QUESTION 604

By: Robert Serreyn

Question? When we get to heaven, will we get a new name as stated by Revelation 2:17?

Revelation 2:17 “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.””

Answer:

Not at all.

What is implied here, simply means, that the NAME of the person that Trust Christ as their savior, THEIR NAME, is “New” in heaven. In other words, the earthly name you were given at birth WILL BE the “same name” that you will be known in heaven, What is not often taught from the pulpit nowadays is this… At the moment of death of the believer, THEIR earthly name will be transferred from earth to heaven.

A good reference verse for this is, Matthew 17:1-3.

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, (2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (3) And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Jesus took Peter, James, & John to the mountain of Transfiguration where they saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.

Peter, James and John recognized Both Moses and Elijah and they WERE KNOWN by their earthly names even though they had been dead (physically) for hundreds of years, and the same is true for every believer.

Revelation 2:17 has been taught wrong by some and it has confused many Christians that have not been taught correctly the meaning of this verse.

To get insight to Revelation 2:17 there are few key words that we need to focus on, which are…

– OVERCOMES
– HIDDEN MANNA
– WHITE STONE

OVERCOMES:
speaks of the person that Trust Christ and his payment alone for their sins, 1 John 5:4,5 says…

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” (5) “Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

HIDDEN MANNA:
This Is speaking of Jesus Christ The Bread of Life.

John 6:35 declares…

“And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst.”

The heavenly Manna is the BREAD in which God provided for the Children of Israel to eat in order to STAY ALIVE physically while in the wilderness.

Jesus Christ is the MANNA (bread) in which God provided (as payment for sin) in which every person needs to eat of (place trust alone in) in order to live eternally in heaven.

WHITE STONE:
Here again this is speaking of Jesus Christ.

The word WHITE represents Christ righteousness (Absolute Perfection) which God requires every person to have to enter heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:21 states.

“For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

The word STONE speaks of Christ as the foundation of which every believers salvation Is founded on.

1 Corinthians 3:11 declares…

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Jesus Christ is THE ROCK that our eternal life is anchored to.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

In Conclusion:

Those that try to use the last part of V17 to teach that NO MAN (Christian) can know their heavenly name until they get to heaven OVER LOOKS the next five words “SAVING HE THAT RECEIVES IT” which gives the answer.

No person can KNOW that their name WILL BE KNOWN in heaven UNTIL AFTER they trust Christ and his payment alone for their sins.

1 John 5:13 states without apology…

“These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may KNOW that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

The word KNOW carries the definition of Without A Doubt, To have Absolute Assurance, and Full Confidence etc.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.

The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.

-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8

-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24

-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9

“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23

IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH

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