New name separates us from old life
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone,
the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Anyone seriously contemplating a name change should realize he is changing
far more than just his name. To some extent he is altering his personality. A
name can be a boost or an obstacle. A "Seymour Schlumpf" who has always hated
his name and felt defensive about it might feel better if he changes his name to
Steve Brown. If your new name helps you feel better, your behavior may also
improve. For us, it is an opportunity to repent of the past and sin no more.
Once your name is registered as a child of the state, they have an interest
in controlling the body attached to the name. The state uses your name to do
business with you. They are your governors and tutors until the time appointed
by the Father. You are enslaved to the basic principles of the world and subject
to men’s codes.4
Once you are reborn in Christ, you are no longer enslaved to men. You are
free to use any name you choose. You do not have to continue using your state
name. This may confuse state record keepers, but there is nothing illegal about
using a name not sanctioned by the state. You may receive a new name as a gift
from God.
When we are reborn in Christ, our new name separates us from our old life of
bondage. As the Spirit works within us, the old man is mortified and vitality is
given to the new man. The old life, the old ways, the old ties, die. We don’t
want to use a name that identifies an oppressed and weary sinner. We’ve been set
free. We want a new name that identifies the new man redeemed by Jesus Christ.
When you change to a new name, your obligations don’t just disappear. You
need to systematically prove all things, keeping those things that are Godly and
closing out those things that are not.
4 - Galatians 4:2-3
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