Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Abraham was Abram, Sarah was Sarai, and Paul was Saul, what is in a name?

Elvis, Celine, Whitney, Bono, Cher, Johnny are all single name celebrities who have achieved fame. They made a name for themselves, not that they did not already have a name, but that the name became the instant identifier. Yet it is man who has given them power and privilege, not God.

I’ve known people who have changed their names. Some just do not like their names. Some have a dark shadow cast upon their family name because of history. Some have ruined their own name. Some think that a name change will make a difference, such as in an acting career. Who was Marion Morrison?

It is who you are that is important, not your name or who you were in the past. Being a new creation in Christ means getting to start afresh and a name change won’t give you a new identity, your obedience of faith does.

I am a new creation in Christ who because I am human can make mistakes. Those who knew me back then, if they see my mistakes, they will say I haven’t changed. My reputation does not reflect who I am. I am not what I do in that sense, I am as I respond to in faith. It is my faith in Christ that determines what I am and not entirely what I do.

I say entirely because faith in Christ leads to actions which are observable. The difference between the actor and those who obey by faith is the glory and reputation is not ours. It is Jesus Christ who is the name, the reputation and the glory.

Like Jacob, one day, God will give me a new name and that will be who I am forevermore, unchanged and forever faithful, filled with all the faith and grace by which I was born of God.