Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p. 1312; “NAME OF THE CHURCH. Christ’s Church bears his name, and believers in Jesus Christ take upon themselves his name by baptism (see Jehovah, Jesus Christ Christ: Taking the Name of, Upon Oneself). When the Nephites asked the Lord what the name of his Church should be, Jesus said, “How be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel” (3 Ne. 27:8). The name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is symbolic of its author and ideal.” Also see same info @ Signs of the True Church
1 Cor. 1:2; “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”.
I’ve looked and looked again, but there’s nothing in the Bible telling us the name of any Christian church should have Jesus’ name in its title.
Nevertheless, Smith and company convinced Mormons the true church must have Jesus’ name in it to serve as a sign they’re the real believers. As you can see in our list below, there were a number of names Paul and Luke applied to members of the body of Christ, and none of them referred to ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’!
Why do the Mormons believe this is the only name they can use? What source outside of Smith’s works tells us we must use this particular phrase he came up with?
As all true Christians know, the name over the doorway isn’t what saves us. It’s Christ Jesus and Him crucified! Jude 1:24-25
Acts 2:47; “…and the Lord added to the church daily…”
Acts 11:26; …And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
Acts 24:5; “…of the sect of the Nazarenes.”
Rom. 16:16; “…the churches of Christ…”
1 Cor. 12:18, 27; “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
Gal. 1:2; “…churches of Galatia…”
Eph. 1:22-23; “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
Col. 1:18; “And he is the head of the body; the church…”
Heb. 12:23; “…church of the firstborn…”
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