Wednesday, July 21, 2010

What's in a Name?

Me: Happy All-Star Tuesday to all.
savior: baseball is gay


This exchange occurred last week, at the start of an online poker tournament. We won't get into the "gay" part here. Instead, we're struck by the other player's name. We've encountered several players who refer to God or Jesus, but put the name on themselves.

After a short discussion about baseball, we responded to the name:

Me: By the way, nothing personal -- but Jesus is my savior.
savior: ty


The chat went no further.

We've felt convicted recently to be more loving and less strident -- when we're playing poker in general, and especially when we see names like this. But make no mistake: we meant what we wrote.

....We have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. -- I Timothy 4:10

The word "Savior" is mentioned in the Bible as early as Deuteronomy. But New Testament writers made the identity of that Savior more specific:

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. -- I John 4:14

Thus we see that Son named Jesus is God -- and He's our Savior, too. Take that title upon yourself, and we think you're asking for trouble. After all, have you seen how much President Obama has been mocked because some supporters called him a messiah?

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