Name Changes

Back in 1948 my parents put the name William Lester on my birth certificate and called me Billy.  I wore that nickname until I went to college when I took it upon myself to change it to Bill.  Maybe I thought Billy was a boy's name and Bill was more of a man's name.  Anyway, I had a name change.  My name change was rather inconsequential when compared to some of the name changes which took place in the Biblical story.  Abram and Sarai got their names changed to Abraham and Sarah.  God made this name change as a way of sealing a divine promise.  When Abraham was one hundred and Sarah was ninety, the old guy got a new name to declare that he would be the father of many.     

There are also some noteworthy name changes in the New Testament.  Saul of Tarsus became known as Paul the Apostle.  We often think that Jesus might have changed his name on the Damascus Road, but Acts 13:9 speaks of "...Saul, also known as Paul..." which suggests that he was known by both names, but came to be known not as Saul, but Paul.  And, of course, Simon became Peter by viture of a name change instigated by Jesus.  (Matthew 16:18-19)  

When it comes to name changing, the plan of God casts a net so big that we are all caught up in it.  We who were sinners are called saints.  In the letters to the church we read where the Apostles wrote to the saints in the church.  And in I Peter 2:9-10 we read of that great name change as the Word says, "But, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people...Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people..."   Though known by the name sinner, it is by the work of the cross that we are finally known not as sinners, but as saints, the set apart and holy people of God.