From this insightful verse
we notice four key points:
1.
“Neither is there salvation in any other………. whereby
we must be saved.”- Salvation
2.
“…. for there is none other name…….” – The Name of Jesus Christ
3.
“…… under heaven….” – The Realms/worlds
4.
“….. given among men…….” – The Power in the Name given to Us
The first key point we see
in this verse is that salvation of man is only through our Lord and Master
Jesus Christ. There is no other way for man to have his soul saved and
transformed from a state of death to eternal life. Even before His birth the
angel of the Lord told Joseph what Jesus was to do, and that was to save us
from our sins: Matthew 1:21. Jesus
himself said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Also in Acts 2:38 Peter urged the people listening to him on the day of
Pentecost to, “Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Peter’s call to the gathering
only reaffirms the eternal truth that Jesus Christ saves those who willingly
open their hearts to Him and believe that He is Lord.
The second and most powerful
point in Acts 4:12 is the Name of
Jesus Christ. The Name of Jesus Christ is a name of power and authority: a name
greater than any name conferred on anyone or being. We first have to realize
that Jesus inherited His name from the Father; Hebrews 1:4-5, “4
Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a
more excellent name than they. 5 For
unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I
begotten thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a
Son?” Psalm 2:7 bears witness to
Hebrews 1:4-5. Apart from inheriting
the name, Jesus had His excellent name bestowed on Him. Upon His death at the
cross and His resurrection, our Father gave to Jesus the mighty name in which
we find joy, hope and strength.
Philippians 2:9, “Wherefore God also
hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name.”
God was greatly pleased with His Son, our brother, and found Him worthy of the
name that is greater than any that was, is and is to come. Ephesians 1:17-23 and John
17:24 confirm that our Father bestowed the mighty name on Jesus after He
resurrected from the grave. Jesus Christ also acquired His wonderful name by
conquest. Upon His death He descended to the depths of hell and easily defeated
the devil. Colossians 2:15, “And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Like a
victor who is feared by the defeated long after the battle, the name of Jesus
(our victor) is feared. Hebrews 2:14,
“Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is,
the devil.” Revelations 1:18, “I am he that lived, and was dead; and,
behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
For someone to have the keys to your home means you have been totally defeated
and thus subject to the wills of the one with the keys. This is the case of the
devil and he very much fears the name of the One who made a show of him; the
name of Jesus Christ.
The power the name of Jesus
has in the three realms or worlds is the third point we see in Acts 4:12. Jesus is not only Lord on
earth but also in hell (he has the keys) and sits on the right hand side of our
Father in heaven. Therefore His name has power in all three realms. Philippians 2:10, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth.” Also Jesus tells you and
me that where ever and whenever we gather in His name, He is amongst us. This
means that once we call on His name and believe everything that comes with His
name: the power that He himself has, falls upon us.
This leads to the fourth and
final point in Acts 4:12; and that
is the Power in His name has been given to us freely. Jesus tells us in Matthew 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Our Big Brother has
given us the authority and the right to use His name because He is in us as we
are one in Him; Matthew 17:21-23. We
have been empowered by that wonderful name to teach the Word of salvation and
life: Matthew 28:18-20. We have to
understand that we do not have to work or do anything extraordinary to receive
this power but to just believe and have faith in Jesus Christ and in His Mighty
Name. John 16: 23-24 tells us that
whatever we ask our Father in His name shall be provided unto us. The Mighty
Name of Jesus is our passport, our blank check, our medication and our master
key. (Acts 3:3-6, 1 John 4:4, James
5:14-15 and Hebrews 13:5-6)
I entreat you to take Jesus
by His Word and to believe in the wonderful gift He has given us: The Name of
Jesus Christ. Trust and believe in the Lord and watch Him do exploits through you.
Amen.
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