Acts 4:7 “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
It’s important to grasp this scripture. The impossible happened. A man who had been lame all his life was made whole by speaking. He’d been laid at the gate of the temple, but strength came into his legs, hips to toes; he was cured. We learn to walk by crawling first. This man leaped, walked and ran like he’d done it all his life. All this happened by the speaking of a name. What traditional religion and the temple itself could not do was accomplished right before the eyes of the rulers of the temple, the religious of that day. If Peter and John had not gone there and had not spoken this name, the man would not have been healed.
It was God through God, the Son—Jesus. Sometimes it pays us to consider God the Son. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus became the Savior of man. There is no other way. This is the way, and thank God there is a way. The One we grew up knowing is still the way. Verse 12 is clear cut. Peter did not state it was by a new religion. Every religion has its own Savior (s). Christianity has only one. He is testified of in the Bible. Even the world still calls this the Holy Bible. Here in 2010 it’s the same. There is only one God, one Son, and one Savior. Jesus of Nazareth is the only one.
Peter said “neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Jesus plus nothing, minus nothing. We cannot have less or more than Jesus. We can’t add works, goodness, saying our prayers, or reading the Bible. Doing so will not save. It’s not in us. It’s in Him. No matter how fit I may keep my body, I must take care of my soul. It doesn’t matter if the established beliefs of the day say it or not, we can’t do it our own way. Peter says there is none other. No matter what we concoct it goes nowhere. Only what is ordained of God matters. Wealth, possessions, and position are only things. They cannot save. Trusting Jesus and Him alone is what saves. Christian friends and family can’t save. The preacher can’t save. You just can’t be saved without Jesus.
Everyone knew this man was lame. They could see the shape his legs were in. They also saw those legs come to life. The devil tried to confuse the whole thing. He tried to blend it in with other things. Remember we can’t blend anything in with our salvation, not works, money, communion, baptism or whatever. Coming to church in itself won’t save you. We come to church because we are saved. Without Jesus this building is like any other building. What started us in this way is still the way, and it’s Jesus. There is no other name.
None other is necessary. Jesus is absolutely, eternally necessary. We can have Him no matter what else comes or goes. Nothing has to come between us and the Lord. Honestly, all we need is Jesus. Other things are good, but Jesus is necessary. We should want no other. If Jesus is not enough, if He alone doesn’t satisfy, you may not be saved. Jesus gives peace that we can’t give to each other. There is no substitute. God is not 3 or 4 ways. He’s just ONE and the ONLY ONE needed. Peter said in Him we are complete. He didn’t say in the name of Peter or in the name of the temple. Peter said rise and walk in the name of Jesus. By reaching down his hand Peter gave him the right hand of fellowship.
They asked the question. By what means, by what name, by what power did this happen? By what power—Jesus; by what name—Jesus; by what means—Jesus. It was the Jesus whom they rejected and crucified. Trusting in Him is the means. The means by which we’ll get to heaven is by Jesus Christ.
We must be saved, and there is none other that can do it. Are you willing to trust in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth as Savior?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 