call on His name according to the priestly reality revealed in the New Covenant and respond with steady worship and obedience of the appointed times.
Brothers and sisters, let us have confidence in our faith. Even though there are many denominations and many voices around us, we do not need to be overwhelmed.
Let’s move forward with confidence. If each of us prays, serves, and invites even one more family, God can strengthen this congregation. What matters is not numbers alone, but faith, unity, and steady obedience.
Source: https://blog.naver.com/ceongkim/224144073802