Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:12
By Obinna Ejianya (9News Nigeria – Melbourne, Australia)
It is truly astonishing when people who have known the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the truth about salvation in His name still turn to serve other gods. They bow down to demons, witchcraft powers, occultic forces, and shrines. It is disheartening to see people abandon the right path and follow deception, to leave the light and embrace darkness, to forsake the truth for lies, and to choose death over life.
There is no other being or person who has ever lived on earth who claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life as Jesus Christ declared with absolute authority.
The hypocrisy of using Bible quotations and prayer in Jesus’ Name
A peculiar trend has emerged in some parts of Nigeria, especially in the southeast. People often end their prayers with “in Jesus’ name,” and this hypocrisy confounds me. Many even quote the Bible while speaking, yet they do not truly serve Jesus Christ, despite knowing that He is the only way to salvation. I wonder why this is so, but then I remember the words of God that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The battle is spiritual, not physical, for the devil, the enemy of godliness, fiercely strives to deceive many, particularly now that numerous false prophets tarnish the name of Jesus Christ.
However, I believe that those whom God has called, He will still glorify as it is written in Romans 8:30 (NLT): “And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”
The Supremacy of Jesus’ Name
There is no doubt, even though some may argue, that the name of Jesus Christ is greater than any other name given. Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) states, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” This clearly shows the unparalleled authority and reverence that Jesus’ name commands. Therefore, why can’t we surrender to that name before which every other name bows?
Acts 4:12 (NIV) further emphasizes, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” The exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ underscores the necessity of dedicating our lives to Him. Why can’t we dedicate our lives to serving Jesus Christ according to God’s plan?
In John 14:6 (NIV), Jesus Himself declares, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This affirmation calls for our total commitment to Him. Let us, therefore, wholeheartedly embrace and serve Jesus, recognizing the power and salvation inherent in His name.
God’s Eternal Solution to Sin and Death
God has revealed to humanity an eternal solution to sin and its wages, which is death. Death manifests in various aspects of our physical lives—our professions, families, relationships, health, businesses, and all that pertains to life. Spiritually, it results in eternal damnation after judgment. Humanity is incapable of saving itself because the flesh is a significant impediment in spiritual battles against Satan, the fallen angel, and his cohorts. Therefore, God knew that an eternal solution was needed—a Savior whose name would be called Yeshua, Saviour, Jesu, Jesus, or whatever He is called in different tongues and languages of the world.
Acts 4:12 proclaims, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Redemption Through Jesus Christ
Through Jesus Christ, we have redemption through His blood because a blood sacrifice was necessary for atonement. The blood of Jesus, a lamb without blemish, was the most fitting for the eternal redemption of humanity.
Ephesians 1:7-12 states, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”
The Superiority of Christ
Hebrews 1:1-6 reveals, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 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? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”
God’s Original Plan for Redemption
God has always had a plan to redeem humanity from the condemnation and destruction it deserves due to sin. From the very beginning, God foresaw the need for a Savior. After the fall of man in Genesis 3, God’s promise of redemption was evident when He said to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15, NIV). This was the first prophecy pointing to Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:6-11 reminds us, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
From the beginning, after the fall of man, God in His infinite wisdom made a way for humanity. Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV) declares, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” This demonstrates God’s eternal plan of redemption through Jesus Christ, assuring us of His unwavering commitment to save us from sin and its consequences.
The Prophecy of Redemption
Isaiah 53:4-6 prophesied, “Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.”
Sin’s Reproach and God’s Mercy
Sin is a reproach and a mark that gives the devil, Satan, permission to attack the children of God and have authority over them. If God’s mercy does not intervene, Satan can attack at will.
Ecclesiastes 10:8 warns, “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” God made a way for us to escape the destruction of Satan, whose only plan is to steal, kill, and destroy.
The Symbolism of the Bronze Serpent
In the wilderness, when the serpent bites, one must look at the serpent to live.
Numbers 21:8-9 recounts, “All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it! So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!”
Similarly, Jesus was crucified for our sake according to the design of God’s wisdom. He died on the tree and was resurrected, thereby removing the key of hell from Satan for the freedom of humanity to as many who believe in Him.
Jesus, the Lifted Savior
John 3:14-16 explains, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The Call to Salvation
Romans 10:13 promises, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Hebrews 12:2 urges us, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus confirms who he is by his mouth
There is no one else who has ever made the declarations that Jesus did. He unequivocally stated who He is, what He came to do, and what He will do.
John 14:6 affirms, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The authority in Jesus Christ
Matthew 28:18 declares, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” This powerful statement emphasizes the supreme authority of Jesus Christ over all creation. It confirms that Jesus has been granted complete dominion by God, encompassing both the spiritual and physical realms. This authority underscores His role as the Savior and Lord, affirming that through Him, God’s divine plan of redemption is fulfilled. As believers, this assurance of Jesus’ authority encourages us to trust in His power and to follow His teachings, knowing He reigns over all.
Finally: Embrace the truth and be saved
Finally, Beloved, let us embrace this truth and live by it, knowing that our salvation is secure in Jesus Christ alone. Let us pray for God’s strength to withstand the deception of Satan, who deceives people through his numerous agents. Some of these agents come as messengers of darkness, while others masquerade as agents of light, working for the devil. Additionally, some individuals exploit the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ for personal gain and enrichment. May the Lord bless and save all who read this. Let the Spirit of truth speak to us according to God’s perfect will, saving all whom He has predestined to be in the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
By Obinna Ejianya (9News Nigeria – Melbourne, Australia)
