Ten dollars is called ten dollars because that's all it's worth. I can rename it and say my ten dollar note should be called fifty dollars but this doesn't make it worth fifty. What if I say: "you can call yours ten dollars and I'll call mine fifty because the name doesn't matter." The next time you go to your local store, try making a fifty dollar purchase with a ten dollar bill and tell the store owner that your ten dollar bill is worth fifty. I'll be happy to know how that conversation plays out.
On your way home, let's assume you see a group of people bouncing and shooting a big round basketball into a round frame with nets attached. A little kid asks you: "what is the name of this game?" You replied, it's called baseball. "But there are no bases, pitching or a bat" - said the kid. You replied by saying, the name of the game doesn't matter as long as you play it the right way. What if I told you that Micheal Jordan is the greatest tennis player in history but he never played basketball; what would be your reaction? Tennis is not basketball and basketball is not baseball.
OK. Let's end your day with this. You are very hungry for lobster (seafood) on your way home from watching the game. You see a sign in front of a building that says "Red Lobster Restaurant" and you walked in very excited. You realized that they are only serving rice and beans but they have ALL kinds of seafood listed on the menu. The server refused to prep or serve lobster or any kind of seafood. The server tells you that what is on the menu doesn't matter. What would be your reaction? Even with the correct name outside the building, are you disappointed it didn't match your experience inside the building?
The name of the restaurant represents the name of the church you attend. Does the group belong to Paul, Peter, John the baptist or Jesus Christ?
The menu represents the bible with everything about God's truth and the server represents your minister or preacher. Is your minister preparing and serving you what's in the bible menu or is he telling you the menu doesn't matter?
Re-naming an orange as an apple on the outside will not make it an apple on the inside. The name identifies and the content verifies because the name is as important as what is being named. Jesus is the head of His body, which is also His Church (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23). If your name is John, then your body is the body of John or John's body. If Christ is the head of His body (church), it should be called the body(church) of Christ or Christ's body. You cannot cut your head off and name it John while calling your body Justin. Your head and your body wear the same name because they both complete each other and one cannot live without the other. So is Christ the head and his body the Church. Jesus paid for the church with His precious blood (Acts 20:28) because it means a lot to Him - it's His, not yours and not mine. If what happens with or inside your own body is not important, then let people do whatever they please with your body. Jesus Christ doesn't like people messing around with His body(church) just like you don't like people messing with yours even if they called it by the correct name. Let's name it right and get it right.
